NIGERIA
Welcome to the November update from CAWDnet - working in Nigeria and the UK
to make the most of digital technology. This newsletter contains details of
several achievements that we can really celebrate!
In this newsletter we cover:
1. CAWDnet becomes 'A Ray of Hope'
2. Teachers' Talking Group re-unites across the internet
3. Fundraising boost for Kaka Support Scheme
4. Kabissa puts spotlight on CAWDnet
5. Make your Christmas shopping work for CAWDnet [UK readers]
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1. CAWDnet BECOMES 'A RAY OF HOPE'
The 'A Ray of Hope' project has invited CAWDnet to become its Nigerian
partner. This is great news for us because it increases the range of people
who are aware of our activities. It also gives us access to some new
opportunities.
A Ray of Hope has appointed Pam as their volunteer advisor and liaison
person for Nigeria. She will tell them about the realities of rural Nigeria
and pass on news from CAWDnet's partner organisations.
One of the first tangible benefits from this new link is that A Ray of Hope
will assist CAWDnet Convenor Pam McLean to visit Nigeria again in the new
year. Pam will organise a children's art competition on behalf of A Ray of
Hope and take out educational posters and other materials for schools , as
well as carrying out work for CAWDnet.
A Ray of Hope is linked with UNESCO ( the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural Organisation). More information is available from
<outbind://91/www.unesco.co.uk> www.unesco.co.uk (which includes a link to
CAWDnet on its front page) and www3.unesco.org/iycp/uk/uk_sommaire.htm.
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2. TEACHERS' TALKING GROUP RE-UNITES ACROSS THE INTERNET
Our last newsletter announced plans to celebrate the first anniversary of
the Teachers Talking ICT course. We're delighted to report that the event
went ahead on Saturday 19th November.
David Mutua and his colleagues put in a lot of work to make the re-union
happen. Invitations were delivered by motorbike to teachers who participated
in last year's course (there is no other reliable means of communication).
Using a combination of email and Yahoo instant messaging David and the
teachers at the Fantsuam Foundation in Kafanchan were joinedby Don McBurney
of A Ray of Hope based inNorthern Ireland, CAWDnet Convenor Pam McLean in
London, Peter Burgess of Tr-Ac-Net in New York and others.
Discussion topics included:
* the relevance of ICT in developing countries
* the problems of running computer systems in Nigerian conditions
* the development of cheap and robust computers specifically designed for
use in Africa
* the resources (posters and books) that teachers needed in order to support
their ICT lessons
Afangmusa summed up the views of many when he said "The relevance of
computers in rural areas can not be overemphasized. The problem is the
poverty level, skilled personnel for maintenance, power supply and so on.
All the same, in this world where communication is so fast and important we
need computers and ICTs in the poorest places one can think of."
Many of the teachers pointed out that it was expensive even to access
computers at cyber-cafes, let alone buy their own machines. If computer
ownership is to spread computers need to be affordable and instalment
payment schemes are essential. CAWDnet has launched a fundraising drive to
support its work with teachers - please see how you can contribute in
Section 6 below.
To find out more about the event please contact Pam at pam@cawd.net or take
a look at the CAWD Teachers Talking Archive - email:
CawdTeachersTalking-subscribe@yahoogroups.com to register.
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3. FUNDRAISING BOOST FOR KAKA SUPPORT SCHEME
Previous newsletters have reported on the Kaka Support Scheme. Urban drift
and the effects of HIV/AIDS have eaten away at the extended family system in
rural Nigeria. Many older women face hunger and poor accommodation at
exactly the time in their adult lives when they are least able to cope with
it.
Kaka means "Grandmother" and the Fantsuam Foundation's Kaka Support Scheme
targets the most vulnerable older women in its area. The scheme provides a
very basic allowance (200 Naira or about UKP1 each month) and free medical
care to eligible Kakas.
Of course the scheme needs money to continue. Fantsuam supporter Funmi
persuaded her colleagues at Maxwell Publishing to donate UKP124 to the
project on one of their "dress-down" days. Workers could wear whatever they
liked in return for a donation.
John Dada of the Fantsuam Foundation said in response:
"As we now have 30 kakas on our books, this money should see us through the
next three months if numbers stay the same. We have a waiting list of
prospective Kakas, but we have to grow slowly to ensure that we can cope
with what we have. Many thanks to Funmi and her colleagues at Maxwell
Publishing."
All the kakas are widows over 65 who support at least four grandchildren
aged under 15. The extra support and help offered through the scheme really
makes a difference.
You can read more and make a donation at
<https://www.bmycharity.com/V2/KKaSS> https://www.bmycharity.com/V2/KKaSS.
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4. SPOTLIGHT ON CAWDnet
Kabissa is a well-respected United States based charity. It assists African
charities and societies to use the Internet. Among other things it hosts the
mail server used to send you this CAWDnet News Letter.
Kabissa works with hundreds of organisations but selected CAWDnet to feature
in the MEMBER SPOTLIGHT section of its recent newsletter. Here is a sample
of the article:
"CAWD is an information channel - linking the Internet and grassroots
community development networks in Africa. The rural poor are the experts in
rural poverty. We believe that Information and Communication Technologies
(ICTs) should enable the voices of the rural poor to be heard in debates
about development issues and that they should have sufficient experience of
ICTs to be able to join in informed debate about potential applications and
their value.
"Within CAWDnet there is considerable cultural diversity and mutual
mentoring. Our ICT use is largely about people trying to find ways to work
together effectively - acting locally and thinking globally in ways that
were impossible before ICTs came on the scene."
You can read the full article, containing more details about CAWDnet's
history and activities at
<outbind://91/www.kabissa.org/gong_gong/member_spotlight/cawdnet.html>
www.kabissa.org/gong_gong/member_spotlight/cawdnet.html.
(If you cannot easily click on links because you have a slow Internet
connection please email jon@cawd.net to request the full article as a plain
text email.)
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5. MAKE YOUR CHRISTMAS SHOPPING WORK FOR CAWDnet
If you live in the UK and shop over the internet you can help CAWDnet,
painlessly. CAWDnet has teamed up with easyfundraising.org.uk to offer
access to over 130 of the UK's biggest and best-known retailers. Up to 15%
of your purchase price will be donated back to CAWDnet free of charge.
It doesn't cost anything extra to shop this way. Many popular retailers
participate including Dell, Amazon, HMV, Virgin, Currys, Comet, Play.com,
ChoicesUK, Direct Line, Esure, AOL, M&S, Expedia and The Carphone Warehouse
amongst many others. It's not just gifts - you can sign up for broadband,
shop for insurance and book travel tickets too. Just click and register at
<outbind://91/www.easyfundraising.org.uk>
Why not support CAWDnet by using this free fundraising service when you shop
online? Any transactions you carry out will be with the retailers themselves
and not with CAWDnet so all the usual security measures and protection
applies. Register before 14 February 2006 and you will be automatically
entered into the website's competition to win an iPod Nano or Amazon
vouchers.
If you prefer simply to give a straightforward donation please make your
cheque payable to 'Charity for African Welfare and Development' and send to
CAWDnet, P.O. Box 321, Bromley BR1 1UB. CAWDnet employs no staff in the UK
and virtually all our administration costs are absorbed by our volunteers.
This means all external donations go directly towards projects in rural
Nigeria.
We are currently raising money to support our work with teachers.
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6. KEEP IN TOUCH
Thank you for your interest in and support for CAWDnet's work. Please
contact Pam or Jon with your news, comments or queries. And please pass this
newsletter on to anyone else you think may be interested in what we do.
If you are not currently a subscriber you can subscribe by emailing:
oocd2000plus-subscribe@lists.kabissa.org.
To learn more about Nigeria: Nigeria
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