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Fresh Mango Leaf Tea Made with Young Green Mango Leaves

Across Africa, people have brewed tea from the land — from mango and papaya leaves to mint and lemongrass. This mango leaf tea, made with tender green mango leaves, connects wellness and tradition in one calming cup.

Mango leaf tea — a natural African infusion made with fresh, young leaves.

How to Make Mango Leaf Tea

Ingredients

• 5 cups of water
• Fresh young mango leaves, clean and blemish-free

Directions

1. Boil 5 cups of water.
2. Choose young leaves from your mango tree.
3. Wash and tear the mango leaves into medium pieces.
4. Add leaves to the boiling water and steep for 15 minutes.
5. Strain the tea, serve warm, and sweeten if desired.

Mango leaf tea has a mild, refreshing taste and has been enjoyed across Africa for generations.

The African mango — fruit, leaves, and tradition intertwined.

Beyond the Cup: African Tea Culture

Tea made from mango leaves has been brewed throughout Africa for thousands of years. Fresh natural teas are part of everyday wellness, not limited to packaged tea bags. Papaya, lemon, mint, avocado, and mango leaves are all part of Africa’s herbal tea heritage.

The young mango leaf, shiny and green, is edible and rich in plant compounds. In addition to tea, it’s sometimes cooked or added to healing blends that honor Africa’s connection to nature’s medicine.

Mango tree leaves — young, green, and full of natural vitality.

Do Mangoes Grow in Africa?

If you don’t have a mango tree in your yard, mango leaves can be found at specialty grocers or online. Africa grows many mango varieties — from the African mango to Tommy Atkins, Kent, and Honey mango. The fruit thrives across tropical climates, from Nigeria and Egypt to Uganda and Kenya.

Enjoy Tea with African Desserts

Pair your mango leaf tea with these sweet African treats:

1. Caakiri Couscous Dessert Pudding
2. Couscous with Honey
3. Mango Potato Cake
4. Fresh Ginger Cake
5. Breadfruit Buttermilk Honey Cake

Did you know? “Mango” is singular and “mangoes” plural — and both are delicious in every African kitchen.

Africa now accounts for most of the world’s rich and poor.

Three in ten Africans in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe are not considered poor. In eighteen African countries 50% of residents live on more than $1.90 per day. 

When it comes to measuring monetary poverty, the $1.90 benchmark is used to assess how well people are doing relative to the basic needs. Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa and hosts Africa's richest and poorest populations.

Nigeria’s Aliko Dangote is an industrialist currently worth 12 billion US dollars. He founded the Dangote Group which controls much of Nigeria’s commodities trade. 

This business tycoon and philanthropist is referred to as the golden child of Nigerian business circle. He once drove a taxi cab on the streets of London to fund his education.

Aliko Dangote is a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of Dangote Group, a multinational conglomerate with interests in commodities trading, cement manufacturing, sugar refining, salt processing, and more.

Dangote was born on April 10, 1957, in Kano, Nigeria. He studied business at Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt, before starting his business career in 1977 by trading in commodities such as sugar and rice.

Over the years, Dangote has built his business empire into one of the largest in Africa, with operations in several countries. He is widely regarded as one of the richest people in Africa and the world, with a net worth of around $9.5 billion as of 2021, according to Forbes.

Apart from his business ventures, Dangote is also known for his philanthropic efforts, particularly in the areas of education and healthcare. He has donated millions of dollars to various causes, including the fight against HIV/AIDS, and has also established a foundation to help alleviate poverty in Nigeria.

Africa now accounts for most of the world’s rich and poor, and unlike most of the rest of the world, the total number of rich and poor is increasing due to success in the tech market, oil and mineral growth. 

Most of Angola's capital city population lives in poverty on the outskirts of the city but in the center, Angola's capital city Luanda is the priciest city to live in the whole of Africa.

In Luanda, you must have very deep pockets for housing, transport, clothes, food and entertainment and everything else in-between. Luanda was judged the costliest city due to the expense of goods and security.

When it comes to measuring monetary poverty, the $1.90 benchmark is used to assess how well people are doing relative to the basic needs. Almost half the world lives on less than US$5.50 per day with around 25% of this number living on less than US$3.20 per day.

But the population of Africa is young, very young in fact. The median age in Africa is 21 years old. Niger average age is 14.8, the youngest African country and the youngest country in the world. The African islands of Seychelles is the oldest African country with an average age of 36.8. Most young people are go-getter city dwellers not setting for living on $1.90 per day.

According to the most recent estimates, in 2015, the poorest African citizens disproportionately live in rural areas and the more well-to-do live in expensive cities, Nigeria, South Africa, Egypt, Algeria and Morocco are Africa's five richest countries with the best economies. Nigeria is the most populated country in Africa and hosts Africa's richest and poorest populations.

African populace who are not considered poor.

African Country	Percent living above $1.90 per day
Mauritius	92
Morocco	85
Tunisia	84.5
South Africa	83.4
Botswana	80.7
Uganda	78.5
Tanzania	77.2
Algeria	77
Djibouti	77
Ghana	75.8
Egypt	72.2
Namibia	71.3
Ethiopia	70.4
Cabo Verde	70
Cameroon	70
Mauritania	69
Libya	67
Gabon	65.7
Kenya	63.9
Mali	63.9
Benin	63.8
Angola	63.4
Rwanda	60.9
Seychelles	60.7
Burkina Faso	59.9
Equatorial Guinea	56
Niger	54.6
Mozambique	53.9
Cote d'Ivoire	53.7
Republic of the Congo	53.5
Sudan	53.5
Chad	53.3
Senegal	53.3
Guinea	53
The Gambia	51.6
Eritrea	50
Malawi	49.3
Liberia	45.9
Zambia	45.6
Togo	44.9
Lesotho	43
Central African Republic	38
Democratic Republic of the Congo	37
Eswatini	37
Burundi	35.4
South Sudan	34
Sao Tome and Principe	33.7
Guinea-Bissau	33
Nigeria	30
Sierra Leone	29.8
Madagascar	29.3
Zimbabwe	27.7
Somalia	no data

While three in ten Africans in Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Madagascar, and Zimbabwe are not considered  officially poor, poverty is on the rise in several countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as in fragile and conflict-affected states. 

Poverty encompasses a shortfall in income and consumption, but also low educational achievement, poor health and nutritional outcomes, lack of access to basic services, and a hazardous living environment.

Did you know? In October 2015, approximately 10% of the world’s population lived in extreme poverty, the lowest poverty rate in recorded history and a $1.90 at 2011 international prices became the new international poverty line (IPL).

Together we build awareness that boost harmony, education, and success, below are more links to articles you will find thought provoking.

1. African Country Names Your Saying Wrong
2. What do Waist Beads Symbolize in Africa?
3. About African Healers and Witchdoctors
4. Hurricanes are Angry African Ancestors
5. Highest Temperature and Lowest Temperature in Africa
6. About African Night Running

Egyptian red onion potato salad, Egypt walking onions and hieroglyphics recipe and facts.

Egyptian walking onions were used as hieroglyphics

Egyptians love growing, eating and revering onions; walking onions were used as hieroglyphics and the rings inside round onions were thought of as a cosmic symbol of the universe. The Onion, if suspended in a room, possesses the magical powers of attracting and absorbing sicknesses, they were used during burials of Pharaohs.

What are Hieroglyphics? Egyptian Hieroglyphics are characters in which symbols represent objects and ideas read from left to right. Hieroglyphics can be pictures of living creatures such as an owl, objects used in daily life such as a basket or symbols such as lasso.

Most of the pictures stand for the object they represent, but usually, they stand for sounds. Egyptian Hieroglyphics are characters which symbols represent ideas. Hieroglyphics are pics of living things and objects used in daily life.

The Onion was also formerly held in the highest esteem as a religious symbol in the divinations of the Egyptians. To dream of Onions is considered of evil augury, portending sickness and misfortune.

Egypt Onion Production

Onions are one of Egypt’s most important export crops after oranges and potatoes. Egypt is the world’s third highest onion producing country and Africa’s top onion producing country. Egyptians are credited as being one of the first groups of people to practice agriculture on a large scale with agriculture almost entirely dependent on irrigation from the Nile River.

Egypt, Sudan and Algeria are the three leading onion producing African countries in the world.

Top 10 Onion Producing African Countries

Egypt

Sudan

Algeria

Niger

Nigeria

Morocco

South Africa

Senegal

Uganda

Ethiopia

Onion bulbs are boiled, fried, fresh, dried, frozen, canned, pickled, and used in salads and soup. Certain varieties of onions are preferred for certain dishes. Yellow onions have a strong flavor and are very sharp-tasting while white onions have mid-tone flavors and red onions have a mild taste usually used raw in salads and sandwiches or picked. Green onions also have a mild taste and can be eaten raw or cooked.

Whole uncut raw onion bulbs can be stored for without deteriorating in a cool, dry, dark place for around 2-3 months. In many Egyptian onion-growing regions, it is a major source of income for rural families who sell their produce in local, regional and international markets.

Recipe. Egyptians love growing, eating and revering onions. Make red onion potato salad just like a home chef from Egypt.

Egyptian Onion Potato Salad

Ingredients

5 large medium-starch potatoes

2 medium red onions, chopped

2 hardboiled eggs

¼ cup finely chopped green onions

¼ cup finely chopped parsley

¼ cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

¼ cup lemon juice

To taste salt and pepper

Directions

Cook, peel and dice the potatoes. Peel and chop the eggs. Place the potatoes, eggs, white onions and green onions, parsley, and oil in a large salad bowl. In a separate bowl, crush the garlic with the salt, add lemon juice and stir. Add the dressing to the other ingredients and toss. Serve chilled.

Did you know? Egypt walking onions are also known as tree onions can withstand below zero temperatures. Many tree onions are very strong flavored, although some plant varieties are mild and sweet.

Egyptian hieroglyphics plants flowers seeds

What do the hieroglyphics symbols mean?

A an Egyptian vulture
B a foot
C a basket with handle
D a hand
E a reed
F a horned viper, an Egyptian snake
G a jar-stand
H a reed shelter
I a reed
J a cobra
K the basket with the handle
L a lion
M an owl
N a zigzag symbol for water
O a lasso
P a square stool
Q a symbol for the slope of a hill
R a mouth
S a piece of linen folded over
T a bun
U a quail chick
V a horned viper
W a quail chick
X a basket and folded linen
Y two reeds
Z a door bolt
CH a hobble
KH a ball of string
SH the rectangle which is the symbol for land

Together we build awareness that boost harmony, education, and success, below are more links to articles you will find thought provoking.

1. African Country Names Your Saying Wrong
2. What do Waist Beads Symbolize in Africa?
3. About African Healers and Witchdoctors
4. Hurricanes are Angry African Ancestors
5. Highest Temperature and Lowest Temperature in Africa
6. About African Night Running

Don’t Let the Maps Fool You: The Homelands of Apartheid and the Trails of Tears Were Built From the Same Hunger

When a government decides it wants land more than it wants justice, it invents a story to explain the theft. And then it invents a law to make that theft look orderly.

In apartheid South Africa, that story was called Separate Development (codified in the 1950's). In the United States, it was called the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Different continents, different accents — same architecture of greed.

Let’s start with apartheid.

Black South Africans were not encouraged to move to the homelands. They were forcibly removed, beginning with the Group Areas Act of 1950, the Bantu Authorities Act of 1951, and the Promotion of Bantu Self-Government Act of 1959 (Posel 1991; Platzky & Walker 1985).

Between the 1960s and 1983, more than 3.5 million people were uprooted from communities like Sophiatown (1955), District Six (1966 declaration; removals into the 1970s), Modderdam (1977), Crossroads (1970s–80s), and others (Platzky & Walker 1985).

The apartheid state carved the land into ten Bantustans — Transkei (1976), Bophuthatswana (1977), Venda (1979), Ciskei (1981), and six others — claiming these scattered fragments were “national homelands.” This was political theater, not sovereignty.

Inside one of these pseudo-states, Bophuthatswana, rose Sun City (opened 1979) — a luxury resort built on land cleared through removal and governed by a puppet administration dependent on Pretoria.

Then the musicians refused to stay silent.

In 1985, Artists United Against Apartheid released Sun City, organized by Steven Van Zandt and Arthur Baker. Fifty-four artists — Run-DMC, Gil Scott-Heron, Bruce Springsteen, Miles Davis, Bonnie Raitt, Jimmy Cliff, Sonny Okosuns, and more — said one thing: We will not sing for apartheid. (Van Zandt, interviews 1985; NPR archives).

Now shift your eyes across the ocean.

The United States wrote its own removal blueprint half a century earlier. The Indian Removal Act of 1830, signed by President Andrew Jackson, targeted several sovereign nations: the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek (Muscogee), and Seminole (Perdue & Green 2007).

The Choctaw were the first removed (1831–1833). The Creek followed (1836), then the Chickasaw (1837), then the Cherokee (1838–1839), and the Seminole across decades of war (1832–1842). The Cherokee alone lost over 4,000 lives** on the march known as the Trail of Tears (Ehle 1988; Smithsonian NMAI).

Why? Because cotton required land — and the U.S. government wanted that land for white settlers.

Two histories, one wound.

Call them “homelands.” Call them “reservations.” Call them “self-governing territories” or “removal zones.” These are bureaucratic disguises for one truth: the erasure of people for the profit of others.

And across these continents, music rose to tell the truth when governments wouldn’t. Just as “Sun City” exposed apartheid, protest songs like “Orphan Child,” rooted in Cherokee and Choctaw memory, preserve the stories the state tried to bury.

And today?

Sun City hosts golf tournaments and pageants. The United States displays Native nations as “sovereign” while still limiting their land rights and economic freedom. The past is not past — its architecture still stands.

The land remembers. The people remember. And the songs remember for those who pretend not to hear.

Did you know? The Sun City record featured a remarkable lineup of artists, including Bob Dylan, Jimmy Cliff, Gil Scott-Heron, Miles Davis, and South African performer Sonny Okosuns, among many others.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sun City and the Homelands

What was Sun City during apartheid?

Sun City was a luxury resort built for whites in the black homeland of Bophuthatswana. Its location symbolized apartheid’s racial divisions, as black South Africans were excluded from such spaces.

Why was the song “Sun City” important?

The protest song united global musicians against apartheid. Its message — refusing to perform at Sun City — helped raise awareness of South Africa’s racial policies worldwide.

How were black South Africans relocated to homelands?

Under the Bantu Authority Act and Group Areas Act, millions were forcibly moved from cities and farms to ethnically assigned homelands. These areas were often poor and lacked infrastructure.

How is the Trail of Tears similar to South Africa’s homeland removals?

Both involved forced displacement driven by land greed and racial hierarchy. Indigenous communities in North America and black South Africans suffered dispossession and cultural loss.

What are the long-term effects of these forced removals?

CITATIONS 

South Africa – Forced Removals & Homelands

• Platzky, Laurine & Walker, Cherryl. The Surplus People: Forced Removals in South Africa. Johannesburg: Ravan Press, 1985.

• Posel, Deborah. “The Apartheid State, 1948–1994.” In The Cambridge History of South Africa, Vol. 2. Cambridge University Press, 1991.

• Davenport, T.R.H. South Africa: A Modern History. Macmillan, 1987.

• Christopher, A.J. The Atlas of Apartheid. Routledge, 1994.

Sun City & Music Protest

• Van Zandt, Steven. Interviews on the making of “Sun City.” NPR Archives, 1985.

• “Artists United Against Apartheid – Sun City.” Rock and Roll Hall of Fame archives.

• Gil Scott-Heron, The Last Holiday (autobiographical context on the era).

United States – Indian Removal

• Perdue, Theda & Green, Michael. The Cherokee Nation and the Trail of Tears. Penguin, 2007.

• Ehle, John. Trail of Tears: The Rise and Fall of the Cherokee Nation. Anchor Books, 1988.

• Wallace, Anthony. The Long, Bitter Trail: Andrew Jackson and the Indians. Hill and Wang, 1993.

• Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian (NMAI) – Removal-era historical summaries.

• U.S. Congressional Record: Indian Removal Act (1830).

Generations continue to face poverty, land inequality, and historical trauma. Both cases highlight the enduring impact of land-based injustice on identity and opportunity.