Last Friday, I was privileged to witness Stand Together As One, a moving documentary chronicling one of Africa’s darkest moments — the 1983–1985 Ethiopian famine — and the courageous individuals who stood up to tell the truth, challenge the global conscience and mobilise support.
Divided in three parts: The famine, The Impact and The Music, the film casts an eye over the continent by sharing actual footage and reporting from the crisis by a very small team of journalists including renowned Kenyan photojournalist Mohamed “Mo” Amin. His uncompromising images broke through the world’s indifference and sparked a global humanitarian response that changed history.
Mo Amin simultaneously documented a tragedy and revealed it to the world with a rawness that demanded action which very quickly sparked the outrage and solidarity of famous musicians who came together to record the hit song, We Are The World. It became a global hit in 1985, raising millions to fight the famine.
A few weeks ago in this column, we looked at how Africa needs its own plan as the landscape for aid and its deep relationship with our continent is clearly changing - challenging us to look at how we are going to start relying on ourselves.
Black people saving Black people
It was an honor to join Salim Amin (Journalist & Filmmaker, Camerapix), Mugo Kibati (CEO, Telcom), Karim Anjarwalla (Senior Partner, ALN Kenya) and Chip Duncan (Filmmaker & President – Duncan Entertainment) on the panel discussion “Mobilising Collaborative Action for Africa’s Economic Growth,” following the screening. Themed “Learning from the Past, Leading the Future,” it built on these lessons and asked: Why aren’t large-scale global collaborations like We Are The World happening today?
The documentary co-produced with Mo’s son, Salim Amin (Camerapix) and Chip Duncan (Duncan Entertainment), features the final interview of artist-activist Harry Belafonte and rare footage of Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, speaking on self-reliance and the need to move beyond foreign aid.
The interview was a sobering reminder that leadership grounded in purpose, history, and people’s needs is vital to the continent’s future. It also made me question what African solidarity means? Why didn’t Africa as a union intervene when others from far away were moved to action?
Belafonte’s poignant reflection struck deep: “It’s amazing that we have white people saving Black people, but we do not have Black people saving Black people.” His call for Black-led solidarity resonates profoundly, amplifying Zenawi’s vision — that Africa’s destiny must be forged by Africans themselves, with courage, collaboration, and vision. This truth rings louder than ever, demanding action as I reflect on it now.
Agricultural reforms and innovation
The famine was a devastating political crisis where food became a weapon of war. Between 400,000 and 1 million lives were lost, as food aid was deliberately blocked from reaching regions deemed hostile by the ruling regime. Amid this heart-wrenching reality, Mo Amin risked everything to share his footage that brought the famine into our homes, across borders and oceans, igniting outrage, compassion, and a wave of solidarity. That courage to witness, to document, and to expose, came at a personal cost. He lost his arm in Addis Ababa while covering the fall of the Mengistu regime, and ultimately his life in an Ethiopian Airlines crash in 1996. But his lens never flinched.
Fast-forward 40 years, and Ethiopia tells a different story. In the past five years, it has reportedly achieved self-sufficiency in domestic wheat demand, a milestone driven by bold agricultural reforms and innovation. While the full scope of these results continues to be debated, one undeniable truth emerges: change is possible with courageous leadership and vision.
We’ve even seen it happen here too. Under President Mwai Kibaki, Kenya took significant steps to reduce its reliance on donor aid, particularly for recurrent expenditure like public sector salaries. By improving tax collection and mobilising domestic resources, Kenya began funding critical services through internal revenues. It was a clear example of the transformative power of strong, homegrown economic leadership.
Progress cannot — and should not — rely solely on external solidarity and support. Such support can play a catalytic role, but true transformation must be driven from within. It demands intentional policies, public-private collaboration, and unwavering trust in African ingenuity to solidify these gains and sustain momentum.
This story challenges us to envision leadership that centers African solidarity, champions justice, and turns vision into transformative change. It reminds us that the road forward lies squarely in our hands. It is time to reimagine collaboration — not as charity or dependency, but as a shared journey rooted in mutual respect, dignity, and collective growth.
Wanjira Mathai is the MD for Africa & Global Partnerships at the World Resources Institute and Chair of the Wangari Maathai Foundation.
