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Black Twitter has long been an interesting place for Black people on social media. From hilarious memes to social and political commentary, Twitter has been a go-to spot for news and discourse. The protection of this space has come into question since Elon Musk officially took over the company, noting his long but documented history of alleged discriminatory actions and perspectives. Adding to this action list is Musk’s recent termination of employees from the social media giant’s Africa office. via GIPHY
Live voice translation for over 30 different languages from across the globe is now available thanks to these wireless earbuds! Danny Manu created Cliks with a mission to become “the world’s first truly wireless earphones.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Mymanu® (@mymanuofficial) Per reports from Keepthefaith, the wireless Bluetooth headset simply has to pair with a smartphone to work. Unlike its competitors, Cliks does not require internet for use. The earbuds automatically detect what language is being spoken and from there they provide a spoken translation within a sentence or two. What’s also interesting is that Ghanaian -British entrepreneur Manu built Clik through his business Mymanu strictly through self-financing. “Like all the other ethnic minority-run businesses within the UK, I had a hard time getting the funding and financial support from banks and government-funded programs that I needed,” he shared in an interview. Not only did he begin to use his own...
Amoako Boafo has work that is out of this world…literally. CBS News reports that Ghanaian artist, Amoako Boafo, can now celebrate the official launch of his artwork in outer space. That’s right, the artists’ had three paintings that went into orbit on the most recent space mission launched by billionaire Jeff Bezos. After a successful launch into space for the Amazon founder a month ago, Blue Origin officially sent off suborbital spacecraft, New Shepard, on Thursday, Aug. 26. The spacecraft was not only equipped with Boafo’s artwork, but also included NASA lunar landing technology along with 18 additional research payloads.
While it may be faster for African businesses to trade goods with other partners outside of the continent, it also makes them more dependent on exports and prevents new markets from being created. To combat this, Ghanaian-based company Jetstream is proposing its own solution. Jetstream — which operates as a vertical broker between the fragmented and often-hidden segments of cross-border supply chains in Africa — uses technology in order to simplify the process of moving cargo across borders, per its company website. Today, its mission has become focused on “white labeling the systems built internally to manage shipments and financing for customers,” according to TechCrunch, and the startup just closed a $3 million seed round to continue this work. The outlet reports that the funding round included both local and international investors as participants, such as Alitheia IDF, Golden Palm Investments, 4DX Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Asia Pacific Land, Breyer Labs and MSA...
At just 17-years-old, Verda Tetteh proves that being amazing is about more than just where you go to school. According to CBS News, the Massachusetts high school student made her Ghanaian parents proud, already, when she got accepted into Harvard University. She made her parents especially proud when that Harvard offer came with a “full-ride” scholarship. But when she was offered an additional $40,000 in scholarships for things like books and other necessities that the “full-ride” scholarship to Harvard didn’t cover, she turned it down. “No one had the chance to say ‘Don’t give away $40,000,’” Verda Tetteh said to CBS News. “It is such a great honor, but I also know that I am not the most in need of it. I’m excited to see who it helps and how that changes their life, so I am so happy that God gave me the strength to do that.” She also said that she knew that “someone else needed it more,” which is why she was alright with giving it up to someone else. The $40,000 was due to be given...
Ghana has just announced that it’s launching a new digital currency called the e-cedi. But this isn’t like your typical cryptocurrency — this is actually something quite different. According to Dr. Ernest Addison, the governor of the country’s central bank, the new proposed digital currency will go into effect after three pilot stages confirm it to be a positive thing to introduce into the local economy. “The Bank of Ghana was one of the first African Central Banks to declare that we were working on a digital currency looking at the concept of an e-cedi,” Dr. Addison said at a news conference in Accra. Currently, the e-cedi has completed the first phase of the process where the design has been made and finalized by a centralized committee. Right now, the digital currency is in a limited implementation phase, meaning that some online transactions will accept the digital currency if it’s applied to the payment. Dr. Addision said that the Central Bank of Ghana will then determine,...
Africa’s health-research landscape has been steadily growing as of recently, but in order to keep this momentum going healthcare must become decentralized. For Ghanaian medtech startup Redbird, its company believes there is a better way to make medical testing in the country an easier process for both patients and doctors by introducing a simple health monitoring system. By partnering with pharmacies, Redbird is able to bring Ghanaian doctors proven rapid test technology for chronic and acute conditions that allow them to give patients a more convenient way to monitor their health wherever they are, its website reports. In order to continue Redbird’s vision of making modern healthcare more efficient, the startup has just announced a raise of a $1.5 million seed investment that will ultimately help scale the company. Participating investors in the round include Johnson & Johnson Foundation, Newton Partners (via the Imperial Venture Fund), and Founders Factory Africa, according to...
Michael Blackson is taking his talents to Ghana, but not as a comedian. According to Face2Face Africa, the Ghanaian-American comedian took his talents back home to work on a project that should be complete by next year — a school for his village. “Only thing that matters to me are the kids. Education can help them understand everything so I’m building them a school in my village. By the grace of God they will be in class next year,” Blackson said in an Instagram caption. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Michael Blackson (@michaelblackson) Blackson shared a video with him surrounded by some excited kids along with Ghanaian Afrobeats star, Fuse ODG, who assured them the educational facility will be complete soon. “Next September you’ll have a school, OK?” said ODG, reports Face2Face Africa. “You’re standing in your classroom right now. School is coming very soon, OK? Uncle promise you. School is on its way.”
These African and African American entrepreneurs are giving back the best way they know-how. Kofi Anku, shareholder and board member, is a mission to give back to his community through Ayi Mensah Park, a vibrant 200-unit townhouse community tucked right at the foot of the Aburi Hills in Accra, Ghana. When asked “Why Ghana?” Anku told SHOPPE BLACK that the decision was obvious. Although he was born in Ohio — to Ghanaian parents — it was imperative for him to connect the two worlds. Anku says he and his family’s vision to collaborate is what excites him the most about this project. He reveals they invested in real estate as a family back in the 90s and “were looking to connect with partners who would help them establish their vision.” He hones in on how the CEO and founder of BlackIvy, Cheryl Mills, did just that. Connecting the African diaspora is what Anku says is one of the most important missions of the community that he and his team continue to strive toward building in Ghana....
This year marks 400 years since African arrival in the United States in 1619. The “Year of the Return” is being celebrated across the world, particularly in Ghana, which has seen a recent influx of American tourism. For some, a return to Ghana has taken on a new meaning, as evidenced by the more than 125 new citizens residing in the country . From actor Boris Kudjoe’s December appearance on ABC’s “The View” in honor of “ The 1619 Project ,” to rapper Cardi B performing there, Ghana has been swarming with visitors. However, many African Americans — and many Ghanaian-born ones — are coming to the country not just to visit, but to live. They are bringing a different set of skills and business tools from the American economy to the motherland, and Ghana is responding with open arms. “ The climate in Ghana is ripe for entrepreneurs to fill potholes, add traffic lights and digitize tax returns, among other business moves, ” Ghanaian-born business owner Kojo Terry Oppong — who moved from...