Finally, there is an upbeat news piece about Africa. The BBC released a brief story on Jan. 31st about the opening of a stock market in Rwanda. For a country that has known its share of sorrow, this is one more element that can direct Rwanda toward a more hopeful future.

Upon opening the Rwanda Capital Market, President Paul Kagame described it as a milestone for the nation. The hope is that the exchange will aid the economy, which has yet to bounce back after the 1994 genocide.

"It's an important achievement which will provide the business community with a second option to financing that is long term and which will inevitably add great value to our economy," President Kagame said.

I felt it was important to point out this positive piece about Africa because, as of late, most of the attention has been on the negative. This serves as a reminder that there is not just disparity and chaos on the continent.