“My husband and older son, unable to cope with the war, became mentally ill. Two of my sons became child soldiers and an eight-year-old daughter was abducted – they were never to be seen again,” Mariamu Dong says, referring to the 21-year civil war between north and south Sudan, which are now separate countries.
There is much to celebrate this week as the African Union marks 50 years as an independent pan-African entity.
Say "Africa" and myriad images flood our minds. Like its landscape and peoples, the continent's history is rich and diverse. While numerous books have been written and films made on the African slave trade in the West, a lesser-known aspect of the continent’s history lies in India.
With its youthful population, fast growing economies and an expanding middle class, Africa has much to celebrate on 25
th May, Africa Day.
As the continent prepares to celebrate the 50
th anniversary of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) on Africa Day, 25
th of May, IPS Africa speaks to ordinary South Africans to hear how they plan to celebrate this important day.