No meds, no doctor: How Trump’s HIV cuts hit trans Namibians
This week, we start in Namibia, where U.S. aid cuts are leaving vulnerable groups without essential healthcare. Next, we travel to Kenya where trans people continue to face uncertainty in their fight for accurate birth certificates. Finally, we stop in Uganda, where despite the rise of teletherapy, cost and limited phone access remain major barriers.
But first, in Namibia, on Friday, March 21, 2025, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was sworn in as the country’s first female president, making history as Africa’s second directly elected female leader.
She takes office at a difficult time, with Namibia facing high unemployment, poverty, and inequality. Hopefully, she will be given the same patience and support as the men who led before her.
Nandi-Ndaitwah has been part of the ruling Swapo party since she was 14, when it was fighting apartheid. While the party has helped improve life for black Namibians, land ownership is still unequal—white farmers, who make up less than 2% of the population, own 70% of the country’s farmland. She supports a “willing-buyer, willing-seller” approach to land reform, meaning no one will be forced to sell their land.
Beyond land issues, she also plans to grow Namibia’s economy by processing more of its minerals locally, investing in creative industries, and improving education. With unemployment at nearly 37% and poverty still high, she has a lot of work ahead.
As expected, people will be watching closely, but for Nandi-Ndaitwah, the goal is simple: to be judged on her work, not her gender.
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I tried teletherapy in Uganda, but is it an “accessible alternative” for everyone?
It’s a Thursday morning and I decided to be vulnerable over the phone. For the first time, I tried teletherapy. Unlike the traditional way of doing therapy in my past, where I met with a therapist in person, I chose to go the anonymous way.
Mental Health Uganda (MHU) was the recommended option. Panic engulfed me as I dialled the toll-free number—0800212121. As the phone rang, I listened to a caller tune that relaxed me from the panic I was feeling. The phone rang for about 30 seconds before a gentleman answered it. The question in my mind was, how does this even work?
Upon picking up the call, the gentleman identified himself as David and asked that I introduce myself. He assured me that the call was confidential and that none of my information would be shared outside of our phone call. He went on to tell me that the session usually lasts 45 minutes to an hour at most.
For the first time in a long time, I told someone the things I’ve kept to myself.
Audio solar Bible helping blind and low vision Christians in Kenya
Braille Bibles are expensive and one can cost up to $1000, making them inaccessible to millions of rural Africans. In Kenya, an audio solar Bible is providing an alternative and helping blind and low vision Christians access materials crucial to their faith.
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Washington Blade
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Reprieve for Afghan women students facing forced return after US aid cuts
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Japan’s marriage equality movement gains steam
Japan’s Nagoya High Court on March 7 ruled the lack of legal recognition of same-sex marriages violates the country’s constitution.
A Quick Read Before You Go
Context
Malawi’s women sand miners trapped in climate change dilemma
It’s only 9 a.m. and Zainunda Wilson is already tired from shovelling sand since daybreak into a five-tonne truck on the shores of Lake Malawi.
The 37-year-old sand miner has no time to admire her surroundings – a tourist hot spot centred on the vast body of water known as the Lake of Stars for the brilliance of its nighttime reflections.
What Wilson does notice is that its shores are receding, and she thinks she may be partly to blame. But she says she has no other option.
“We believe that (sand mining) is contributing to erosion because when we remove the sand, the water comes and fills up the space,” she told Context.
“I joined sand mining because I was unemployed and stranded,” Wilson said. “When we sell (sand), we buy food and support the household. We also buy school materials for the children.”