Debunking the made-for-Africa script: Catherine Phiri at TEDxEuston

www.tedxeuston.com Catherine Phiri is the managing director of Media 365, a cause-related communications which produces award-winning cause related campaigns for leading organizations and is the executive producer of Zambia's popular drama series Love Games. A passionate advocate for HIV and AIDS awareness, Catherine executive produced Shuga, MTV's first drama series for Africa with a HIV storyline. Early on this year Catherine was appointed the Zambian chair of the Twenty Ten Club, who's ethos centres on enabling Black female business leaders and aspiring young entrepreneurs to achieve their potential.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@Ezali]

I just love how she said this and the deeper meaning it carried: "see, we can do it, we are Africans!" Powerful.

[@81Mutale]

To the HATERs, WORD OF ADVICE: Stay in the moment. I always am happy to applaud people who are make a difference.

[@elchefe7701]

?

[@irenedavo3768]

Do you watch Afrimax English

[@bizbanoelle6505]

Dear Catherine Pheri, "DEBUNKING THE MADE-FOR-AFRICA SCRIPT." Congratulations! Your message truly resonates with me. Our challenges are not only multifaceted; but they are mostly political and geopolitical. Which generally makes it harder and harder for Africa to develop. You referred to our miserable educative system, and you are right. EDUCATION IS THE KEY; and WORLDLY EDUCATION HAS SHOWN ITS LIMITS. As African women we need to get our children ready to face all kinds of challenges. Educating the head is no longer enough ; we need to address the heart, more importantly. Such an approach is pragmatic and is within easy reach for all. Because, in a systemic way, Africans used to teach their children through storytelling a method whose efficiency can be demonstrated rationally. Thus, it is time we take our responsibilities at heart; and bring substantial changes to Africa. Africans are talented and skilled; unfortunately, most of our leaders are corrupted puppets at the hands of the contemptuous WEST. And such weaknesses contribute to expanding worldwide the already substantial list of negative stereotypes, the African people do not deserve. For that reason your video:"DEBUNKING THE MADE-FOR-AFRICA SCRIPT" is worthy of being watched. So, let us increase our collective awareness and remind and/or teach our children the wisdom, power and pragmatism embedded in our cultures and traditions whose diversity means wealth. Let us teach them that:"IF THE COCKROACH WANTS TO RULE OVER THE CHICKEN, THEN IT MUST HIRE THE FOX AS A BODY-GUARD." Here is one of the ways our children may learn POLITICS and GEOPOLITICS in a realistic and thought-provoking manners; and LEARN HOW THINGS ARE DEEPLY AND SUBTLY CONNECTED. IGNORING the true reality of the world we live in contributes to the longstanding under-development of the wealthiest continent in the world, raw materials wise. It goes without saying, POVERTY and MISERY are just SYMPTOMS of a much BIGGER PROBLEM WHICH WILL LAST AS LONG AS AFRICANS DO NOT COME TOGETHER AND REALIZE THE GRAVITY OF THE INTENTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THEIR LONGSTANDING TRAGEDIES. Thank you for taking your time to share your wonderful experience. Noelle Bizi Bazouma a.k.a bizbanoelle.

[@irenedavo3768]

Do you watch Jim Nduruchi

[@tiwigondwe2760]

.CKathy Phiri you are my kind of lady, an innovator, inspiring and confident. Keep doing what you are doing. It's lady's like you that are paving the way for us. You are showing bit only Zambia but the rest of the worked that there are good things to be found in Africa.

[@lubosichilambe1501]

"We drive by it, and forget about it as soon as we've gone past it" especially the USE A CONDOM ad its' become so monotonous, thanks Catherine for the talk, so inspiring!

[@irenedavo3768]

Do you watch Jim Nduruchi

[@kampambachomba9464]

Catherine, you are such an inspiration :-) Thanks for representing us in such positive light xx

[@laryjones-jm7ng]

Kampamba Chomba uou are beautiful

[@sabinakhadka7141]

She explained clearly and in a simple way where people are identified and judge based on ones assumptions but not on what they truly represent.

[@eddierocksteady5740]

I really like your presentation. May i add and make it clear that Africa is a Continent and my Country is Africa, so that makes me an African. Africa must Unite, must be our slogan! African Unity must be our Symbol! Pan Africanism must be our Eco-Political system.

[@PassportGods]

Yes. Yes! Yes!! Yes!!! And yes!!!! The implications of this are far-reaching

[@OPINIONATEDPHIRI]

beautiful to see from catherine phiri

[@johngreen8891]

Really great presentation and video.

[@PaulNewon]

whoever wrote the "script" needs to come on the ground and develop it with the local... the script needs upgrade, something that must come from the local... our world is changing rapidly and with everyone involved....

[@AMavua]

Wow!!! this is so true...speaking my mind

[@youtubeoffname]

Looking at how others solve their problems, and doing likewise to solve yours; IS being alive!! Over-dependence is learnt behaviour. Instilled by perverse education and delusional spirituality. We can be re-educated. And correctly taught to innovate too. The sun is above us. Why can we not have power in our sockets? Get innovating, Africa!

[@hklionheart8265]

Is this the same Catherine Phiri that used to be a female boxer?

[@irenedavo3768]

Do you watch Afrimax English

[@irenedavo3768]

Do you know Priscilla Foundation

[@kurutze]

If Africans want dignity, they should stop complaining and start making thinhs happen. If youb don't like "cheap products for Africa" manufactured by the Chinese or whoever else, start making these products by yourselves.

[@willd1mindmind639]

Unfortunately I can't be inspired when Africans go to Europe and America to work in and learn all aspects of the medical industry and then go back to Africa to make videos..... as if to say that is going to address the infrastructure gap and healthcare gap in Africa. Oversimplistic and naive non tangible things as opposed to concrete building: hospitals, clinics, medical distribution and so forth. AIDS as we all should know did not come about naturally in Africa it came from infected needles given by NGOs because Africans dont have a healthcare infrastructure. Africans need more Africans to build and create an economy for themselves not someone from somewhere else to give them something as that is NEVER how it works and we know that anyone going to Africa is going there to TAKE something from Africa. If outsiders wanted Africa to have good roads, bridges, electricity and running water they would have given it to them over the last 100 years, but they didn't. If Africans REALLY aspire then they would do it themselves like everyone else. I mean how on earth can that be inspiring to hear someone say I can't do anything unless someone GIVEs me an opportunity when you are in a 99.9% African country with an overabundance of resources. That is like saying you need someone to give you an opportunity to learn how to grow food and eat, how to sew clothes and put them on and basically to live. That is inane. What the hell were Africans doing for the last 200,000 dam years? After all latex rubber comes from Liberia..... oh but I forgot those foreigners stole that too. You can't really be inspirational if you are talking to people who screwed you over for the last 100 years about how they screwed you over only to turn around and ask the same people for help unscrewing you. Silly.

[@chapatiism]

+willd1mind mind hahahaha! so funny, yet too seriously true! What we call "African Sovereignty" or the nation-state is a complete creation of the Colonial project. It still is. In the old days, the Kingdoms/rulers traded major resources (humans(enslaved), ivory, timber, etc.) for TRINKETS (a few muskets, rum, etc.) to keep their local enemy in control while enjoying a buzz! Well today, those trying to manage the Colonial State enterprise, are not "fully on board", because it is not our creation! So they are on board to use it as a vehicle for personal enrichment and to play domination in local politics against their perceived enemy (usually individuals seen as connected to a competing foreign power!). Of course there are exceptions of hard working technocrats in the civil service, but who are routinely frustrated by leaders who do not think very different from those older Kings and Chiefs who traded with the portugese or british or french. Now we give them concessions for mining/extracting, in exchange for some currency (colored paper, or electronic zeros) in overseas bank accounts, which they use to purchase European produced luxuries at crazy exorbitant prices! If ever a study of "mental captivity" was commissioned, these would be a model case. That's why "decolonizing the mind" is indispensable to African recovery/renaissance.

[@claresubulwa2403]

+willd1mind mind So you mean going to American automatically qualifies a Zambian to millions of dollars for infrastructure? What are you saying?

[@ephraimmulilo7098]

Negative mindset.

[@peacheskong2245]

Africans need to study Europe for what it is in stead of for what they THINK it is. In Europe governments don't care that much about their citizens, as in, what they do they don't do it because the love or honor their citizens. Africans seem to think Europeans are as genuine as they are. Like too blind to accept Europeans (as a collective) for what they are. The mindset between Europe and Africa is that Europe doesn't give to give. It gives to make a profit, always has and always will. Meanwhile when Africa gives it's with a mindset of honoring the guest/elder or whatever. It's so different.

[@okothomondi]

In Kasarani Nairobi, Kenya I agree with you 100% you were as succinct as you are clear. Some of these speeches in Ted talk is a waste of time