The Comb

Mar 23 2023 93 ep. 2.7k
The Comb Podcast artwork

Combing Africa for stories about the unseen forces that bind us together and tear us apart. A single story, every week. Hosted by Kim Chakanetsa. #thecomb

  Society & Culture  Government
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Striking gold

Mar 23 2023 31 mins  
“This is a diamond!”: In 2017, two young miners, Komba and Saffea, struck gold. They uncovered a huge 709 carat diamond - the ‘Peace Diamond’ - worth millions of dollars, in Sierra Leone. It was a dream come true for them both. They were rich beyond their wildest dreams. And then, their dream began to unravel. Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think. #TheComb Get

Am I in a cult?

Mar 16 2023 33 mins  
“I was losing myself”: When Mbali was introduced to a new church through a bible study group she was excited at the prospect of finding a new religious community. But as she became more involved with the church, she began questioning some of their unusual teachings and approaches. It left her asking the question ‘Am I in a cult?’ Thanks for listening. Let us know what you

Not guilty

Mar 09 2023 30 mins  
Accusations, imprisonment, and vindication: The lie that changed Ishmail's life, taking away his freedom, and breaking up his family in Malawi. Nearly 20 years later, Ishmail reflects on the painful reality of being falsely accused. Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think. #TheComb Get in touch: [email protected] by Mary Goodhart

Parenting and punishment

Mar 02 2023 29 mins  
“My dad beat me.” How the physical punishment of a child changed the lives of a Nigerian family forever. Behaviour which was the norm for a mother who grew up in Nigeria was treated as assault in the UK. Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think. #TheComb Get in touch: [email protected]

Lives in limbo

Feb 23 2023 27 mins  
‘Dadaab is a prison’: Making a life in Africa’s largest refugee camp. When Anab and Mark came to Dadaab as refugees fleeing conflict, they thought the camp would be a temporary shelter. Three decades on, they are now both raising their families in the camp with no hope of relocation and no home to return to. Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think. #TheComb Get in t

Finding Humanism

Feb 16 2023 28 mins  
A different kind of faith: Navigating life as a non-believer in a highly religious society can be deeply lonely. Leo and Balm both found community and belonging in Humanism - a form of atheism which strives for a life of meaning and purpose anchored in the strength of humankind. Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think. #TheComb Get in touch: [email protected] by Mary

When violence goes viral

Feb 09 2023 30 mins  
Ethiopians on social media have been dealing with a wave of violent and graphic content in recent years. Multiple conflicts have seen violent pictures and videos regularly shared online, often alongside threats, hate speech, or disinformation. For Moti, this hit close to home in a devastating way when his father was the target of a political killing, and pictures of his dead body

Motherhood, mania and me

Feb 02 2023 28 mins  
‘She’s not my baby’: How giving birth triggered a woman’s mental health crisis, leaving her desperate, delusional and detached from reality. Chebet found herself on a journey of illness and recovery, after her ‘baby blues’ morphed into something much darker. How do women embrace motherhood after postpartum psychosis? Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think. #Th

Mogadishu’s daughter

Jan 26 2023 27 mins  
Ready to run: Aisha’s story of a childhood shaped by conflict in Somalia, and her complicated journey to finding herself and finding peace. How do you navigate a normal life after a childhood of “chaos and conflict”? Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think. #TheComb Get in touch: [email protected] by Mary Goodhart

Who is Shebeleza?

Jan 19 2023 26 mins  
Unmasking online hate: How the courage of a domestic abuse survivor won her an unlikely alliance in the fight against misogyny and gender-based violence in Namibia. Thanks for listening. Let us know what you think. #TheComb Get in touch: [email protected] by Mary Goodhart