Why African descendants are moving to Africa

The Take speaks to two women about their decision to leave the US and the UK to move to Ghana and The Gambia for good.

A couple are seen walking away from the monument of 'Point of No Return' at the historic slave port of Ouidah, Benin, July 18, 2019. The 400-year anniversary of the first slave boat to arrive in America from Africa has caused a rush of interest in heritage tourism in West Africa, as descendants of slaves from America, the Caribbean and Europe visit ancient sites to delve into a dark and often hidden past. Picture taken July 18, 2019. REUTERS/Afolabi Sotunde

Citing racism and a desire for belonging, Americans and Britons of African descent are moving from the West to the African continent. It’s part of a Pan-African campaign to encourage repatriation and investment in tourism in Africa, and it’s a trend that culminated in 2019 with Ghana’s Year of Return, which marked 400 years since the first enslaved people from Africa were brought to the Americas. We speak to two women about their decision to leave the US and the UK to move to Ghana and The Gambia for good.

In this episode:

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Muhammida El Muhajir, Ghana resident since 2014; Juliet Ryan, co-founder of the Council of African Descendants in The Gambia, and host of Bla Xit on YouTube.

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The team:

Abigail Ony Nwaohuocha produced this episode with Negin Owliaei, Dina Kesbeh, Priyanka Tilve, Alexandra Locke, Ney Alvarez, Amy Walters, and Malika Bilal.

Alex Roldan was the sound designer. Natalia Aldana is the engagement producer. Stacey Samuel is The Take’s executive producer and Graelyn Brashear is Al Jazeera’s head of audio.

Source: Al Jazeera