We Were Always Here : Stories of Black Inventors Across the African Diaspora

We Were Always Here : Stories of Black Inventors Across the African Diaspora tells the unknown stories of the innovation and ingenuity of Africans who are solving African problems for African people.

The book includes exclusive interviews with Dr Marian Croak, a Vice President of Google as well as Mark E Dean who is the co-inventor of the IBM personal computer. And has a foreword written by world cricket legend Michael Holding.

One of the most remarkable inventions featured in the book by a South African is by Professor Mashudu Tshifularo; he became the first surgeon in the world to operate and install a 3D-printed middle-ear implant. With this new development, a CT scan is taken of the middle ear and in a few days a patient-specific prosthesis of 3D middle-ear bones can be inserted, and the patient can hear again immediately. He is humble in his achievements. ‘I did not do medicine for the money. I did it to heal people and help improve lives. And it is a privilege. I respect my work and do not take it for granted.’ He has these words of encouragement for learners and aspiring innovators: ‘Adapt or die. Innovate or perish. We black people can solve our own problems, find our own solutions. Africans are innovators. We must not give up…’