Search Results: africa

HERO

JULY 2005

A woman of boundless love abandons the life she knew to start an orphanage in Ethiopia. Starting with a child she picked up from a dead mother's body, she now cares for over 5,000 children. An inspiration to us all.

A PRAYER AT DUSK

MARCH 2008

In many ways Islam and Western religious traditions are more alike than different. Take a glimpse into the meaning behind the Arabic words of prayer at dusk.

CHARLIE IN RWANDA: AFTER A GORILLA ENCOUNTER

APRIL 2008

After the thrilling experience of seeing gorillas in the wild, Charlie thinks about this noble and powerful species that shares so much of their genetic makeup with humans. He deconstructs the myth of gorillas as violent animals and explains why they just might stand as a metaphor for what we as humans could — and perhaps should — be.

MANYARA SCHOOL

JULY 2005

Join in on explore's first ever philanthropic journey, the effort to build a school for the Maasai Tribe in Tanzania.

98.6% HUMAN

APRIL 2008

How ironic that the one creature deemed all violent is the most peaceful: the mountain gorilla. With only 720 remaining, Craig Sholley of AWF teaches us about his organization's efforts to preserve gorillas in Rwanda.

GHANA SLAVE DUNGEON

JULY 2005

Built by European traders in the 17th century, Ghana's Cape Coast Castle was the point of departure for the countless numbers of Africans who were sent to the New World as free labor for the colonies. Join Explore founder Charles Annenberg Weingarten on a virtual tour of the slave dungeon, and witness the horrific conditions the captives were forced to endure while waiting to be sent across the Atlantic.

DRUMS AND DANCE

JULY 2005

The djembe, common throughout all of West Africa, is a skin-covered hand drum shaped like a large goblet. The drum is said to contain three spirits: One from the tree, one from the animal that gave its skin, and one from the drum-maker. In the past, rural villages used the djembe to communicate with each another. Today, it is the music that brings people together to perform traditional African dance — a vibrant, energetic style of dancing.

SIBUSISO SCHOOL

JULY 2005

In Tanzanian society, disabled children are often kept out of the public eye by their families because handicaps are considered taboo, or punishments from God. The Sibusiso School seeks to restore the dignity of these children by working to develop their potential, counseling their families, and reaching out to educate their communities.