Why did Henry Stanley go to Africa?

Henry Stanley went to Africa primarily to find the missing explorer David Livingstone, who had not been heard from for several years. Sponsored by the New York Herald newspaper, Stanley embarked on an expedition in 1869, eventually locating Livingstone in 1871 in what is now Tanzania. His journey not only reestablished contact with Livingstone but also opened up further exploration and exploitation of Africa by Europeans, leading to his subsequent role in the colonization of the Congo.