The Comb

‘I can remember every detail’. Victoria Uwonkunda’s childhood was shaped by death, genocide and displacement. Years later, she is still dealing with the impact of these traumatic events. She regularly experiences panic attacks - a symptom of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In Sierra Leone, Dr Rebecca Esliker is helping to build a mental health service in a country recovering from war, Ebola, mudslides and floods. She says mass exposure to trauma has had a long lasting effect on Sierra Leoneans.

“Our children are in danger”: After Solome’s child was publicly outed as being transgender she first felt shame and anger. It also set her on a journey of learning and acceptance that transformed their relationship. Her priority now is protecting her daughter, and teaching other parents in Uganda to accept their LGBTI children.

From anger to acceptance: For parents in Uganda, having a child come out or be exposed as gay, lesbian, or trans can be traumatic and shameful. Many are caught between widespread homophobia, and the love they have for their child. But a new support group is trying to make things easier.

Senegal’s missing men: The other side of the migrant crisis. Ndeye lost contact with her husband once he reached Europe. Yayi’s son died at sea when he embarked on the same journey. For those left behind it can be a life filled with loss and longing. It also means fighting the stigma associated with women whose husbands and sons are ‘missing’.

Living with albinism: Navigating issues of identity, race and beauty. An intimate journey through the eyes of Perpetua and Anneline, two women living with albinism. The prejudice they face and the pride they feel when it comes to their identity.

From hope to disappointment. It's been a decade since 26-year-old Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire to protest against the Tunisian police. This sparked an uprising that transformed the country. But how much has actually changed for the better? Dhouha and Sahar are now the same age Mohamed was when he took that desperate action. They reflect on their lives before and after the revolution.

Myths, misconceptions and superstitions. Why is epilepsy still so misunderstood? After Lawrence had his first epileptic seizure at the age of eight, his family began to search for a cure. They tried clinics, prophets, witchdoctors and prayers. When, as an adult, he finally got a medical diagnosis, it changed his life.

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More African governments are building digital ID systems. In Kenya, the government is assigning a unique identification number to each citizen. The Huduma Namba will soon be the single key needed to unlock access to a range of government services. The process requires getting the finger prints and faces of every Kenyan scanned. But many people born in Kenya don’t have the documents they need to prove citizenship and critics of the Huduma Namba system are worried that, as the IDs become essential to accessing services such as health and education, minority communities risk being further marginalised. We explore the risks and benefits of this new digital ID system, looking at the experiences of the Nubian community in Kenya, and ask what can be done to make this move towards digitisation more inclusive.

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‘A second chance at life’. South Africa’s organ donation waiting list is long but donors are in short supply. Sandrisha has been waiting for a donor for seven years, whereas Nomsa’s life was saved by her twin sister donating her kidney. Through their stories, we explore why organ donation is still a difficult subject for many in Africa.

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The agony of not knowing. As Tigray stood on the brink of war, contact was severed between families and their loved ones in the diaspora around the world. What’s it like to be cut off from your family when they’re at their most vulnerable?