African Radio Reporters’ Tool Kit

• Lots of cash in hundred dollar bills, plus some fives to cover the small things. There’s no sense carrying twenties. Several thousand dollars in twenties gets bulky.
• A headlamp flashlight for when the power goes out.
• A Leatherman or Swiss Army knife to repair electronic equipment, reattach toilet seats, and slice bread.
• A phone-line splitter and an extra cable to try to connect to the Internet in hotel rooms.
• Biltong, a South African delicacy similar to beef jerky that withstands all temperatures and the absence of refrigeration.
• Malarone, a GlaxoSmithKline prophylaxis against malaria.
• Several packs of Marlboros to soften up twitchy militiamen at checkpoints.