Mokwa is just one name for the Pterocarpus Angolensis tree, also known as Kiaat, Mukwa, Bloodwood and Umbilo, among several other names. It is found across southern Africa. Its wood is used for making furniture as well as certain musical instruments. Its sap is believed to have medicinal properties. It is fire resistant. It is a source of food for animals and insects. All of these qualities persuaded me that Mokwa is an apt name for my blog, which covers issues in southern and eastern Africa, and aims to be constructive in some way or other. But what led me to think of the tree in the first place is that it has a winged seed (pter meaning wing, and carpus meaning fruit, in Greek, apparently). This gives me a thematic connection to my communication work, some of which I do under the name of Wingseed Media.
I’m Brett Davidson. I’m a freelance media consultant, journalist and trainer. I mainly work with NGOs, helping them develop communication and advocacy strategies and think about how to gain greater media exposure for the work that they do. I started blogging thanks to my involvement in the Citizen Journalism in Africa project, which aims to train and support members of civil society organisations to become citizen journalists. I presently also work with the Open Society Institute, providing media technical assistance to their public health grantees in the region, and the Regional Hunger and Vulnerability Programme. I also work with String Communications, contributing regularly to their specialist publications, Delivery, and Mobility.
0 Responses to “About”