Independent African countries have faced many challenges on the road to economic and social development. The heritage of colonialism has weighed heavy on their shoulders, and the promises of post-colonialism have not always been fulfilled. The nature and trajectory of the development project is determined, in large part, by governments. Where they have been limited in - or neglectful of - their capacity to improve the lives of their people, non-government organisations (NGOs) have been quick to respond. Composing a New Song contains portraits of five such NGOs, from Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda,...