Globalization - Africa’s Friend and Foe

Learning by Ear shows how globalization lifts people out of poverty and how others sink even deeper because of it.
When globalization critics from all over the world met in Nairobi for the 2007 World Social Forum, they came with a clear message: Globalization is one of the major causes for underdevelopment and poverty in Africa. However, Western governments and international financial institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund insist that Africa must open its markets and increase trade with the Western world in order to grow economically.

Different faces

Learning by Ear does not join in the battle. Instead, the shows analyze the different faces of globalization in Africa. Our reporters speak with people who have left their homes in search of a better life in Africa’s cities and even in Europe. They introduce listeners to African entrepreneurs who benefit from a globalized economy and they take a look at how the backbone of Africa’s economy, agriculture, is changing under the influence of globalization.

Learning by Ear is available in six languages: English, Kiswahili, French, Hausa, Portuguese and Amharic.

Learning by Ear is supported by Germany’s Federal Foreign Office.

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