 Richards mutsinhiri wezvevanhu uye mutsvakurudzi wezvekurima uye nzira dzokurima dzomuAfrica. Pakutanga akadzidziswa mu geography yevanhu BSc Queen Mary University yeLondon, 19631966 uye African Studies MA SOAS, 1966-1967, akadzidzisa muIbadan, Nigeria asati apedza PhD mune geography uye akasarudzika muSierra Leone PhD London, 19731977. Akashanda muSierra Leone kwemakore anodarika makumi mana, achiita zvidzidzo zvevanhu nezvezvirongwa zvekurima mupunga mumisha yeMende uye kuchengetedza masango pamuganhu weLiberia. Pashure pokunge nharaunda yacho yabatwa nehondo yevagari vemo yeSierra Leone 1992-2002, akatendeukira kuongororo yehondo iyoyo uye akanyora zvakanyanya pamusoro peanthropology yehondo dzehondo, uye dambudziko reEbola. 