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Africa’s Very Own

A culture magazine about music, style, art and writing from across Africa, and the people who make them. Founded in Selebi-Phikwe, Botswana, in 2018.

Kenneth Tebogo Middleton holds a chef's knife upright in front of half his face, in a black T-shirt against white

Meet Kenneth Tebogo Middleton: Botswana’s rising foodie and social media star

Letsile Tebogo Q&A: childhood, school and salary

Letsile Tebogo: The rising star of athletics in Botswana

A young man in glasses and a pink shirt stands in a corridor holding a phone

Austin Magaga: Starting Caves Academy on a high note

Gofaone Modise poses in a black blazer and glasses with braids, hand at her chin, against a grey-blue backdrop

Gofaone Modise: Redefining social media marketing

What AVO is

AVO tells the stories of African artists, designers, writers and organisers, in their own words wherever we can.

We publish interviews, profiles, reviews, essays, poetry and fiction. Every piece needs a point of view or access no one else has. Otherwise it does not run.

What we cover

Sound. Amapiano, Afrobeats, jazz, hip-hop and the alternative edges. Long interviews, scene reporting, criticism.

Style. Designers, runway, streetwear, beauty and pageantry. Photographs first, then the business behind them.

Visual Arts. Photography, drawing, design and film, and the people behind the work.

Poetry & Prose. Poetry, short stories and book reviews from AVO writers.

Culture & Power. Commentary, identity, business, sport and the creative economy.

How we work

AVO is independent.

Partners may check the facts we state about them before publication, but they do not approve or edit our stories. Sponsored work is labelled “In partnership with” on every screen. Our Sponsored content policy explains how this works.

Contributors keep their copyright. When we publish their work, AVO may publish it, keep it in our archive and share it, always with their name on it, and we ask for 30 days before it appears anywhere else. Our Contributor Terms set this out in full.

When we get something wrong, we correct it. Tell us through the Contact page.

The story so far

2018
Maverick Kabelo starts Phikwe’s Very Own, a Facebook page in Selebi-Phikwe, Botswana.
2019
The page becomes Botswana’s Very Own.
2020
It becomes Africa’s Very Own Magazine, and the website launches.
Q&A with Obvdo/OG Beezy Q&A with the deaf designer
2026
A new africasveryown.com, with the full archive and new work.
Nothing from you Nkuku, teach me