Africa Podcasts
African’s love a good story, and so do I. I’m a big podcast fan, and as I stumble across ones that have an Africa theme I’ll add them to the list. These are in no particular order, I’ll add new ones at the top. None of these are really about travel, or overlanding, but every one of them has added depth, context and amazement to our travels and to my curiosity about all the other stories as yet undiscovered. Grab your earbuds, or try them on your way to work and let me know what you think, or if you have some more I’ll add them to the list.
Updated: June 11th, 2021
Against the Odds: Kidnapped in the Desert. In case you needed a reminder to do your best not get kidnapped in Somalia, here you go. This is a riveting 3 part story of aid worker Jessica Buchanen’s experience getting kidnapped. The last episode is an interview with her. Episode 3 is particularly suspensful and a tear jerker, I had to stop what I was doing and just listen to this one. So good.
Radiolab: The team at Radiolab is amazing at picking out interesting stories and presenting them with unique perspectives. I’m a big fan off all their stuff, and lucky enough they have a few Africa themed podcasts themselves. In no particular order…
The Rhino Hunter – A story and interview with a hunter who wins the license and chance to legally hunt a rhino in Namibia. They dig into the thorny issue of trophy hunting, more complicated and nuanced than most appreciate. Great story.
Somali 1981 – Mohammed was having the best six months of his life – working a job he loved, making mixtapes for his sweetheart – when the communist Somali regime perp-walked him out of his own home, and sentenced him to a lifetime of solitary confinement. With only concrete walls and cockroaches to keep him company, Mohammed felt miserable, alone, despondent. But then one day, eight months into his sentence, he heard a whisper, a whisper that would open up a portal to – of all places and times – 19th century Russia, and that would teach him how to live and love again.
A movement to oust Gabon’s dictatorial president, forcing Radiolab to ask: can fake news be used for good?
Legions of athletes, sports gurus, and scientists have tried to figure out why Kenyans dominate long-distance running. In this short, we stumble across a surprising, and sort of terrifying, explanation. Is it the ugali (maize meal), economics? Or something else?
Radiolab digs into the Mau Mau rebellion, Kenya. Documents uncovered in England shed new light on to the famous rebel movement.
John Kerry, then US Secretary of State, misunderstands an Ethiopian reporter.
Another story reported by Gregory Warner, who reports on the aftermath, and the event, of the 2013 Westgate Mall terror attacks in Nairobi.
Remember when Zambia was competing with the USSR and the USA to send the first person to space? Oh, you don’t? Check this out: Afronauts, Zambia in the space race, and the largest radio telescope in the world.
Nigerians heard a radio ad offering millions of dollars for people with business proposals. They thought it was a scam. But it wasn’t.
How to tackle poverty, and how aid works (or doesn’t) is one of the trickier problems in Africa (and the rest of the world). Planet money takes a look at a simple solution. The Economist has some thoughts on this as well. And so does Freakonomics Radio, check it out.
Freakonomics Radio Interview with Zambian economist and author Dambisa Moyo. Also check out one of her books, Dead Aid. I haven’t read her other books, they’re on the list. Freakonomics has a lot of other great episodes that I’ll add when I get the chance.