The Drum Beat 95 - Communication and Change News and Issues

PROGRAMMES

1. Interactive Radio Instruction - Zambia - a project in Zambia that is using interactive radio instruction to bring basic education and life skills to AIDS orphans. The radio programmes provide children with 30 minutes of basic instruction each day that is based on the school curriculum. Each programme also carries a short segment of life skills education (health, nutrition and basic hygiene) and addresses values that children would otherwise have received from their parents and teachers. Contact Michael Laflin Mlaflin@edc.org

2. The Centre for Alternative Agricultural Media (CAAM) - India - focus is on farmer friendly communication systems. They aim to promote alternative efforts in agricultural communication, bridge the communication gap between farmers and scientists/government, set up a library on alternative agriculture and alternative agricultural communication, and maintain a website and publish an e-bulletin. Contact Dr. Shivaram Pailoor caam@vsnl.net

3. NGO Coalition to Mark World Day for the Prevention of Child Abuse - Global - to "[amplify] the voice of organisations and individuals concerned about the increase of millions of children who are trafficked and sexually exploited around the world (Convention article 34: 'the State shall protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse, including prostitution and involvement in pornography')." By joining the coalition, the name of each organisation is printed on the official poster, which announces the World Day for Prevention of Child Abuse ­- 19 November. Contact Laure Maitrejean wdpca@wwsf.ch

4. Books for Ethiopia Literacy Project - Ethiopia - Ethiopian Books for Children & Educational Foundation (EBCEF) was founded to promote the publishing of children's books and reading and literacy in Ethiopia. They plan to: establish a Children's Book Center, with books for children, parents, teachers and social workers; publish children's books based on Ethiopian culture, history and reality reflecting gender sensitivity, human rights, environmental conservation and peace; and, conduct a literacy programme for low-income families with school age children. Contact Maureen Evans EBCEF@aol.com

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90.4 percent of what indigenous community lacks sewerage services?

BASE LINE
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5. A Participatory Approach to Produce Web Content - Africa - this project attempted to demonstrate how to realise the full benefits of Internet technologies towards sustainable development in Africa and identify some of the barriers that might constrain such a realisation. The project also sought to develop a methodology that could be used to produce web content that could impact on development. The work undertaken in the project involved carrying out field studies mainly in Zambia and Zimbabwe. Contact Batsirai Mike Chivhanga bmmc@soi.city.ac.uk

6. Theatre, Dance and Music Workshop for Slum Children - India - As a part of their AIDS Awareness Campaigns, Servants of the People Society started a once a week Follow-up Centre on every Saturday in Janta Colony Sector 25, Chandigarh in the home of an ex-addict to create self-help groups at grassroots level and involve, enlist and train social workers as well as different volunteers for the service of the community. They launched the Theatre, Dance & Music Workshop for Slum Children for children of drug addicts. Methodology is entertainment-education. Contact Dr. Avnish Jolly avnishjolly@yahoo.com

7. World Computer Exchange - Global - collects used PCs for schools in developing countries, including Africa, Asia and Latin America. They will take "anything that will get the kids online." The Exchange has so far signed up more than 700 schools, orphanages and learning centers in 22 countries. Contact WorldComputerExchange@attbi.com

AWARDS

8. The Fulbright New Century Scholars Programme is open to research scholars and professionals from the U.S. and around the world. Theme is "Challenges of Health in a Borderless World".

 

MATERIALS

9. "Reflections at the Nexus: Science, Religion, & Development," a Bishárát Media Development Associates Production - this video documentary presents the voices of a diversity of India's development actors and thinkers addressing major issues of development in India today and as they engage with the implications of the Science, Religion & Development discourse: "what, if anything, does development look like at the nexus of our scientific and religious knowledge systems?" Contact Maziar Sabet host@bisharat.org

10. A Research Study on the Level of Sustainability of NGOs in Brazil working on HIV/AIDS - 59 entities were included in the study, and based on an index ranging from zero to one (zero being no sustainability and one total sustainability levels), the average sustainability index found was 0.346. In addition, only 5 out of all 59 NGOs studied were above the 0.500 level. Final report available in Portuguese. Contact Miguel Fontes m.fontes@johnsnow.com.br

11. Communications in Haiti, by Charles Arthur - an extract from a longer report evaluating the World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) -supported grassroots communications projects in Haiti is available on the WACC website. Contact Tttnhm@aol.com

12. Governing Our Cities: will people power work? - a report by Panos, to be presented at the special session of the UN assembly that meets in New York June 6-8 2001. Governing Our Cities assesses whether urban strategies are succeeding. It concludes that although many nations are trying to take new approaches to the way they manage cities, they are doomed to fail unless governments work in tandem with other groups in society, and particularly the urban poor.

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Brazilian Project for Women's Economic Development & Children's Education... USA Excludes Medical Associations from the World Health Assembly...Millions Killed in the DRC War...

DEVELOPMENT NEWS in ABOUT TIME
[new Tues & Fri...]

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WEB SITES

13. The Hoot - a portal for media-related inquiry in the South Asian region. Devoted to "media practice, right to information, and issues of media ethics."

14. The World Social Forum - website of the Forum for the creation and exchange of social and economic projects that promote human rights, social justice and sustainable development. The event will take place every year in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil, during the same period as the World Economic Forum, which happens in Davos, Switzerland, at the end of January. In English, Portuguese, French & Spanish.

15. PLANetWIRE provides information on international family planning, population, reproductive health and the environment. Offers media analyses on news coverage on these issues, daily headlines, and feature stories on how these issues relate to current events.

EVENTS

16. The International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) has launched an internet-based campaign with Yahoo! and other partners to create public awareness about the urgent need for an accessible AIDS vaccine. The Call for Action petition, which will be presented during the UN Special Session on HIV/AIDS in New York June 25-27 2001, and at future international conferences, is available at Click here for petition. Sign by June 25.

17. 4th Inter-American Dialogue on Water Management will be held Sep 2-6 2001 in Brazil. Seeks to document successful and innovative approaches to integrated land and water resources management in the Americas and to identify specific actions that can improve the management of water resources. Contact in Brazil - dialogo@acquacon.com.br or in Washington, DC - bgriesinger@oas.org

18. Infrastructure, the Environment & Dispute Resolution in the Americas will be June 18-20 2001 in Costa Rica. Designed to enable lawyers, regulators, policy makers, corporate decision makers and environmental advocates to understand fully the challenges they face when addressing infrastructure projects in the region, and to learn from colleagues who have legal, policy and practical lessons to share. Contact Amy Horton-Newell hortona@staff.abanet.org

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The Drum Beat seeks to cover the full range of communication for development activities. Inclusion of an item does not imply endorsement or support by The Partners.

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