Africa has so much to teach, if we are willing to listen

My journey with "Anne og Anders I Afrika"

"Is it safe?", "Do you live in mud huts?", "Do you have electricity?"—these are questions I hear all the time since moving to Africa. They come from a common but outdated perception of Africa as a place defined by danger, poverty, and struggle. However, the Africa I’ve come to know over the past seven years couldn’t be more different from these oversimplified ideas.

To me, Africa is a place where people, even with far less, often experience a higher quality of life. I’m not ignoring the serious challenges they face—challenges far greater than my own—but I deeply admire their mindset and resilience in overcoming them. There’s a certain contentment in Africa that is often missing in the hustle and bustle of European life. People here have a different relationship with time, with nature, and with each other. They place value on things that truly matter—community, family, and a deep connection to nature. These are lessons that I believe the rest of the world could greatly benefit from.

When I first heard about Anne og Anders I Afrika and their vision for the show, I knew I wanted to get involved. With the aim to explore Africa in a way that breaks down stereotypes and highlights the continent's incredible potential, this was an opportunity to share the richness of the African life I have experienced first hand. I reached out to the program because I, as them, believe it’s time to change the narrative.

Working with the production of the show was an absolute pleasure, but that didn’t make it easier to cut down all the amazing stories Victoria Falls (and Zimbabwe) has to tell. What you don’t see in the show is the boxing gym that's also an orphanage, built by Tobias, who himself was an orphan. Our anti poaching team working with the communities to preserve the nature, instead of working against it. The production couldn’t include everything (even though they wanted to), but I hope that through the program, viewers are able to see Africa through a new lens, and perhaps, be inspired to explore it for themselves. 

The show is a beautiful peak into a whole world that’s ready to be explored. A world that’s ready to teach us their ways and life learnings - learnings that I believe we could all benefit greatly from. Be curious, ask questions, learn about our neighbors because they sure have a lot to tell. As Chido Govera so beautifully said “We should learn to look at Africa as a continent of able people” because that’s what they are. 

Follow along as I share my adventures and lessons learned while living on this continent.