The Drum Beat 22 - Communication and Change News and Issues
PROGRAMMES
1. Zimbabwe Alive - Zimbabwe - is a series of thirty 15 minute episodes of a soccer drama which began airing May 1999. Aimed at youth, the series provides entertaining programming with positive role models and messages to encourage more responsible sexual behaviour among young people. Contact Michael Auret Jnr [email protected]
2. Training for the Reduction of Neonatal Mortality - India - was a community-based response to the management of neonatal sepsis undertaken in the State of Maharashtra by Search, an NGO, from 1995 - 1998. Village health workers were trained in identifying criteria for babies at risk of death, prematurity, low birth weight and sepsis. The programme functioned through a team that included the mother, grandmother, health educator, village health workers and supervisors. Contact Dr. Abhay Bang [email protected]
3. BUSH Radio - South Africa - launched the growth of community radio in South Africa. Founder of the National Community Radio Forum (NCRF), in addition to broadcasting in the Western Cape, BUSH Radio works with community organisations to promote exchange of ideas and information, trains community members to produce radio, and takes part in debates and campaigns around South African broadcast policies. Contact Zaine Ibrahim [email protected]
4. PressWise - United Kingdom - is a media ethics body run by journalists which provides free advice to members of the public who experience difficulties with print and broadcast media, supplies training for NGOs, and undertakes research on aspects of media law and ethics. They are providing practical training for journalists in Central & Eastern Europe on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. They are seeking funding for 2 international projects - Representing Lost Childhood and Children, Violence & Europe. Contact Mike Jempson [email protected]
5. TEAM (Towards Education for All with Multimedia Network Medicine)- USA - is dedicated to the establishment of a network for medical education, clinical care and research. Activities include international videoconferencing between medical centres, and online health promotion and education. TEAM is also establishing an asynchronous learning network for patient and professional medical education. Contact Victoria Hamilton [email protected]
6. Radio and Human Rights - Peru - The British Council Peru and the Instituto de Defensa Legal (IDL), an NGO, have launched a human rights radio programme. With over 2.8 million listeners, broadcasts are weekly via a network of almost 50 provincial stations and Peru's largest commercial network, RPP. Click here for website. Contact Christian Sanchez [email protected]
COMMUNICATION TREND
7. "The Internet is increasingly used for broadcasting radio programmes." The Kothmale Internet Community radio project in Sri Lanka demonstrates this approach in rural areas. "This pilot project... aims at assessing the potential benefits of new communication technologies to remote areas. The project uses community radio as an interface between the Internet and rural communities." There are 3 main features: 1) A daily 2 hour Radio programme to "Radio Browse" the Internet, in which community broadcasters interpret information from selective sites; 2) a mini Internet Service Provider to the community with free Internet access; and, 3) a computer database deriving information which is often requested by community members from the Internet. Source: Internet Radio in Sri Lanka, 13 May 1999 - click here for site.
IMPACT DATA
8. "Data from a nationally representative sample of 4,225 women in Tanzania ..were used to assess the impact of mass media family planning campaigns. Results [examples]: The more types of media that women are exposed to, the more likely they are to practice contraception. Women who recalled 6 media sources of family planning messages were 11 times as likely as those who recalled no media sources to be using modern contraceptives... Conclusion: Multiple media sources of information on contraception reinforce one another and extend the reach of a family planning campaign." Source: The Impact of Multimedia Family Planning Promotion on the Contraceptive Bahviour of Women in Tanzania; Jato et al; International Family Planning Perspectives; Vol 25, no.2 June 1999.
WEB SITES
9. The Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) has a new health section on its web site. This is a growing resource network of global health communication tools to promote health as a development priority. It includes a slide show, poster, video clip, success stories, and information sheets. Click here for website.
10. The Global Reproductive Health Forum has launched Reproductive Technologies Web, exploring the impact of emerging reproductive technologies, both contraceptive and procreative. Featured are scholarly articles, critical essays, and links to related resources. Click here for website.
11. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has a new web page on the conflict in Kosovo. The site has regular updates on the health situation and WHO activities in the region. Click here for website.
GATHERINGS
12. The European Consortium for Communications Research (ECCR) has organized a conference (31 July 1999) to follow the IAMCR conference in Leipzig, Germany on "The Future of European Communication Research". The primary goal of ECCR is to organize and to exchange information and documentation about relevant research activities and meetings. Contact Jan Servaes [email protected]
13. Maneno Mengi is organising a training and exchange workshop on participatory video production in Zanzibar 12-31 July 1999. Participants will form small groups which join with local village groups in producing videos on the themes and stories that the local people want to communicate.
14. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Health of Mexico are planning the 5th Global Conference on Health Promotion (5GCHP) to be held in Mexico City 5-9 June 2000. Focus will be on demonstrating the value of incorporating health promotion strategies into health and development policies, programmes and projects. Click here for website.
MATERIALS
15. "AIDS in Nigeria" is the monthly electronic bulletin of Journalists against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria. It is a source of news about the HIV/AIDS situation in Nigeria. Contact Kehinde Bamigbetan [email protected]
16. The Child Health Policy Institute is searching for studies in Southern Africa on the health effects of environmental tobacco smoke on children, including birth weight, respiratory, cardiovascular, neuro-problems, SIDS etc. Contact Teresa Guthrie [email protected]
17. The Center for Communication Programs at Johns Hopkins University has produced "The A Frame for Advocacy", a brochure to guide advocacy programmes. It outlines a process for effective advocacy including analysis, strategy, mobilization, action, evaluation, continuity. The brochure provides a way to develop and organize advocacy activities within the context of an overall communication for behavior change programme. Contact [email protected]
PEOPLE
18. International Youth Foundation is seeking a Vice President for External Affairs. The Vice President is responsible for public relations, speaking for IYF, and managing communications/public affairs staff. International Youth Foundation (IYF) is a global organisation dedicated to the positive development of children and youth. Contact [email protected]
***
Todd Hooge, Designer of The Communication Initiative web site, has his own web site design company. In addition to The Communication Initiative, Todd is working with a section of WHO remodeling their site. As well as general site design and maintenance, Todd has skills and interest in developing sites that use web technology as an information resource and dialogue center for a discipline of work - as happens with The C.I. site. Todd works with a Database Programmer and Web Site Marketing Specialist, providing the full package of services.
***
Thanks to all for their involvement and support.