Day: June 27, 2025

As the International News Editor for the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), Sophie Mokoena has established herself as a leading voice in African journalism. With a career spanning over a decade, Mokoena has been instrumental in shaping the narrative on African affairs, bringing critical stories to the forefront, and providing insightful analysis on complex issues.

Mokoena’s dedication to journalism is evident in her work, which showcases her commitment to delivering accurate, timely, and in-depth coverage of African issues. Her leadership at SABC Africa has transformed the platform into a reliable and authoritative source on African affairs, earning the trust and respect of viewers across the continent.

Expertise in African Affairs: Mokoena’s expertise spans politics, social justice, and human rights, making her a go-to commentator on African issues.

In-Depth Coverage: She has led coverage on critical stories, including the DRC-Rwanda peace agreement and human rights issues in Kenya.

Leadership: Mokoena has nurtured a team of dedicated journalists who push the boundaries of excellence in reporting.

Advocacy: Through her work, she advocates for good governance, respect for human rights, and accountability from leaders.

Mokoena’s impact extends beyond her role as a journalist. She has become a voice for the voiceless, using her platform to amplify critical narratives and promote African stories. Her presence on Twitter, where she has over 276,000 followers, allows her to engage with a wider audience, share her insights, and spark meaningful conversations.

While specific awards and recognition are not publicly listed, Mokoena’s work has garnered significant respect within the journalistic community. A petition to encourage her to continue leading SABC Africa highlights her value to the network and its global audience.

Sophie Mokoena’s dedication to African journalism and storytelling has made her a respected figure in the industry. As Pr Times Africa’s Media Personality of the Week, she serves as an inspiration to aspiring journalists and a testament to the power of quality journalism in shaping our understanding of the world.

In the North region of Cameroon, a swift response by trained Cameroon Red Cross Society volunteers has successfully contained a measles outbreak. Thanks to their efforts, a mass vaccination campaign was launched, protecting children’s health in the long term.

7-year-old Djoubeda from Mayo-Oulo village showed symptoms of measles, prompting local volunteer Ramatou to spring into action. Ramatou, trained through the Community Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness Programme (CP3), recognized the symptoms and reported the case to authorities using a digital surveillance tool.

Within three days, the measles case was confirmed, and local health authorities launched a mass vaccination campaign. Cameroon Red Cross volunteers supported the effort by sharing trusted health information and encouraging families to vaccinate their children.

Thanks to the joint effort, nearly 500 children were vaccinated, and no further measles cases have been recorded since the outbreak. Dr. Laboulaye, Head of the Mayo-Oulo Health Centre, praised the Red Cross’s support, saying, “We could have recorded a lot of deaths… Thank you for your support, for all your disease prevention activities and help with the response.”

Volunteer Ramatou’s Motivation.

Ramatou’s motivation for volunteering is to save lives, ease pain, and prevent diseases from spreading. She says, “What pleases me is that people listen, volunteers work well, and the community values and appreciates our efforts.”

The International Trade Centre (ITC) is highlighting its expertise in sustainable coffee development at the World of Coffee Geneva 2025, Europe’s largest coffee trade show. ITC has been working closely with the International Coffee Organization and regional institutions to support coffee value chains and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Latin America, Africa, and Asia.

Key Highlights:

– Sustainable coffee growth*: ITC supports building resilience, competitiveness, and sustainable value chains for SME development.

– Value addition and technical capacity building: ITC invests in value addition, technical capacity building, regional trade, and youth and women-led entrepreneurship.

– Partnerships and collaborations: ITC collaborates with coffee sector stakeholders from various countries, including the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, and more.

Quotes from Key Stakeholders:

– ITC Executive Director Pamela Coke-Hamilton: “Coffee is more than a commodity – for the many small businesses we support, improving quality, processing at origin, and meeting sustainability requirements means they’re able to adapt to changes and compete at the global level.”

– ICO Executive Director Vanusia Nogueira: “No one can tackle the coffee sector’s challenges alone. We need expertise, funding, capable people, and strong partnerships for collective action.”

– Uganda’s Minister of State for Agriculture, Hon. Bwino Fred Kyakulaga: “Uganda reaffirms its commitment to transform its export trajectory through strategic value addition, with coffee being a primary driver.”

Visit ITC at World of Coffee Booth 1359 to taste unique coffees, connect with producers, and learn about ITC’s sustainable coffee initiatives.

The recent polio outbreak in Benguela province, Angola, has prompted a robust response from the government and health organizations. With 13 confirmed cases reported, a vaccination campaign has been launched to protect over 554,000 children under the age of five.

1. Immunize children: The primary goal is to vaccinate children under five years old, ensuring they are protected against the poliovirus.

2. Prevent further spread: By immunizing a large number of children, the campaign aims to prevent the virus from spreading further, reducing the risk of new cases.

3. Eradicate polio: The long-term objective is to eradicate polio in Angola, aligning with global efforts to eliminate the disease.

1. Government of Angola: The Ministry of Health is leading the response, working closely with international partners.

2. World Health Organization (WHO): WHO is providing technical support, guidance, and resources to aid the vaccination campaign.

3. Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI): GPEI is a partnership that includes WHO, UNICEF, Rotary International, and others, working together to eradicate polio globally.

1. *Reaching remote areas*: Ensuring that vaccines reach remote and hard-to-access areas will be crucial to the campaign’s success.

2. *Community engagement*: Engaging local communities, leaders, and influencers will help build trust and encourage participation in the vaccination campaign.

3. *Sustainability*: The campaign’s success will depend on sustained efforts to maintain high vaccination coverage and monitor for potential outbreaks.

1. Strengthening health systems: The campaign highlights the importance of strengthening health systems, including routine immunization and surveillance.

2. Collaboration and coordination: The response to the polio outbreak demonstrates the value of collaboration and coordination among government agencies, international organizations, and local communities.

3. Eradicating polio: With continued efforts and commitment, Angola can move closer to eradicating polio, protecting its children and contributing to global health security.