Wim Bossema

(1956) works since 1990 for the international editorial of the De Volkskrant newspaper, specialising in Africa. He studied history in Amsterdam and Dar es salaam. In 1980 he visited Zimbabwe for the first time - a few months after the independence - and wrote about that for the Groene Amsterdammer. He returned regularly between 1987 and 1998. He wrote the book De trots van Afrika (The pride of Africa)(1998), about twenty years of journalistic travels in Africa. It touches on such things as high ideals that became more and more overwhelmed by violence, unsuccesful development models and failing aid. But also the writers and poets, who still believe in the pride of Africa.