Composing a New Song: Stories of Empowerment from Africa by Chigudu, Hope - 2004

US: Commonwealth Foundation, 2004. Paperback. Good. Independent African countries have faced many challenges on the road to eco nomic and social development. The heritage of colonialism has weighed heavy on their shoulders, and the promises of post-colonialism have not always b een fulfilled. The nature and trajectory of the development project is determined, in larg e part, by governments. Where they have been limited in - or neglectful of - their capacity to improve the lives of their people, non-government organ izations have been quick to respond. Composing a New Song comprises portraits of five such NGOs, from Nigeria, T anzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Each was spurred by a moral concern f or those sectors of society that were marginalized or ignored completely, b y the march of mainstream development, but each has chosen its own route, i ts own tactics and its own methods. These stories, told by founders and senior managers of the organizations, offer a rare insight into personal… Read More