Treasured Possessions

This year, Flashy Wings has been funded by Southwark Council to host Black History Month. The team convened to deliberate on our project and collectively resolved that our initiative should be both celebratory and educational—facilitating profound and challenging discussions about issues connected to our African heritage.

Our goal is to broaden our understanding of Africa’s vast wealth of natural resources. During our consultation, we realised that many of us have only been exposed to narratives of poverty and underdevelopment on the continent. Yet, Africa is abundant in beauty, rich in treasured possessions, and full of potential. Through this project, we aim to present an Africa that inspires us to “Stand Firm in Power and Pride.”

At this event, we will explore twenty African countries and the natural resources they possess, examining how these resources have often been underutilised in advancing the continent’s development. We will also critically investigate some of the challenges Africa faces in managing its resources, including:

• Overexploitation of resources leading to environmental damage
• Corruption and governance issues hindering fair trade and sustainable management
• Environmental degradation contributing to climate change vulnerability, pollution, deforestation, and worsening poverty
• Colonialism and its legacy in shaping economic and resource exploitation systems
• Resource scarcity, including limited access to clean water and arable land, which disproportionately affects vulnerable communities