Live! The Happiest Place on Earth: A Journey to Centrafrique

Selam & Hello

In this special edition, join Lilly and the live audience as she has a soul-stirring conversation with Jean, a loving father, dedicated husband, and a resilient citizen of Centrafrique. Jean introduces us to his "happiest place on earth", a country populated with warm people whose focus is on the present, not the past.

Jean, born and raised amidst the decades-long civil war in Centrafrique, reveals the harsh realities of living in a country beset by political unrest since 1997. He shares intimate stories about his upbringing as well as how laughter helped them cope with the challenges they faced. Jean tells us about his escape to Chad, after a heart-wrenching separation from his family during a coup, and how he was reunited with them. His stories of rice in refugee camps and falling into a river infuse the conversation with humor and courage.

Jean's journey takes a turn when he moves to France, and confronts and navigates a system entrenched with racism. His choice to relocate to Kenya - an English-speaking country - started as a form of rebellion but evolved into a love story. Nonetheless, the various changes in his life, between languages and borders, have left him with both stories of joy - and of the justice he wants to create for his beloved homeland.

Jean's version of Centrafrique is the place he yearns for his son to understand and love. He expresses his aspiration to positively impact his homeland, starting at the grassroots level—one family at a time.

Rounding off the episode, Lilly and Jean lighten the atmosphere with a friendly game of "Who Does It Better?" Listen to find out if Kenya or Centrafrique is crowned the winner!

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Music Credits: Lone Tree - Woman (ft. Bensoul)

Production by: Sahihi Africa Productions