Birkay Gadenah is not any bank’s idea of a good credit risk. The 36-year-old mother of five lives in the tin-roof shantytown of Burayu, 12km west of the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. But eight months ago, she and nine other women from the neighbourhood funeral society, or “edir”, formed a community savings and loan group.

“When it comes to Africa, most of what is shown on television and reported in newspapers is negative. However, there is another side and most African Americans are unaware of what Africa truly has to offer, opportunity and an incredible lifestyle.” - Stafford Bailey, filmmaker.

Many of us, African living abroad either don’t carry a life insurance simply because we don’t have the knowledge of its existence and its importance. But, life has its surprises to which we should be ready to respond to as swift as they come. Death and or a major car accident are just few examples [...]