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BBC World Service


Combing Africa for stories about the unseen forces that bind us together and tear us apart. A single story, every week. Hosted by Kim Chakanetsa. #thecomb


The Comb

“This is a diamond!”: In 2017, two young miners, Komba and Saffea, struck gold. They uncovered a huge 709 carat diamond - the ‘Peace Diamond’ - worth millions of dollars, in Sierra Leone. It was a dream come true for them both. They were rich beyond their wildest dreams. And then, their dream began to unravel. 
Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think.
#TheComb
Get in touch: thecomb@bbc.com

Produced by Mary Goodhart

Striking gold

“I was losing myself”: When Mbali was introduced to a new church through a bible study group she was excited at the prospect of finding a new religious community. But as she became more involved with the church, she began questioning some of their unusual teachings and approaches. It left her asking the question ‘Am I in a cult?’
 Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think.
#TheComb
Get in touch: thecomb@bbc.com

Am I in a cult?

Accusations, imprisonment, and vindication: The lie that changed Ishmail's life, taking away his freedom, and breaking up his family in Malawi. Nearly 20 years later, Ishmail reflects on the painful reality of being falsely accused. 
Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think.
#TheComb
Get in touch: thecomb@bbc.com

Produced by Mary Goodhart

Not guilty

“My dad beat me.” How the physical punishment of a child changed the lives of a Nigerian family forever. Behaviour which was the norm for a mother who grew up in Nigeria was treated as assault in the UK. 
Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think.
#TheComb
Get in touch: thecomb@bbc.com

Parenting and punishment

‘Dadaab is a prison’: Making a life in Africa’s largest refugee camp. When Anab and Mark came to Dadaab as refugees fleeing conflict, they thought the camp would be a temporary shelter. Three decades on, they are now both raising their families in the camp with no hope of relocation and no home to return to.
Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think. 
#TheComb
Get in touch: thecomb@bbc.com

Produced by Aisha Afrah

Lives in limbo

A different kind of faith: Navigating life as a non-believer in a highly religious society can be deeply lonely. Leo and Balm both found community and belonging in Humanism - a form of atheism which strives for a life of meaning and purpose anchored in the strength of humankind.
Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think.
#TheComb
Get in touch: thecomb@bbc.com

Produced by Mary Goodhart

Finding Humanism

Ethiopians on social media have been dealing with a wave of violent and graphic content in recent years. Multiple conflicts have seen violent pictures and videos regularly shared online, often alongside threats, hate speech, or disinformation. 
For Moti, this hit close to home in a devastating way when his father was the target of a political killing, and pictures of his dead body were posted on social media. 
Rehobot also shares her experience of combating this online hate through fact-checking, but how exposing herself to so much violent content eventually impacted her mental health. 

Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think.
#TheComb
Get in touch: thecomb@bbc.com

Produced by Rob Wilson

When violence goes viral

‘She’s not my baby’: How giving birth triggered a woman’s mental health crisis, leaving her desperate, delusional and detached from reality. Chebet found herself on a journey of illness and recovery, after her ‘baby blues’ morphed into something much darker. How do women embrace motherhood after postpartum psychosis?
Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think.
#TheComb
Get in touch: thecomb@bbc.com

Produced by Kim Chakanetsa

Motherhood, mania and me

Ready to run: Aisha’s story of a childhood shaped by conflict in Somalia, and her complicated journey to finding herself and finding peace. How do you navigate a normal life after a childhood of “chaos and conflict”?
Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think.
#TheComb
Get in touch: thecomb@bbc.com

Produced by Mary Goodhart

Mogadishu’s daughter

Unmasking online hate: How the courage of a domestic abuse survivor won her an unlikely alliance in the fight against misogyny and gender-based violence in Namibia. 
Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think.
#TheComb
Get in touch: thecomb@bbc.com

Produced by Mary Goodhart

Who is Shebeleza?

How a rower's victory became a symbol of hope in post-apartheid South Africa. Sizwe Ndlovu became the first black African to win an Olympic rowing gold. Sizwe says that day changed the rest of his life. This is a guest episode from the World Service show, On The Podium, which brings you the stories behind the medals, originally released on 30 June 2021. The second season of On the Podium begins 18 June 2022. Search for On The Podium wherever you found this podcast.

Guest episode: On the Podium

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