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.

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.

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.

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.

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