How Africa is Portrayed in The Media

I'm sure we've all seen one of these kind of pictures somewhere, somehow before now.

http://i49.tinypic.com/fbw3yx.jpg

I bet you haven't seen this young man smile before!  

The following scenes are not as unpopular as we (hopefully) would all like them to be. 

I would bet any money that these kids and their families didn't choose to pick up a weapon, live on the street, beg for food, flee whatever is left their homes, be deprived of the right to live and actually feel alive at whim. 

http://www.afronline.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Afro_darfur_war.jpg

http://37.media.tumblr.com/d5c08c57a170c122e8966d776e725ef6/tumblr_my2sabO2RK1rfgmbqo3_500.jpg

http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02226/poverty_2226036b.jpg

http://wa1.www.unesco.org/most/p95im1.jpg

And so I am at sixes and sevens with an issue. Is the media actually trying to help us (Africa) in someway or another by publicizing only the baddest of the worst sides of my beloved home or are they just looking for a means to rub the fact that she has been exploited and drained of every nameworthy reputation in her face? 
Because if they actually are, then I can't see what they strive to achieve by showing the world pictures of starving kids and throwing quotes like "EVERY SECOND IN AFRICA, A CHILD DIES..." our way, like the seconds in Africa tick faster or something. 

http://kateturner45.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/w430-68de7.jpg

This is one of the pictures that come to my mind whenever I see an advert updating me about how much practically no one cares about Africa. 

And by the way, who even makes these pictures? Do they feed these kids after their sufferings have been documented? 

I lived in Nigeria for 11 years and NOT ONE DAY did I see a naked child crying, arms stretched out with flies in it's eyes. 
What I saw day after day was strangers offering to pay the bus fares of school children who had no money to take a bus home. 
I saw strangers offer you food when they sure as heck knew that they didn't even have enough for themselves. 
I saw my sister take in a small child that was crying under the rain, fed and clothed him till his mother came back.
I saw kiosk "malams" give sweets and biscuits to my brother just for sitting and talking to him for a few hours.

I did NOT see children die every second. 

I don't act surprised anymore when someone tells me that he/she would never go back to Africa voluntarily unless they have to, because it is "not as safe as it is here".

The media tells us what to wear. 
The media tells us what we are to look like.
The media tells us what kind of friends we are supposed to have.
The media tells us what are meant to eat.
The media tells us what cell phone and laptop and tablet to get next.
The media tells us where we want to be at and where we don't.
The media tells us what size we are to wear to feel accepted.
The media tells us not to live our lives and tells us who and what we are to imitate.

So when the media tells you that Africa is "not as safe as it is here", you listen and you repeat that a few times in front of your mirror to make sure it comes across convincingly the next time you are asked when you plan to visit your homeland.

A friend of mine told me today, "The looks of a person doesn't tell you the slightest bit about his or her character, background, family or life." I used to wonder why people, especially youngsters, tend to judge others according to their appearance, but then I realized that it actually isn't that easy NOT to judge someone based on their looks when looks are the first things you see.

I don't know about you, but this is how I see Africa:

It's just my name, it's just my skin holding the border #George Ezra

Nur im Krieg und in der Liebe ist alles erlaubt!