The Drum Beat 326 - Communication and Change News and Issues
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1.Phakama - Southern Africa
The Phakama project is the product of the British Council's work in "Theatre for Development." Community arts - dance, drama, music, art - are used to expose young people to human rights issues. The Phakama approach draws on each participant's experience and imagination as the starting point for using the creative process to explore issues and ideas. In South Africa, training programmes were held for young facilitators, who then led a 5-day process with peers. One performance, in Khayelitsh, was held at a place of safety for children. Another initiative led to an outdoor evening performance that featured rap, body percussion songs, and moving drama scenes.
Contact Fabio Santos [email protected]
2.Hope and Opportunity for Rag-picking Children - Nepal
Nepal's 4000 or so child rag-pickers work closely with junkyard owners, who, according to the Nepalese non-government organisation (NGO) Diyalo Pariwar, often take advantage of them. In response, the NGO launched a behaviour change communication programme that involves working closely with rag-picking children and youth to help them access education, basic health care, and legal protection. Diyalo Pariwar conducts individual and group discussions to explore and record why and how rag-pickers leave home; the goal is to encourage and enable them to reunite with their parents. Diyalo Pariwar also urges sharpened focus on human rights issues as they impact children, in part by erecting posters and distributing desktop materials throughout its own offices.
Contact Diyalo Pariwar [email protected]
3.Sexual Dimensions [Dimensiones Sexuales] - Mexico
Implemented in 3 Mexican States (Puebla, Hidalgo and Tlaxcala), this youth radio programme is designed to increase awareness of - and communication about - sexual and reproductive health rights and services. A youth-centred, entertainment-based, peer education approach is used to expose adolescent radio listeners to health information, and to motivate them to seek services. On-air questions are invited from the listening audience via telephone calls and email in an interactive talk-show format. The young people involved in the programme were chosen through a nationwide contest that asked applicants to write a mini-soap opera script.
Contact Anameli Monroy, Ph.D [email protected]
4.Video Volunteers - Global
Motivated by the belief that new digital technologies enable anyone to produce videos at a reasonable cost, Video Volunteers works to empower grassroots activists working on issues of poverty alleviation and social change. Video Volunteers helps non-profits set up Community Video Units (CVUs), which are managed and operated by members of the community or organisation. During a 2-month training, a volunteer filmmaker exposes participants to all aspects of production and distribution, including participatory video and other strategic and low-cost uses of video. For example, Video Volunteers is working with two American Indian Tribes, the Arapahos and Shoshones of Wyoming, to produce a video that will reach every member of the Tribes with information on their water rights.
Contact Jessica Mayberry [email protected]
5.Your Turn - UK
In an effort to promote active citizenship, the UK-based Common Purpose launched a programme for youth with leadership potential. Community-based programmes are held at places such as hostels, courts, and trading floors; at these venues, participants are given a practical overview of citizenship and decision-making, in part through meetings with senior decision-makers. Your Turn also takes the form of 1-day conferences that are designed to encourage young people from different backgrounds to think together in new ways about common problems in their towns and their world. A broad aim is to equip UK youth with the interest, knowledge, and confidence to make a contribution to their communities beyond their age and experience.
Contact Your Turn [email protected] OR [email protected]
6.Aïna - Afghanistan
A non-profit, non-governmental organisation (NGOs) carrying out education, training, and information dissemination for the development of independent media and cultural expression in Afghanistan. Aïna's radio team produces and distributes a weekly bilingual (Dari and Pashto) 30-minute talk show called "Myane Mah" ("Between us"), focusing on political issues, as well as the bi-monthly 40-minute "Dar Velayat Chi Megsarat" ("What's Happening in the Provinces?"). This team also creates, produces, and disseminates radio spots and dramas for NGOs and international organisations.
Contact [email protected]
7.Beyond the Fire - Global
This online interactive educational project features the stories of 15 teen refugees from 7 war zones (Sudan, Iraq, Afghanistan, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Bosnia and Kosovo, and Liberia) who are now living in the United States. Designed for young people and their teachers, this web documentary features an individualised virtual passport and travel diary, war zone timelines, and country quizzes. The primary strategy for engaging viewers in the teens' experiences is personalisation in the form of an online documentary "journey". The goal is to create a virtual peer-to-peer dialogue - bolstered by an educator-facilitated classroom experience - focused on conflict and its effect on youth around the world.
Contact Sesh Kannan [email protected]
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Please participate in our PULSE POLL
The main difference between health communication and health education or social marketing is that health communication is transdisciplinary in nature.
[For context, please see The Drum Beat 324]
Join a DISCUSSION on this issue!
To read the online archives please >click here.
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8.Community Radio and Local Elections in India...Live!
Until now there has never been media coverage of local elections; the community radio station Namma Dhwani (Our Voice) set out to change this. The article characterises the station's efforts as helping ensure a free and fair election in Karnataka, India as well as "greater degrees of transparency, accountability and community participation in the voting process." As part of the campaign, reporters recorded people's opinions and broached the delicate issues of corruption and violence. According to the article, these steps helped encourage voter participation, which is described as "high."
9.Community Democratization of Telecommunications Community Cooperatives in Argentina: The Case Of TELPIN
by Susana Finquelievich & Graciela Cecilia Kisilevsky
This article provides a case study of the TELPIN telecommunications community cooperative (TCC) in Pinamar, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The authors use this case study, alongside supporting historical and economic background, to illustrate their hypothesis that TCCs provide a "way for Civil Society organizations to prepare communities for their new roles" in today's information and technology based economy. A successful TCC depends on strong community commitment, from both individuals and local organisations.
10.Informal Learning of Highly Educated Immigrant Women in Contingent Work
by Srabani Maitra & HongXia Shan
This paper describes two methods of informal learning that are used by highly educated immigrant women working in low-paid, contingent positions in Canada. These are positions that have "no benefits, social security, labour standards, or other guarantees" and are "unrelated to the professional backgrounds" of these women. The authors conclude with some implications for policy making.
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16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence
...from November 25 - December 10 every year...
Click here for a summary of the campaign.
For information on the 2005 Campaign, access to a calendar of international events focused on this campaign and the 2005 "Take Action" kit, please click here.
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11.WHO Checklist for Influenza Pandemic Preparedness Planning
This World Health Organization (WHO) publication aims to help nations in preparing to prevent or minimise the human morbidity and mortality, social disruption and economic consequences that may be caused by an influenza pandemic. It is designed as an annotated checklist, providing a list of essential and desired elements to address in preparing to handle an influenza pandemic.
12.Behavioural and Social Aspects of Malaria and Its Control
by H. Kristian Heggenhougen, Veronica Hackethal & Pramila Vivek
The authors show that human behaviour is related to risk for malaria, and that such behaviour is influenced by a range of cultural and social factors which it is crucial to consider.
13.From Thought to Action: Building Strategies on Violence Against Women
by Aanchal Kapur, Sanjay Muttoo & Suman Bisht
Presents a conceptual framework within which to understand gender-based violence, especially physical violence. It also suggests strategies that can be used by fieldworkers/activists who work within the non-governmental sector to prevent and eliminate this form of violence at home, at workplaces, on the streets, and in society in general.
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CALL FOR NON-HEALTH COMMENTARIES
To all Communication Initiative/Drum Beat network members - please contribute your opinions through our monthly critical analysis commentary series.
Since the beginning of 2004 and published the first Monday of each month, we have featured a great number of opinions from thinkers and practitioners within the health sector of communication for development. Click here for the archived issues. We are seeking contributions from other sectors: i.e. natural resource management, environment, gender, education, political development, economic development, children, youth, ageing, new technologies.
Please contact Deborah Heimann [email protected] for more information.
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LINKS: NGOs
14.Tourism Concern
Works with communities worldwide to reduce tourism-related social and environmental problems (particularly poverty), and to raise awareness about and advocate for fair and ethically traded tourism.
15.Translations for Progress
Links international non-government organisations (NGOs) that don't have the budget to accommodate professional translators with language students interested in volunteering.
16.International Theatre of the Oppressed (ITO)
Offers a system of exercises, games, and techniques, as well as information on the basics of the ITO system in 22 languages.
17.Lanzamiento del portal de la juventud [Peru Youth Portal]
Works to strengthen young people's political participation by connecting and highlighting Peru's youth-oriented organisations, NGOs, universities, institutions, and state agencies.
18.TBTV
A global support network of active tuberculosis (TB) sufferers working to raise awareness and to articulate demands for "better drugs, improved diagnostics and more dignity" through such actions as team participation in marathon (running) events.
19.SPEAK
A UK-based international network combining campaigning and prayer to "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves".
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Input Needed!
Health Systems Action Network (HSAN)
What must be done to strengthen health systems in order to improve health outcomes? What investments in health workers, financing systems, or the role of the private sector are needed to scale-up access to antiretrovirals, or achieve improvements in immunisation coverage?
Weak health systems are one of the critical barriers to achieving global health goals. There is currently discussion about developing a Health Systems Action Network (HSAN) as a means to:
- Create momentum to enhance the global focus on the importance of health systems to achieve health outcomes
- Improve communication and the flow of credible information about health systems strengthening interventions that work
- Promote greater coordination and collaboration
HSAN is now seeking input about what the most pressing health system challenges are, and how they can be better organised to address them. Please participate in a survey:
Click here for the English survey.
Click here for the Spanish survey.
Click here for the French survey.
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