I write to breathe

In celebrating August 31^st, International Blogging Day, I reflect on why blogging has become a tool of thought.

One evening, while I was visiting the family, I followed my dad on his library run. I figured I could roam around and look at books while he worked. A random idea about writing, navigating cross-continent life, and my firm belief in the African continent popped into my mind, so I sat down and wrote a 350-word article that I posted on social media.

From that first post, I made writing a habit, pursued a degree in Creative Writing, and worked to build a content creation side career in writing. Throughout this journey, I reflected on the reason why I wrote and why I needed to write.

I spent the last decade globe-trotting for work and personal discovery. Each work destination came with stories of resilience, joy, heartbreak, learning, and understanding the broken world we live in. Discovering destinations came with dives in communities, understanding cultures, and experiencing the otherworldly beauty of the world. Picture capture key moments and visuals, but writing is an invitation for reflection and a conversation.

As an African in the corners of Palestine, the lemurs in Madagascar, the cordilleras of Argentina, the Wadis of Chad, in the Njinga Njinga Forest in the Republic of Congo, I invite readers to a conversation on what makes us human and how we are cohabiting in this world.

Throughout the globe, introducing myself as a Chadian African brings curiosity questions, but more misconceptions and stereotypes are spread mainly by the media.

The blog We Write Afrika was born out of the necessity to reflect on the world and the place of Africa in it. I focused on Africa’s positive aspects and the continent’s resilient elements. I tie all my experience with the African continent and what it is to be African worldwide. This continent is misunderstood as it is understood. It is an enigmatic piece of the world, in which everyone has their eyes set according to their interests. It is a land of potential that is still not fully exploited.

We Africans are both the subject of contempt and admiration in the world. We are both feared and underestimated. We are imitated and scorned. Eyes focus on poverty and war while being amazing at our colorful fabrics and global music. They predict a gloomy future for the continent, while mentioning that we have the youngest population and will be a powerhouse in innovation. During the COVID pandemic, the predictions were the near eradication of the African population through conducting studies to understand how cases were lower compared to other regions.

As Africans, we have been struggling to let go of the narrative the world has given us. We bought into the images of mainstream media, we drew borders in our minds following the borders drawn during the Berlin conference, we submitted to the English/French/Portuguese divide that the colonizer imposed. We teach the kings and queens of Europe while putting to the side our own Emperor Mansa Musa, Queen Amina, King Shaka Zulu, and King Shamba Bolongongo. The wave to break that narrative is on the way, and the road is still long.

The more I look for, the more I find. On this journey, the perpetuated negative narrative loses its value. While remaining cognizant of the challenges, I also write about possible innovations that can solve those challenges.  The more I write, the easier I breathe, knowing that Africa is not a picture of gloom but that of potential and hope.

Deborah M Ndjerareou