Africa deserves better from Comic Relief | David Lammy Read more

I read David Lammy’s article (Africans deserve better from Comic Relief, 24 March) with “earnest relief” at this overdue challenge to our attitudes and beliefs about Africa. Our national discourse about a diverse and complex continent is reduced by Comic Relief to the “us” and “them” narrative of western celebrities, and it’s time we changed our tone. Having worked as a doctor in Malawi in 2014, when I watch Comic Relief the images evoke a few of my memories, but where are the rest? Where is my savvy and articulate medical colleague telling me about the barriers to export trade in her cash crop? Where are the middle-class Africans at all, and why aren’t we hearing from them about their priorities for their countries – about trade, about governance? Where are the African pop stars? What about talking about the effects of aid done badly and the importance of getting it right – about learned passivity, unhealthy cultures and distorted markets? We need to stop thinking of this “country of Africa” as a place of helplessness and start engaging as partners, with equals.

Dr Claire Ingham

London

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