AFRO-NETS> The Drum Beat - 80 - The Communication Initiative

[Warren Feek <wfeek@comminit.com>]

The Drum Beat - 80 - The Communication Initiative
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Looking to advertise a job? The next Vacancy Special Drum Beat will 
be issued on Feb 13. Contact Carey Hooge <chooge@comminit.com> 

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PROGRAMMES

1. Projet Radio - Madagascar - a 15 month pilot project which placed 
freeplay radios in target villages, researched information needs of 
rural communities and then incorporated the needs of the assessment 
into local language educational broadcasts. Issues dealt with include 
animal husbandry, agriculture, family health, sexually transmitted 
diseases, and HIV/AIDS. Informational video available.
http://www.andrewleestrust.org.uk/radio.htm
Contact Yvonne Orengo 
mailto:cel@dts.mg


2. BBC's "Story of Africa" Radio Programmes - Africa - a weekly se-
ries, made possible by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, runs 
for 6 months starting Feb 9. Assess the people and events that have 
shaped Africa, from "the dawn of man to Apartheid." Programmes broad-
cast in Africa only, but full broadcasts will be online:
http://bbc.co.uk/worldservice/thestoryofafrica 
Contact David Stead 
mailto:david.stead@bbc.co.uk


3. Alliance for TB Drug Development - Global - a partnership for the 
discovery of new drugs to treat TB. The Alliance unveiled a Scien-
tific Blueprint for the discovery and development of new anti-TB 
drugs:
http://www.newswire.ca/releases/October2000/09/c1247.html
Global Alliance website - http://www.tballiance.org


4. Pcnairobi Mass Media Project - Nairobi - based on a pilot project 
(see item #2 at http://www.comminit.com/drum_beat_56.html), the Popu-
lation Council has developed a mass media education campaign on re-
productive health with a weekly live radio call-in talk show to 
stimulate debate and fill in knowledge gaps. Newspaper supplements in 
the Sunday Nation (English) and Taifa Leo (Kiswahili) will use mate-
rials and questions generated from the talk shows to reinforce mes-
sages and will also serve to inform others who may not have tuned in 
to the radio. Letters to the editor will provide additional feedback 
for programming the radio talk shows. Promotional activities, post-
ers, T-shirts and radio and newspaper competitions will further in-
crease the target audience's exposure to information and assist in 
evaluating the program's impact. 
Contact Kwame Asiedu 
mailto:kasiedu@popcouncil.or.ke


5. Water, Research & Training Centre (WRTC) for a new Burma - works 
to improve Burmese peoples' access to research and training opportu-
nities and education in the sectors of water and rural studies in 
Burma and abroad. Also disseminates research findings and works to 
protect Burmese watersheds and their environment through advocacy and 
participation of the population. Works also to increase equal access 
to means of communication and learning among different indigenous 
peoples of Burma. 
http://www.wrtcburma.org 
Contact:
mailto:info@wrtcburma.org


6. Fantsuam Foundation - Nigeria - a registered charity working with 
rural communities in Nigeria. They design and implement projects in 
partnership with established community groups of women, girls, and 
disabled persons, to enable them to achieve healthy and poverty-free 
standards of living. 
http://kabissa.org/fantsuam/ 
Contact:
mailto:fantsuamfoundation@fantsuam.com


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Bytes for All to Trace Missing People in Gujarat - link through the 
C. I. Home Page http://www.comminit.com

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7. Scout Organisation for Youth Reproductive Health - Arab States - 
the UNFPA funded a project "Integration of Youth Reproductive Health 
into Boy Scouts & Girl Guides Education & Community Development Pro-
grammes". As a result of national Reproductive Health IEC and advo-
cacy activities carried out by the Girl Guide Association, the Minis-
try of Education issued a decree in 1999 for the creation of a tech-
nical committee for the integration of RH concepts into school cur-
ricula and textbooks. Produced a RH training guide for BS/GG leaders 
with sample participatory activity sheets. 
Contact Abdulhalim joukhadar 
mailto:joukhadar@cstamman.org.jo


8. Scenarios from the Sahel - Senegal, Mali & Burkina Faso - an 
HIV/AIDS prevention project being conducted by and for adolescents 
and young adults. Involves a contest of scenarios for short films on 
HIV/AIDS. 2 contests have been held in the 3 countries so far - one 
in 1997, one in 2000 - run primarily by coalitions of local organisa-
tions. They have attracted over 21,000 participants under the age of 
25. 7 films have been created and a further 6 films and a series of 
radio dramas will be created soon. Key lesson learned from the con-
tests - this approach effectively encourages young people to explore 
existing sources of relevant information and creates an environment 
conducive to open discussion of HIV/AIDS and its many implications. 
The contest provides a forum for girls and boys to exchange views on 
topics generally considered taboo. 
Contact Kate Winskell 
mailto:gdt@enda.sn


9. Romany Women's Association in Romania (RWAR) - an NGO formed for 
the protection of Romany Women's rights, culture and identity. Main 
objectives are to improve Roma women's: situation in the working mar-
ket, chances for education, and access to social health assistance. 
Projects have included: Youth reading/writing programme (students who 
had progressed in school without learning these basic skills); Inter-
net/PC training for women; Contraceptive and family planning educa-
tion project in 2 small villages; and publication of a newsletter. 
Plans for the future include: opening medical clinics in several 
small villages, economic development projects, advocacy projects for 
Romany women's rights. 
Contact Violeta Dumitru 
mailto:violeta@dnt.ro


10. "Shiksa Yatra" March for Education - India - a 2 month march, or-
ganised by the South Asian Coalition on Child Servitude, will cover a 
distance of 12,000 kms, moving through 20 states, hundreds of vil-
lages and towns, and reaching out to over a million people. The first 
leg was launched from a village in the very south of India. All of 
the marches will culminate on March 21st in New Delhi. A main objec-
tive of the march is to ensure the immediate passage and implementa-
tion of the 83rd constitutional amendment bill for free, compulsory 
and meaningful education for children, especially girls, up to the 
age of 18 yrs, with increased provision of quality early childhood 
care. 
Contact Seema Gaikwad or Shiji Abraham 
mailto:saccs@ndf.vsnl.net.in


11. U.S. Coalition for Child Survival Events - USA - Feb 27 Congres-
sional Briefing on "From Disaster Relief to Education: How US Devel-
opment Programs Work", Mar 21 Congressional Briefing on "The Forgot-
ten Killers of Children: Global Infectious Diseases", Apr 7 Local 
Global Health forum at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor - Topic: 
Maternal & Child Health, Apr 25 Congressional Briefing on "Fortifying 
Our Children" on the issue of micro-nutrients. 
Contact Samantha Kopman 
mailto:skopman@globalhealth.org


AWARDS

12. International Women's Media Foundation's Courage in Journalism 
Award - Nominations sought to honor women journalists for extraordi-
nary strength of character in pursuing their craft under difficult or 
dangerous circumstances. US$2,000 cash prizes. Deadline 15 Mar 2001. 
http://www.iwmf.org 
Contact Amy Johnson 
mailto:ajohnson@iwmf.org


WEB SITES

13. http://www.dispatch.co.zm 
Information Dispatch - an Internet based daily news publication. News 
dispatched as soon as it is received. Includes an interactive feature 
allowing readers to participate in discussion. 
Contact Kennedy Mambwe 
mailto:dispatch@journalist.com


14. http://www.farmedia.org 
Centre for Alternative Agricultural Media (CAAM) - supports "any pro-
farmer issue in all possible ways" in India. 
Contact Shivaram Pailoor 
mailto:caam@vsnl.net


EVENTS

15. The African Malaria Vaccine Testing Network seeks applications 
from African scientists in the employment of African institutions/ 
Ministries of Health for a 'Workshop on Ethics in Health Research in 
Africa' in April 2001. Deadline 19 Feb 2001.
http://www.amvtn.org/Workshops/wkkisumu.htm 
Contact Prof W. L. Kilama 
mailto:wkilama@Africaonline.co.tz


16. E-Conference - 'Knowledge & Information Systems of the Urban Poor 
in Developing Countries'. To subscribe, go to: 
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/cgi-bin/wa.exe?SUBED1=urban-poor-info&A=1


MATERIALS

17. Documents from the Internet 2001 PHMWG Conference are available 
on the Population & Health Materials Working Group site:
http://www.med.jhu.edu/ccp/2001.html


18. Stop TB Communique - issued monthly to share information and up-
dates on progress in the global partnership movement to stop TB. Stop 
TB is a partnership hosted by the WHO.
http://www.stoptb.org


19. Resource Material Sought - by Adilisha, a project that uses work-
shops and distance learning to strengthen the campaigning and organ-
isational capacities of human rights organisations in Southern Af-
rica. Seeking materials on: Investigation of human rights violations; 
Monitoring & reporting (criminal proceedings, elections); Campaigning 
& advocacy; Organisational management & leadership; Financial manage-
ment & fundraising; and, Use of the internet for research & advocacy. 
Contact Anil Naidoo 
mailto:anil@fahamu.org


20. Call for Papers - for a special issue of "Communication Theory"
entitled "Communication Theory & Entertainment-Education." Deadline 1 
Apr 2001. For info, 
contact Arvind Singhal 
mailto:singhal@ohio.edu

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