As I've said many times before, in Congo (and generally in Africa) nothing is thrown away. Everything is reused one way or another. Most examples of recycling that can be seen daily have something to do with plastic containers. However, my favorite ones are somewhat more elaborate and imaginative. Like the little fabric dolls that can be bought in certain souvenir shops.

They are made with little pieces of fabric leftover from tailoring clothes, which I imagine are collected from tailors and dressmakers. The picture on the bottom left shows a bag full of such fabric scraps, which are used both as filling for the dolls and to make their dresses. The work is completed with some glue, straw and little pieces of wood, also recycled.

Interestingly, I've never seen these types of dolls in male form. They usually represent women doing daily housework such as carrying water or other things on their head, pounding cassava flour to make fufu or taking care of a baby. The only exception I've come across are the Nativity scene characters, like the one below that is identical to the one I have at home.

It didn't sound like much when I first heard about it. Someone calls you and then hangs up immediately before you pick up. You see the number and call them back. At least, this is what would happen in the US. This is a place where people have never-ending minutes on their cellphones and always find some way to pay their mobile bill, even if it is $500 like I overheard some idiot kid saying his was.

But, in Africa, things take on a different meaning. Everyone apparently has a cellphone, just not the money to use them. So, this "beeping" method is used and for those that I know who have lived there, it's a massive pain to deal with. My friend, Kim goes in to a greater amount of detail. You see, if you're white and your number gets out, you'll get flooded with calls as an expat living there. Read his article for all the grittiness.

This is also have some economic repercussions which Reuters has covered as well. While I'm of the opinion that cellphones are a pretty unnecessary technology, in a countries where landlines are few and far between, they're one of the few ways that people seem to be able to stay in contact with one another. So, at some point they'll have to figure out some way to deal with this flood of junk on their network. Maybe making text messages free or next to free? I will have more of a firsthand experience of this when I get to Africa next year.

Whales die after stranding on Senegal coast:

The bodies of at least 38 whales have washed up on a Dakar beach and wildlife officials say as many as 100 swam up close to the shore.

Yoff beach, right in front of our house.

From the BBC:

The Senegalese army has launched an offensive against rebels in the southern Casamance region, after 16 villagers had their left ears cut off.