Generation Africa

 "I am biased, I try to correct my biases in my reporting, but yes i come from a point of view. I think the role of the responsible journalist is to always be aware of his or her biases and correct them or compensate for them."

Aryn Baker

Aryn is the Time magazine Africa correspondent. Before moving to Cape Town to cover Africa she was The Time magazine Middle East correspondent based in Beirut, before that she covered the war in Afghanistan, which is where I met her.

Aryn has over 20 years’ experience in journalism and a wealth of fascinating stories and insight. In this interview we discuss; Aryn’s time in Afghanistan, embedding with the military, travelling in Africa, the best stories she’s covered, how she sources stories, her favourite African authors and living with an immunocompromised partner during COVID-19.

SHOW NOTES

Aryn and I discuss a number of authors including Nnedi Okorafor and Douglas Rogers.

You can check out Aryn’s work here.

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“You know what? Sometimes I just don’t have to fit in, in place of saying I feel excluded at an event, why can’t I create my own event? Why can’t I create my own wine? Why can’t I create my own space? So for me, you can say Kumusha was a bit rebellious.”

Tinashe Nyamudoka.

Tinashe is a master blender and founder of Kumasha Wines. He was born and raised in Zimbabwe but developed his love of wine as a waiter and latterly sommelier at some of the finest restaurants in South Africa. Kumusha is the culmination of all his knowledge, skill and learning in a bottle and it's been met with rave reviews.

Tinashe has won the prestigious Eat Out Wine Service Award, competed in the World Blind Wine Tasting Championships for Zimbabwe and is an executive member of the non-profit Black Cellar Club. Tinashe knows his wine.

Above all though Tinashe is an entrepreneur; his drive, dedication and vision is inspiring. He left Zimbabwe in 2008 when hyper-inflation ravaged the economy and started working as a baker in a supermarket in Cape Town, from there he became a waiter and finally sommelier. The journey hasn't been easy and I hope you'll be as inspired by Tinashe as I am.

SHOW NOTES

Kumusha Wine

Linkedin

Facebook

Instagram

Please follow Generation Africa on INSTAGRAM and FACEBOOK and if you have any comments or questions email me: [email protected]

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“The kids on the streets have really educated me…some of the greatest acts of compassion and kindness that I have ever seen in the world  have been by street children toward other street children… I feel indebted to the kids I’ve worked with, they’ve taught me a lot.”

Tom Hewitt, MBE

Tom is the founder of ‘Surfers Not Street Children’ an amazing charity that helps some of the most disadvantaged children in South Africa and Mozambique. Tom’s charity gets them off the streets, often off drugs and uses surfing as part of the process.

Tom has been awarded an MBE from the Queen for his incredible work and counts Prince Harry, Pope Francis and surfers Kelly Slater, Rosy Hodge and Stephanie Gilmore among supporters of his organisation.  

Tom’s passion for Africa and for helping others come across in the interview where we discuss his early life as anti-Apartheid activist, stumbling into a township, his love of surfing and his drive to help those less fortunate than himself is inspiring.  

SHOW NOTES

Web

Facebook

Instagram

Tom's personal Instagram page

During the chat we also discussed:

Sne Makhubu

Stephanie Gilmore

Kelly Slater

Rosy Hodge

Two books Tom recommends are Steve Biko’s seminal book: ‘I Write What I like’ and Paulo Feore’s ‘Pedagogy of the Oppressed.’

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“That’s the thing dictators don’t realise, you make heroes out of common people who are just trying to do their work and that’s what they did with me….every time a dictator throws someone in prison they are recruiting for the other side.”

Trevor Ncube

Today I talk to Trevor Ncube about his journalism, standing up to Robert Mugabe, his dyslexia, going to prison for his beliefs, growing up poor and his daily routine.

Trevor runs Alpha Media Holdings and hosts a hugely popular YouTube channel, ‘In Conversation with Trevor.’ He’s edited and published some of southern Africa’s biggest publications including the Mail and Guardian (South Africa) and The Zimbabwe Independent.

Ncube grew up poor, in a village outside of Bulawayo. His parents worked as domestic workers in town and he was raised by his grandparents. Trevor didn’t have an easy childhood, but the fight out of poverty has given him an inner strength and drive. This strength saw him take on Robert Mugabe and go to prison for his belief in a free and independent press.

Trevor is brave but also humble. I found today’s conversation incredibly inspiring and a timely reminder of the power of the human spirit.

SHOW NOTES

'In Conversation with Trevor' can be found on Youtube

You can also find Trevor on Instagram and Facebook

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“To be honest I really hope I’m never 100% happy with my work. Because at that point you stop. It’s what gets me up at five in the morning chasing that."

David Filer

This week Tim talks to David Filer, one of a new generation of wildlife artists. Born and bred in Zimbabwe, David brings hyper realism to his incredible work. He’s won the David Shepherd Wildlife Artist of the Year Award and his work is showcased at the prestigious ManZArt gallery in Franschhoek, South Africa.

David talks about how he became an artist, life in Zimbabwe, the fight against poaching, his painting routine, where he draws his inspiration from and life in Zim.

David has had his work exhibited in Harare, Johannesburg, London, New York and Franschhoek.

If you haven’t seen any of David’s work you should really check it out.

SHOW NOTES

His Website and Instagram feed give a great idea of his work. if you’d like to buy some his work you can contact the ManZArt Gallery.

Some of the artists we discussed in this episode were Larry Norton, Craig Bone, Simon Bannister and Emily Lamb.

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“It’s an extremely lonely process…nobody knows what’s happening in my world and I don’t want to tell people what I’m writing because hopefully they’ll read the book and I’ll spoil it. So, it’s not only you are alone in this world, but you can’t really talk so nobody can relate.”

Deon Meyer

To kick off the series Tim speaks to Deon Meyer, an award winning South African crime fiction author and screen writer.

Deon is a powerhouse of African crime fiction and his books have been translated from Afrikaans into 27 languages and have been published in more than 40 countries worldwide.

Deon has recreated and reimagined the crime fiction genre in the African context. His gritty, raw and incredibly detailed novels paint a unique and hyper real picture of modern-day South Africa.

We chat about his books, Trackers, the TV series based on one of his books, his childhood growing up in South Africa, how he got into writing, his writing techniques, and his love for South Africa.

SHOW NOTES

You can check Deon out on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and his webpage

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Generation Africa is A podcast dedicated to African stories and the remarkable people who call Africa home.

Each week Tim Albone, your host, meets incredible people with amazing stories. Generation Africa tells the stories of hope, growth and creativity that are so common in Africa, but so often ignored.

Our guest will be explorers, entrepreneurs, surgeons, doctors, researchers, business gurus, sports stars, environmentalists, musicians, photographers, film makers and CEOs. Africa’s game changers.

Africa is a continent on the move and Generation Africa introduces you to those moving it.

Generation Africa is more conversation than interview. Challenging. Personal. Inspired. These conversations will inform and entertain.

Please join us on our journey. 

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