Voices: Turning words into action

Rageh Omaar revealed

Rageh Omaar has not forgotten his roots

We reveal the life of BBC's Africa correspondent Rageh Omaar. Find out what has he been up to.

Listen to Rageh Omaar's message to the Somali people in Leicester

Rageh Omaar is a happy man

"Liquid chocolate eyes, long eyelashes and an impeccable British accent" Mail on Sunday.

We are of course talking about Rageh Omaar - BBC's Africa correspondent. He is the man of moment whose sterling work during the Iraq war has made him a household face and a favourite amongst Britain's pensioners.

Rageh Omaar in one minute

Rageh Omaar was born in Somalia on 19 July 1967
He is the youngest of four children
He was educated at Cheltenham Boys College, he went on to Oxford University where he gained a BA Honours in Modern History in 1990.

Rageh's career development

Rageh began his journalistic career in 1990 as a trainee at The Voice newspaper in Brixton and then moved to City Limits magazine.
In 1991 he moved to Ethiopia where he freelanced as a foreign correspondent - much of his work being broadcast by BBC World Service.
In 1992 he returned to London as a producer for Focus on Africa for the World Service at Bush House.
Between 1994 and 1996 he worked as a broadcast journalist for the World Service and then became a producer and reporter for Newshour.
In September 1996 he undertook a three-month sabbatical at the University of Jordan, where he studied Arabic.
He was appointed Amman correspondent in March 1997.
He recently won an EMMA award for the best Media correspondent.
Rageh is now married and has two children. He is based in Johannesburg and where there's war - you are more than likely to see Rageh Omaar reporting from the war zone.
Rageh has not forgotten his roots and maintains close contact with his immediate family many of whom live in Somalia. He is a source of inspiration to many Black and Asian people and feels that although things are changing significantly in the rise of people from ethnic minorities in the media there is still a long way to go.

Alfaproduction@yahoo.com