Congress of African Journalists magazine showcases Asian figures

By Ashraf Aboul-Yazid
President, Asia Journalists Association

An interview with the Vice President of the Republic of Liberia Chief Dr. Jewel Howard Taylor and an article on the Raphael Clinic in Korea are featured in the latest edition of Congress of African Journalists magazine.

The exclusive interview “Changing Lives and Making a Difference” by the magazine’s Editor-in-Chief, Michael Adeboboye attracted Liberian journalists who republished it. Subsequently, the interview was translated and published in Arabic and Swahili online publications.

JEWEL OF AFRICA as fondly called is an icon of development especially in the area of women and girls empowerment across Africa and beyond.

This edition, the magazine beamed its searchlight on the many achievements of the Liberia’s number two citizen.

Madam Taylor is the founder and Chief Patron of Jewel Starfish Foundation (JSF), a leading Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) established in the year 2000 in Liberia championing

education and mentoring of disadvantage girls. So far the foundation has empowered women and girls well over 7,000 in Africa and beyond.

With Jewel Howard Taylor as the captain of JSF, the foundation is no doubt a hope living with women who are less privileged.

Apparently, JSF is the first of its kind in Liberia. At the beginning of the 2018/2019 academic year, the foundation committed more than $10 million Liberian Dollars during that year to fund tuition scholarships and mentoring program for more than 1,500 females commencing from grade 7 to university.

Till date, the Foundation had committed over 500,000 USD in the recent 5 years to fund scholarships for more than 7,000 females among whom more than 2,000 have graduated from high school and are pursuing higher education while others have earned their first degree.

Just in a year, the Foundation disbursed over 10 million Liberian Dollar and more than 50,000 USD to all of its partner schools both nationally and internationally. JSF management, conceptualism and financial management is surely an endearing fascination to donors all over the world. CAJ magazine published the annual report of the organization and its achievements.

In his feature “Raphael Internationa: The Sharing Mission Possible”, Ashraf Aboul-Yazid (Ashrad Dali) highlighted the Raphael Clinic in Korea.

In 2022, the Rafael Nanum Homeless Clinic provided primary care to approximately 6,000 homeless people. As time passed, many volunteers and supporters with warm hearts came to visit us; a better level of knowledge with these people. Raphael International has worked to improve the capabilities of medical personnel in various Asian and African countries, including Myanmar, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Burkina Faso, as well as Mongolia.

Dela Ahiawor, in the USA shares a report on U.S immigration policy.  Oseni Yusuf Salam writes on media policies and their role in upholding the rule of law. The media can defend human rights by reporting on cases of abuse and discrimination, and by advocating for the rights of marginalized groups.

The media is a powerful tool that can be used to promote democracy and good governance. By upholding the rule of law, the media can help to create a more just and equitable society for all Africans.

In this edition a focus on Salome Kitomari who is an award winning and senior Tanzanian Journalist. She has been in the professional practice for over 18 years. Kitomari is the chairperson of the Media Institute of Southern Africa, Tanzania chapter (MISA-TAN). In this interview with Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) correspondent in Tanzania, Mutayoba Arbogast, she speaks about MISA Tanzania and other interesting issues. “There are hopes for better journalism climate in Tanzania”, Kitomari says.

Robert Nestrooy Kayongo writes: “Guns will not solve Africa’s political Wrangles – A lesson from Eastern DRC”. Recently, 16-members of Southern African Development Community

(SADC), meeting in the Namibian capital Windhoek, announced it would send troops to eastern DRC “to restore peace and security” in that long conflict- plagued region of the East

African Community’s newest, and most populous member.

The seven-member EAC already has a response force in eastern DRC, which has been trying to do the same thing since early in the year. The gold medal for peacekeeping in DRC, though, goes to the United Nations and its Stabilization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

These and other stories are published in this edition, by Elmaya Jabbarova, Addy Kudita, Eugene Dube, and Alice Chisanga.

A full interview with photos presents the Indian photographer Amol Hendre, as well.