The Dahomey mothers or Amazons were a group of elite all-female soldiers, who were trained to kill and protect the Kingdom of Dahomey, in modern-day Benin. They started by protecting the king, but would go on to fight against the French.

They are the fourth story in a new eight-part series, African Women who Changed the World, which aims to shed light on great African women whose stories deserve to be heard.

This BBC Africa series has been produced using historical and iconographic research, but includes artistic interpretation.

Illustrations: Manuella Bonomi
Producer and editor: Kat Hawkins

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Farah Khaleck from Kenya has scleroderma, an autoimmune disease which causes hardening and tightening of the skin and connective tissues.

She spoke to us about what it's like living with the rare and incurable condition, and says she wants to inspire young people to love and embrace themselves.

Video journalists: Anne Okumu and Anthony Irungu.

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You'll know her from Sauti Sol and Nyashinski's "Short n Sweet". Aggie the Dance Queen has made a name for herself, and we caught up with her in her dance studio to talk about her fame, her future plans, and THAT outfit.

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Nikky Okyere, who came to the UK from Ghana, has become the go-to barber for English Premier League footballers from Africa, like Crystal Palace FC's Bakery Sako and Wilfried Zaha. Describing himself as a 'hair therapist', some of his other clients include Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Jordon Ibe, Asamoah Gyan, Christian Atsu, Mario Balotelli, Christian Benteke, and Danny Welbeck. Apart from running his own barbershop in Camberwell, south London, he also does home visits to some of his more famous customers.

Dirt is a common craving in many parts of Africa - especially amongst pregnant women who need the nutrients contained within the soil. In Tanzania the special clay soil is known as "udongo wa pemba", Swahili for "The Soil of Pemba". Focus on Africa's Tulanana Bohela travelled specially to the hills of Morogoro to find out what dirt really tastes like...but her journey begins in a famous market in Dar Es Salaam.

In our series of films looking at the topic of modern masculinity in Africa, the first issue we go into is suicide amongst Kenyan men.

Filmed, produced and directed by: Peter Murimi
Producer: Toni Kamau
Edited by: Sam Soko

We went to Nyandarua County located in Central Kenya where 70 people – almost all of them men - killed themselves last year.

BBC Africa Eye's Peter Murimi investigates why this is happening.

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Bassekou Kouyate and his band Ngoni Ba made one of the best received African albums of 2009. "I Speak Fula", released in September followed the hugely successful 2007 Segu Blue album.

Through his music, Bassekou and his band have breathed new life into Ngoni playing.

The traditional string instrument made of wood or calabash with animal skin stretched across it was always played sitting down on stage.

Bassekou and his band changed that, strapping the Ngonis over their shoulders like guitars and bringing the instruments to the front of the stage.

Bassekou and Ngoni Ba headlined on Friday night at the Festival of the Desert.

We made contact with him on Saturday and he invited us to come to where he and his band were staying in Timbuktu to film an unplugged performance in the more traditional style.

Again, we found ourselves racing the setting sun, trying to get the performance recorded before the light failed us.

We borrowed his neighbour's rooftop and Bassekou Kouyate, his wife Amy Sacko, Calabash player Alou Coulibaly and Ngoni bassplayer Moussa Bah performed this beautiful version of "Jonkoloni" from the album Segu Blue.

A TV science and maths quiz show where schools are pitted against each other has had Ghanaians hooked for years. We followed one contestant on his journey of persistence and preparation, in the pursuit of victory.

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Controversial Senegal football legend El Hadji Diouf says he's fitter than ever and enjoying life away from the pitch, advising the president on how to bring through the next generation of sport stars.

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Many African countries experience violence and intimidation fuelled by tribalism. But Tanzania seems to be an exception. Despite having more than 100 ethnic groups and bordering eight countries, it has succeeded in overcoming tribal tensions in a region where some neighbours have failed to do so. The BBC's Tulanana Bohela reports from Dar Es Salaam.

The inspirational story of Patson Daka, the 19-year-old football sensation from Zambia, who plays for Austrian giants Red Bull Salzburg.

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Water births at home are a rare occurrence in Kenya.

However, Shiko Nguru and Rama Oluoch shared their birthing experience on YouTube and attracted a lot of attention as viewers marvelled at how easy they made it seem.

The couple explain how hypnobirthing classes helped them stay calm through the process, even when they had to deliver the baby without a midwife.

Video journalists: Gloria Achieng and Sheila Kimani.

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Yaa Asantewaa was a Ghanaian warrior queen, born around 1840, who rose up to lead an army against the invading British.

She is the first story in a new eight-part series, African Women who Changed the World, which aims to shed light on great African women whose stories deserve to be heard.

This BBC Africa series has been produced using historical and iconographic research, but includes artistic interpretation.

Producer and editor: Kat Hawkins
Illustrations: Manuella Bonomi

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Squadron Leader Angeline Bosha became Zimbabwe's first female jet fighter pilot in 2018. In a profession that is male-dominated, flight lieutenant Bosha is championing for the cause for female representation in the airforce while encouraging and inspiring younger women to pursue their dreams.

Video by Sally Boyani and Anne Okumu for BBC Africa's #TheSheWord.

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Theresa Kachindamoto is the senior chief of Dedza district Central Malawi.
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Black Panther sets records across Africa
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Thousands of women across West Africa have been enslaved by a centuries old practice called “trokosi”. Girls are forced to live and work with priests in religious shrines, for the rest of their lives, to “pay” for the sins of family members. Although the practice has officially been banned in Ghana, it’s still happening there and in other parts of West Africa but on a smaller scale.

Twenty years after she was freed from this practice, Brigitte Sossou Perenyi goes on a journey to understand what trokosi really is and why her family gave her away.

Subscribe to our channel for more investigative journalism. Nothing stays hidden forever.

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Haben Girma was the first deafblind student to graduate from Harvard Law School. Today the Eritrean-American fights for better education for deafblind people worldwide.

FULL TRANSCRIPT (AND TEXT DESCRIPTION)

[Video opens with photos of African women and lively music. Music ends with the words: ‘Women of Africa: Africa’s Unsung Heroes’ under the BBC logo]

[Screen now shows Haben sitting in a chair in her office]

Haben says: “My mother grew up during the 30 years of war in Eritrea, where Eritreans struggled to gain independence from Ethiopia. And when she was 16, she took the very dangerous journey, walking three weeks through the deserts of Eritrea. And then a reparatory organisation helped her come to the United States.”

[Screen now shows text on black background, reading:]

Haben Girma

Lawyer

Haben, 27, was born in the US after her mother fled Eritrea as a refugee in the early 1980s.
She was the first deafblind student to graduate from Harvard Law School.

Haben is now a lawyer with the non-profit group Disability Rights Advocates in California.

[Screen now shows Haben with her dog, walking down the street then walking past the reception desk at her workplace, Disability Rights Advocates. Then we see a photo of Haben with an older woman and man, wearing her graduation gown and holding a certificate. Followed by a photo of Haben being awarded her graduation certificate].

Haben says: “I am an attorney here and I grew up facing access barriers as a deafblind person, and that inspired me to become a lawyer.

And when I first started at Harvard Law School, there were very few deafblind attorneys. I couldn't turn to older deafblind individuals and ask. I had to figure it out a lot on my own.

So graduating from Harvard Law School says a lot about what can be done when people have the right attitude.”

[Screen now shows text on black background, reading:]

One of Haben’s priorities is to help deafblind people communicate through better access to technology.

[Screen now shows Haben, pictured with her assistant who is typing while she uses her digital braille display.]

Haben says: “There are so many forms of communicating information. And if we’re creative and open-minded, we’ll find those forums.

I use a digital braille display and QWERTY keyboard for communication. The braille display shows in digital braille, mechanical dots pop up to form braille letters. And, as I am reading, my assistant Chris types on a QWERTY keyboard when there are conversations going on.”

[Screen now shows video clip of President Obama walking onto stage to applause.]

[Screen now shows text on black background, reading:]
Haben met President Obama at the White House to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

[Screen now shows Haben sitting in her office. Then photos of Haben Girma with President Obama, who is typing her a message on a keyboard while she uses her digital braille display.]

Haben says: “At the White House celebration of the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, President Obama met with me and he used alternative technologies to communicate with me.”

[Screen now shows video clip of President Obama giving Haben a hug and then typing “I couldn’t type a hug” to which she says “I prefer real hugs to types hugs!” Both laugh.]

Haben says: “That sends a very empowering message - it reminds the rest of the United States and the world that having an inclusive attitude ensures that people with disabilities can contribute their talents to society.”

Well while Chinese money is welcome. It looks like - in certain circumstances - some workers are not. At least 125 Chinese nationals involved in small-scale gold mining in Ghana are being held in custody by the country's immigration authorities. They were arrested for a breach of Ghanaian law, prohibiting foreigners from small-scale mining. The BBC's Akwasi Sarpong reports.

Under the bridges. In doorways. On street corners. You don't have to look too hard to see that homelessness is a big problem in Nigeria's biggest city, Lagos.

Amnesty International suggests that more than 30,000 have been forcibly evicted from settlements, and a further 300,000 are under threat.

Many flee to Lagos after being displaced by Boko Haram in the north-east of the country.

We spent a day with Godwin who came to Lagos to look for a better life, but found himself sleeping under a flyover in the city.

Video Journalists: Joshua Akinyemi and Mariam Koné.

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It is exactly 10 years since the leader of Nigeria's militant Islamist group Boko Haram, Mohammed Yusuf, was killed in police custody.

His death sparked a campaign of terror in Nigeria that has left more than 30,000 people dead and displaced more than two million people.

The BBC's Nigeria correspondent Mayeni Jones examines the roots of the militant group, its rise to global infamy and whether it will remain a force in the region in the next decade.

Graphics, animation and editing: Manuella Bonomi

Producers: Naomi Scherbell-Ball and Hugo Williams

Researchers: Sheila Kimani and Princess Abumere

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Leyla underwent FGM at just seven years old. Till this day, the trauma caused by her experience still haunts her even in her adult life.

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Bobi Wine has gone from being a popular singer to an MP and now says he will challenge long-time President Yoweri Museveni in the 2021 election.

The 37-year-old is hoping to be the candidate of Uganda's youth, who make up more than half of the population.

BBC reporter Catherine Byaruhanga spoke to the musician about his future plans.

Video journalist: Michael Onyiego.

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There are some sports in which certain countries are just really good at. We're talking New Zealand and Rugby, Brazil and football, Kenya and middle distance running.

And it might surprise you that an African country dominates the sport of squash. BBC Sport Africa's Isaac Fanin is here to find out why Egypt is so good at squash.

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With data costs in South Africa amongst the highest on the continent, how can poor rural communities be expected to get online and join the fourth industrial revolution?

Well, the village of Mankosi has been at the forefront of an experiment to bridge the internet gap and make cheap wifi a reality. And it's a project that could have major implications for similar communities around the world.

Video journalist: Christian Parkinson

Reporter: Vauldi Carelse

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Twenty-five years ago Rwanda descended into mass murder on a scale that still shocks the world.

Anne-Marie watched as her neighbour killed two of her children in the Rwandan genocide.

But she has forgiven the man responsible.

Rwanda has always been a tightly controlled society and under President Paul Kagame, the media is closely monitored.

Here's one moving story of survival and reconciliation.

Video producers: Jean-Paul Habyarimana, Ciru Muriuki and Didier Bikorimana for BBC Factfinder.

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The materials needed to make art can be expensive, too expensive for some.
But one artist in South Africa has found away to combine his artistic passion and his love of recycling. Mbongeni Buthelezi collects plastic bags from the streets around his Johannesburg studio and melts them to create a unique kind of art - he calls it "plastic fantastic".

Video journalist: Christian Parkinson

Rosamond Asiamah was the first woman recruited into Ghana's police force in 1952.

Her family and former colleagues told the BBC's #TheSheWord programme how she led the fight to change the rules for female police officers, so that they were allowed marry and have children just as male officers could.

"If that had not happened, we would have had less women in the police service than we have now," said Ghana's Commissioner of Police Beatrice Zakpaa Vib-Sanziri.

Rosamond, who recently celebrated her 90th birthday, still enjoys spending time with her fellow retired officers.

Video produced by Eunice Gatonye and Ashley Ogonda.

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What is the price of having smooth skin? Some people spend a lot of money on beauty products which contain shea butter, but not much of that trickles down to the widows of a small farming community in northern Ghana who process nuts from which the moisturising paste is made.
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1619 marks the year of the first documented arrival of enslaved Africans in what’s today the United States of America. The West African country of Ghana – which was a major hub during the transatlantic slave trade - declared 2019 the year of return and is encouraging the African diaspora to visit the country. According to the country’s tourism board from January to June this year, there was a 20 per cent increase in the number of Americans visiting the country and an 11 per cent increase in visitors from the UK. But some young African Americans have decided to return for good.

Video journalist: Efrem Gebreab.
Producer: Elaine Okyere.

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Ghana's self-dubbed 'African Gypsy', Wanlov the Kubolor has worked for a long time with his friend and fellow musician, M3nsa.

Wanlov performs 'Human Being (Just Like You)' from his 2007 Green Card album accompanied by M3nsa on backing vocals and Alex Hunter on acoustic guitar.

In our series of films looking at the topic of modern masculinity in Africa, we're looking at the role of the father figure.

Michael Mwangi was rescued from a Nairobi slum and realised his dream of becoming a pilot, thanks to his father figure Fredrick Mwaura.

Produced and directed by: John-Allan Namu and Elijah Kanyi
Edited by: John Gathuna

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People with albinism in Africa often face discrimination, but this Nigerian family is determined to see a change in how the society treats them.

Taiwo grew up with albinism, but his twin brother Kehinde did not have the genetic disorder.

Despite finding this confusing as children, the twins explain how they coped with the challenges of growing up as brothers with different skin colour.

And now they're determined to break some of the negative superstitious beliefs associated with the condition.

Video Journalist: Olufemi Gabriel for BBC News Yoruba.

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No 1 Mango Street is the latest album release from Ghanaian rapper, M3nsa.

Together with friend and collaborator, Wanlov the Kubolor, M3nsa came to our Bush House studios to perform a Network Africa video session.

He singss 'Anaa' from the new album, accompanied by Wanlov on backing vocals and Alex Hunter on acoustic guitar.

Many African and Asian countries have banned the recruitment of domestic workers for countries in the Middle East who subscribe to the “kafala” system.

Under the system, foreign maids are legally bound to their employer and have limited rights.

Employers can take advantage of their position and many women are overworked, underpaid and physically abused.

Testimonies from women who escaped and private recordings show a world of powerlessness and abuse, hidden behind closed doors.

This week’s Africa Eye, “Maid in Hell” is part of the “Why Slavery?” series from THE WHY.

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Queen Njinga Mbande lived from 1583 to 1663. She was the monarch of the Mbundu people and ruled a region which is in present-day Angola.
Digital producer: Maryam Ghanbarzadeh
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In just 100 days in 1994, about 800,000 people were slaughtered in Rwanda by ethnic Hutu extremists.

They were targeting members of the minority Tutsi community, as well as their political opponents.

But how did the genocide start, and what is it like in Rwanda now?

BBC Africa's Victoria Uwonkunda explains.

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Kenyan Lawrence Masira has always been a huge Arsenal fan.

The 12-year-old Maasai boy even drew the name of star midfielder Mesut Ozil on the back of an Arsenal shirt his mother bought him.

A picture of Lawrence's makeshift shirt was posted on Twitter by journalist Eric Njiru, and eventually came to the attention of the Arsenal player. The rest is history!

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We speak to Amina Hersi, one of Africa's most successful female entrepreneurs.
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As the BBC's Connected Africa Day focuses on Africa's new broadband connectivity, Network Africa sessions step in to provide you with the opportunity to really test the new technology by watching the great Zimbabwean singer and guitarist, Oliver "Tuku" Mtukudzi performing two tracks live in our Bush House studios.

This classic track, Neria is about the strength of women and how they should take their place and not feel inferior to men.

⁣

Group Of “America’s Frontline Doctors,” Calling Out “Massive Disinformation Campaign”

Different Camera Angle

Group Of “America’s Frontline Doctors,” Hold Press Conference At Capitol Hill About COVID-19 Calling Out “Massive Disinformation Campaign”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – From the steps of the US Supreme Court, a group of doctors calling themselves “America’s Frontline Doctors,” are speaking out as physicians from around the country, addressing the American people about COVID-19 and what they are calling a “massive disinformation campaign” as COVID-19 is keeping businesses closed and schools planning to remain closed this coming September. The event is being widely recognized as the “White Coat Summit” on Capitol Hill which is scheduled to be a two-day event. It took place today, July 27, 2020.

Speakers at the event included Pediatrician Bob Hamilton, MD from Santa Monica, CA in practice 36 years. Primary Care Physician Stella Immanuel, MD from Houston, TX who stated she has treated over 350 patients with COVID-19 with not a single death. Dan Erickson, MD from California, widely recognized as one of the first to come out with his own grim findings related to misinformation which were referenced in the highly controversial and banned video Plandemic.

Interestingly, the forty-five-minute video is not easy to find through normal channels such as YouTube, Google News, and other ordinary search services. It was live streamed on Facebook and is now removed from breitbart.com.



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