BaobabConnections - The Netherlands and Africa
Established in 2001 by the Dutch organisation Inzet, BaobabConnections is a non-profit, Internet-based media project dedicated to building awareness, stimulating debate, and encouraging action to address profit-driven corporate globalisation. A website and online newsletter are key tools in the effort to foster a worldwide dialogue on globalisation. The project initially sought to include young people in Holland and Africa in the dialogue; the goal is to involve people of all ages in all other countries. As of this writing, BaobabConnections has over 900 members from 79 countries.
Communication Strategies
The BaobabConnections site is the primary tool for etablishing an interactive online community. News about happenings and upcoming events are organised into categories including youth, health, women, the environment, poverty, culture, refugees, war, and food. Facts and figures are provided about globalisation in various countries, including Burundi, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, The Netherlands, and Uganda. A discussion forum and video library are supplemented by an information database on globalisation. Although the site is mostly in English, there is a French language section of the site that is intended to open up dialogue with French-speaking youth.
BaobabConnections offers an online magazine on globalisation that identifies problems, possibilities, and practical steps forward. The monthly magazine promotes the de-globalisation of corporate power and the inauguration of south-north development. Young people write for and about young people. The most recent edition, as of this writing, was entitled The Hunger & The Harvest - Globalisation and Food Security.
There are also various online competitions open to young members. To stimulate interaction on the website, and to raise awareness about issues of globalisation, BaobabConnections organised 3 online competitions in 2002. The winners of these contests were sent to Uganda, South Africa and the Netherlands, respectively, to represent BaobabConnections at various events. For example, in July 2002 Lindelwa Vuyelwa Mtongana (South Africa) and Renée Zandvliet (The Netherlands) took part in Baobabconnections' online competition for the Women's World Conference; they flew to Kampala to represent BaobabConnections during the conference. (Daily diary reports may be read on the BaobabConnections site). Click here for more information on the competitions.
BaobabConnections offers an online magazine on globalisation that identifies problems, possibilities, and practical steps forward. The monthly magazine promotes the de-globalisation of corporate power and the inauguration of south-north development. Young people write for and about young people. The most recent edition, as of this writing, was entitled The Hunger & The Harvest - Globalisation and Food Security.
There are also various online competitions open to young members. To stimulate interaction on the website, and to raise awareness about issues of globalisation, BaobabConnections organised 3 online competitions in 2002. The winners of these contests were sent to Uganda, South Africa and the Netherlands, respectively, to represent BaobabConnections at various events. For example, in July 2002 Lindelwa Vuyelwa Mtongana (South Africa) and Renée Zandvliet (The Netherlands) took part in Baobabconnections' online competition for the Women's World Conference; they flew to Kampala to represent BaobabConnections during the conference. (Daily diary reports may be read on the BaobabConnections site). Click here for more information on the competitions.
Development Issues
Globalisation, Youth.
Partners
The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Humanist Institute for Co-operation with Developing Countries(HIVOS), Nationale Commissie voor Internationale Samenwerking en Duurzame Ontwikkeling (NCDO), Interchurch Organisation, Cordaid.
Sources
Newsletter (BaobabConnections, #11) forwarded by Dominique Sindayiganza to The Communication Initiative on May 9 2003; and BaobabConnections site.
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