Africa is commonly seen as a continent of rampant political corruption, poverty, violence, and ethnic conflicts rising at times to genocide. There is some truth in this view although the real picture is diverse, with the situation varying considerably from country to country. However, the more important question seldom asked is: What are the causes of this situation? The frequent assumption is that the causes relate to internal factors that have something to do with the African people and their leaders. While the stories differ in detail, the role of external factors is common, except perhaps for South Africa, which has a very different history. This article gives a glimpse of the hope that is coming from the united endeavours of Africans in the area of higher education.