The Drum Beat 38 - Communication and Change News and Issues

PROGRAMMES

1. YOACIHUATL A.C. - Mexico - is a private initiative working to prevent child sexual abuse, child abduction and child maltreatment. Videotapes using puppets, animation and original music inform audiences of parents and children; separate facilitated discussions and work sessions after viewing the tapes work to counsel abusers, heal abused and prevent further abuse. They offer training and work with NGOs and governmental organisations that offer legal, medical, and therapeutic support. Contact Lillian Liberman [email protected]

2. Refugee Care and Support (Recasu) - Africa - administered by the Network for the Defense of Independent Media in Africa (NDIMA), the objective of this programme is to help displaced writers, journalists, artists, broadcasters and filmmakers live a less miserable life. To qualify for subsidies, artists must prove that they are political, not economic, exiles. Support is US$100 - $500. Contact Sam Mbure [email protected] 

3. Kaththiri - Maldives - first launched in 1997 by the public "Television Maldives" through partnership with a UNFPA Information Education Communication project, this weekly 20 minute soap opera spreads reproductive health messages through an "edutainment" approach. Targeting young boys and girls, the drama depicts the ups and downs of a typical Maldivian family while incorporating reproductive health and family planning issues. Website. Contact Javed S. Ahmad [email protected] 

4. Ndizathozomwe - Malawi - the Malawian Broadcasting Co-operation (MBC) is planning a civic education campaign, "Ndizathozomwe" ("it is ours"), and establishing a development Broadcasting Unit. 26 radio programmes will be broadcast on MBC Radio One beginning Feb. 2000. Programmes will follow a magazine format including village voices and panel discussions. They will broadcast off the back of "Tilitonse" a new civic education based drama produced by the Story Workshop Educational Trust (SWET). Contact [email protected] 

5. Sesame Street Radio - South Africa - Vuleka Productions has developed the URTNA award-winning radio version of the Sesame Street educational children's series. Co-produced by Children's Television Workshop, "Takalani Sesame" is an "edutainment" approach using radio, TV and outreach to pre-school children and their care-givers. Contact Julie Frederikse [email protected] 

6. Women's Foundation - Nepal - Foundation for the Solidarity and Development of Women (The Women's Foundation) is a non-profit, voluntary social welfare NGO. Activities include: organising seminars and workshops on and advocating for human rights; maintaining literacy programmes; providing legal assistance; providing shelter and skills development for destitute women and children; and, encouraging community savings and mobilisation. Contact Renu Sharma [email protected] 

7. "Ushikwapo Shikamana" Comic Strip - Kenya - the popular radio soap opera is being made into a comic strip. Launched in the Kenyan Kiswahili daily TAIFA LEO in Dec. 1999, it runs 3 days a week. Serial and strips address issues such as female circumcision, forced marriages, large family size, the status of women, HIV/AIDs, and drug abuse. Contact Kimani Njogu [email protected] 

8. Izumi Foundation - Global - opened 15 Dec. 1999. Grantmaking activities will concentrate on efforts to reduce the burden of infectious diseases, especially tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS, diarrhoeal diseases, pneumonia, measles, and blindness in developing and low-income countries. Website. Contact Yuko Yoshida [email protected] 

9. Call for Proposals - European Commission is seeking projects to fund for "HIV/AIDS Related Operations in Developing Countries" & "Aid for Population Policies and Programmes in Developing Countries." Non-profit NGOs, community-based organisations, research institutes, international organisations with experience in the field of HIV/AIDS and Population, national or local authorities, public & private institutes and operators independent from public administration may apply. Deadline is 17 Apr. 2000. Contact Christel Van Vaerenbergh [email protected] Web site. 

 

WEB SITES

10. PrevGES is an e-mail discussion group that examines research trends towards the prevention of genocide and social violence. The list aims to facilitate sharing knowledge, research results and new ideas that may arise from quite distant perspectives: from the performing arts (e.g. their role in enabling reconciliation) to biomedical research (e.g. cognitive studies by brain imaging such as PET and MRI).

11. For information about what health news the public is following, see the Kaiser Family Foundation/Harvard Health News Index. Includes questions about major health stories covered in the news. There is a new report every 2 months.

GATHERINGS 

12. Call for Abstracts - The Health Communication Working Group of the American Public Health Association's Public Health Education and Health Promotion (PHEHP) section is seeking health communication abstracts for the 2000 APHA Annual Meeting - Eliminating Health Disparities. Topics include: effective communication planning and implementation; use of new technologies; research strategies; risk communication; theory application in communication programme planning; and, reaching under-served and/or minority populations. Deadline 5 Feb. 2000. Submit here. Select submit to the PHEHP. Contact Suzanne Meadows [email protected]

13. Workshop on Popular Communications and Participation for Democracy and Change, 8-12 May 2000 is in planning stages. Currently consulting about specific themes for working groups. Workshop will be held at the Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex, UK. Aim is to include anyone interested in discussions via e-mail prior to the workshop. Contact Mary Myers [email protected] 

MATERIALS 

14. Human Development Report (HDR) CD-ROM (Ten Years of Human Development Reports) is available. It features statistical databases from HDR 1999, the entire text of HDRs 1990-99 in both interactive and downloadable formats, a search engine for all HDRs, a comprehensive reference section, country fact sheets and a press center. Purchase on-line. Contact Sarah Burd-Sharps [email protected] 

15. Call for Input - The Centre for Health Equity Training Research and Evaluation in Australia is organising a consortium of NGOs and government organisations to find better ways of working in and with disadvantaged communities on health issues. Issues of interest: service delivery in disadvantaged communities; evidence of effectiveness of integrated service delivery; intersectoral action; community participation; and macro things that have local impact. Seeking literature reviews, guides/tool kits, training packages, internet sites and innovative ways of disseminating information. Contact Elizabeth Harris [email protected] 

PEOPLE 

16. Vacancy - Director for the Institute of Health Promotion Research at the University of British Columbia. Includes teaching, research, fostering collaboration and attracting funding. Tenured. Information about the Institute. Deadline 7 Feb 2000. Contact Dr. C. James Frankish [email protected] Fax: 604.822.92O2 

17. Vacancy - Senior FAO Population Communication Officer. Develop strategies and methodologies for population and reproductive health IEC components in FAO development support programmes and activities; plan, coordinate and carry out analyses and studies; collaborate on design and implementation of training activities. Need English, French and some Spanish. Contact Jacques du Guerny [email protected] OR Maria-Grazia Solari [email protected] 

18. Two Vacancies at The Benton Foundation, an organization committed to advancing the public interest use of communication. Chief Financial Officer - 10 yrs exp., business degree and CPA or MBA. Grants Manager - 5-7 yrs exp. accounting and grants management. Contact [email protected] Fax: 202.638.5771

 

Info and Ideas WANTED

WE are very keen to get information on programmes, policies and research related to POLIO, TB and HIV/AIDS, DIET, PHYSICAL EXERCISE, MOTHER-TO-CHILD TRANSIMISSION OF HIV/AIDS AND indicators for assessing the links between HEALTH, AIDS AND POVERTY. Your assistance would be much appreciated [email protected] Thank you

 

Thanks to all for their involvement and support. Please send items for The Drum Beat to the Editor - Deborah Heimann [email protected]