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WOUGNET Update Newsletter - August 2007 ***********************************************************************A monthly electronic newsletter from Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) - http://www.wougnet.org For comments or queries, contact info@xxxxxxxxxxxTo subscribe/unsubscribe to the WOUGNET Update Newsletter, send a message to wougnet-update-request@xxxxxxxxxxx with the following command in the subject or body of your message: subscribe/unsubscribe =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=- This month's contents: 1. Women Organisations in Uganda 2. ICT Policy 3. Links & Resources 4. Project News and Events 5. TechTip 6. WOUGNET News =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WOMEN ORGANISATIONS IN UGANDA ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ = Hope Foundation (HOPEFOD) http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/hopefod.htmlEstablished in 2004, Hope Foundation?s mission is to comfort, encourage, rehabilitate, educate and develop the disadvantaged young women and children. The organization is national and covers the areas of women and education, information access,children and health, governance and peace building, art and culture, environment, and capacity building. The organisation's activities include girl child sponsorship, advocacy programs to increase girls' enrollment in school at all levels, career guidance and lifestyle training, HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns among the young women, counseling and guidance, engaging in violence against women sensitization campaigns, engaging the young in conflict and post conflict situations, promotion of women?s art, and environmental awareness campaigns. HOPEFOD is a people development organization that seeks to create a positive change in members by building their capacity through personal empowerment, leadership development and community engagement. http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#HOPEFOD = EASSI: Website Launch and Election of New Board http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/eassi.html#Eweb07At a very colourful ceremony on 14 July 2007, Eastern African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI) launched its website. The incoming Chairperson, Dr. Akinyi who presided over the ceremony was very optimistic about the positiveness this new IT step would take. With the need to communicate at every level in the advancement of women?s causes, this website is an opportunity to have dialogue with women from all over the world. With a clear home page, one can easily click onto the flag of any member country, information about the member organizations, their role, their general profile and their work as part of the women?s movement are all given in detail. There are also important links to other websites. At the same function the new board of EASSI was elected. They are Chairperson-Dr. Akinyi Nzioki, from Kenya, Vice Chairperson-Ms. Bazgenawork Wolde Medhin from Ethiopia, Secretary-Associate Prof Dr. Grace Bantebya from Uganda. Individual members are Beatrice Nyamoya-Burundi, Elizabeth Kharono-Uganda, Representative from National Women's Oranisations of Uganda (NAWOU). The country organisational representatives are as follows:- * Burundi - Le Collectif des Associations et ONGs Féminines du Burundi (CAFOB), http://www.refugee-rights.org/NGODirectory/CAFOB-Burundi.htm * Ethiopia - Christian Relief and Development Association (CRDA), http://www.crdaethiopia.org * Kenya - Caucus for Women in Leadership (CWL) * Rwanda - Profemme Twese Hamwe, http://www.profemme.org.rw * Somalia - Women's Development Organisation (IIDA) * Tanzania - Tanzania Gender Networking Programme (TGNP), http://www.tgnp.org * Uganda - Uganda Women's Network (UWONET), http://www.uwonet.org http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#EASSI = EASSI Sabbatical Programme 2007 http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/eassi.html#Esab07Since the year 2000, Eastern African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI) has successfully conducted young women?s leadership programme every year. This programme aims at mentoring the young women and developing their potential as leaders in the women?s movement. In 2004, during the review of the EASSI Strategic Plan it was resolved that EASSI should also develop, initiate and implement a sabbatical programme for older women. This is because in the process of working with the young women and recognizing the benefits of the programme EASSI came to realize that the (seasoned) women leaders that gave of their time and mentored the current crop of young leaders in the region seem to have been forgotten. The EASSI sabbatical platform will offer a forum for women leaders to take time off for a period of two months and begin to document their personal experiences as women activists, leaders and feminists in Eastern Africa or that of other key women as agents of change in the women?s movement. However, their focus will have to be in line with EASSI?s programme areas. To add to the impetus, the issue of documentation of ?Herstory? was given prominence during the 7th African Regional Conference on women that was held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in October 2004 when it was noted with concern that we were losing our ?story? and experiences due to lack of documentation. http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#EASSI = UWEAL Women entrepreneurs hold fair http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/uweal.htmlTHE Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Association (UWEAL) held an exhibition from July 13 to 14 2007, dubbed the Uganda Women Entrepreneurs Exchange. The event that will take different forms annually, was held at the Uganda Manufacturers Association Exhibition Hall in Lugogo, Kampala. According to the UWEAL publicity secretary, Dorothy Tuma, the objective of the exhibition was to demonstrate that women entrepreneurs participate effectively at various levels of the value chain in a variety of sectors within the economy. For the first time ever, Uganda got to see the invisible women entrepreneurs who contribute 50% of Uganda?s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) all in one place. Source: New Vision, http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/220/571851= Association for Uganda Women Lawyers, FIDA (U), announces new Board of Directors http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/fidau.htmlOn the 25th of June 2007, Norah Matovu Winyi formally handed over the chair to the in-coming Chairperson of the Board of Directors, Ms. Linda Mugisha Tumusiime. She will be working with the following members to steer the organisation: Ms. Allen Asiimwe Ms. Irene Ovonji-Odida Ms. Theo B. Webale Ms. Mary Kusambiza Ms. Peruth Nshemereirwe Ms. Lorna Juliet Amutojo Ms. Anne Adhier Ms. Brendah Nabatanzi Mpanga ( Ag. Executive Director) http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#FIDA = St Bruno Doll Making Group: Reaping from a presence online http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/sbdmg.htmlEtheldreda Yatuha, Chairperson - St. Bruno Doll Making Group, wrote in to say that their profile on the WOUGNET website has opened up her organization to unexpected opportunities. Members of the organization got a chance to go for the exhibition at the recently concluded 8th Women Affairs Ministers Meeting (8WAMM) in Munyonyo, Kampala, and were exposed to new ideas on how to improve on the quality of their dolls. They also learnt how to make different necklaces and beaded bags. St. Bruno Doll Making Group have since been contacted by a potential buyer from Sudan who read their profile on the WOUGNET website and he is planning to travel to Uganda to learn more about St. Bruno?s products in September 2007. http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#SBDMG = FOWODE: New contact information http://www.wougnet.org/Profiles/fowode.htmlForum for Women in Democracy (FOWODE) has new email and website addresses: fowode@xxxxxxxxx and www.fowode.ug respectively. http://www.wougnet.org/wo_dir.html#FOWODE ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ICT POLICY ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ = ICT Policy in Africa, SANGONet Conference, July 2007The demons of the past will remain the evils that will continue cursing the development of ICT in Africa, if not exorcised. This was the sentiment held by the delegates attending the session on 'ICT Policy in Africa' at the SANGONeT conference in Johannesburg, South Africa. Delegates from various countries in Africa were given an opportunity to share experiences of the information technology communication (ICT) environment in their countries. Giving a description on ICT policy in Congo Brazaville, Sylvie Niombo - Coordinator, APC Africa Women - and member of Association for Progressive Communications (APC) told delegates that due to the post conflict environment of the Congo Brazaville, infrastructure had been destroyed. This resulted in the country's ICT industry developing at a very slow pace. Very few institutions of higher learning offered ICT training in Congo Brazaville, ?That?s why students travelled to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) for training,? said Niombo. Niombo explained that computer equipment in Congo Brazaville is very expensive, noting that a second hand Pentium III computer can cost up to 800 US$. Internet connection can cost 2000 US$, she said. Niombo said that the telephone market in Congo Brazaville is dominated by international companies such as Celltel and MTN. However, not many local people benefited from such a cellphone market. Niombo told delegates that ICT?s were not seen as a priority by the government and as a result there was no political will and financial commitments to ICT. Coura Fall, the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) CIPP Africa Manager in Senegal, said there has been some improvements in Senegal. Initially the media industry did not understand ICT policies, but NGO?s took a responsibility to train journalists. She said through training, journalists were equipped to report and inform people about ICT. Senegal now had ITC debates on national television. The constraints though were the slight control monopoly and weak competition in the mobile networks. The only internet operator in Senegal was Sonatel, she said. Milton Aineruhanga, WOUGNET Programme Officer - Technical Support, gave a gender perspective on ICT in Uganda. Patriarchy seemed to be one of the obstacles that hindered access to ICT by women. Aineruhanga said women in rural areas did not have ICT access in the appropriate suitable times, as they had to fulfill their roles as women. Aineruhanga said part of the remedy to this would be to give access to women at times when they were done with their chores and also locate ICT systems in venues that women frequented. Places near health centres would be appropriate as women were tasked with the responsibility to take children to clinics. Aineruhanga said there was a strong need for women in Uganda to be represented in fora where major decisions on ICTs were made. At the moment, there were few women that participated in the planning, implementation and ownership of ICTs. Mr. Aineruhanga was in South Africa to attend a meeting and capacity building workshops for members of the Association for Progressive Communications (APC). Abi Jagun from African ICT policy research said focus needed to be put on the increasing and expanding of telecom infrastructure. She said there was a need for liberalisation of the market to allow for more ICT companies. Much has been said on the state of Africa's ICT policies, but what ought to be understood is that ICT development will not exist outside social and political framework. If socio-political evils are not addressed ICT access to the majority will remain a miracle from heaven. Adapted from: http://www.sangonet.org.za/conference2007= Does women's access to ICTs lead to empowerment? Looking at the CEEWA ICT project in rural Uganda http://www.genderit.org/en/index.shtml?apc=a--e95381-1Is there a direct connection between empowerment and access to information and communication technologies? Patricia Litho interrogates this question through the CEEWA ICT project case study in rural Uganda. She examines the conceptualisation of empowerment, and its relationship with infrastructure, skills, connectivity, access and participation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ LINKS & RESOURCES ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ a) Development = Bwoidha Oyegha Community Development and AIDS Association (BWOCODE) http://www.wougnet.org/Links/development.html#BWOCODEBwoidha Oyegha Community Development and AIDS Association was established in 2003 to create awareness among communities to effectively and efficiently manage society in the wake of HIV/AIDS. The organization operating in Baitambogwe Sub County, Mayuge District of Uganda covers areas of HIV/AIDS awareness raising through drama, counseling and care, Handicrafts for income generation, processing of foodstuffs into products, savings, and support of the girl child. The organization targets orphans, women (widows), youth, HIV/AIDS affected persons and community. Poor networking among the stakeholders has contributed to backwardness in the area. Hence the call for help. = Mayuge Community Christian Development and AIDS Programme (MACCAP) http://www.wougnet.org/Links/development.html#MACCAPMayuge Community Christian Development and AIDS Programme was established to be a platform for influencing the Christians to be able to address issues of development and have sustainable incomes in a collective way. Based in Mayuge District of Uganda, the organization deals in health and women?s economic empowerment, income generating activities and ministering love to the hurting world- drawing people to Christ. Activities include carry out campaigns/advocacy for reduction of domestic violence, child labor and abuse, poultry farming, piggery, farming as a business, training in HIV/AIDS awareness, ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and support to the elderly and orphans. There is a lack of equipment to allow the members to document and link their findings with other development partners. The literacy levels are low hence the need to translate materials because most are in English. The increasing number of orphan headed homes is also an issue that needs to be urgently addressed. = Inter-Rural Living Farmers and Health Activities Association (IRUFHA) http://www.wougnet.org/Links/development.html#IRUFHAOperating in Imanyiro and Baitambogwe sub-counties of Mayuge District in Uganda, Inter-Rural Living Farmers and Health Activities Association?s is to uplift the standard of communities in promoting sustainable development through improved livelihoods. The organization, which was established in 2002 targets farmers, orphans and the elderly. Issues covered include health and women?s economic empowerment, improved organic agricultural techniques and home improvement campaigns. What is most lacking in the CSOs in the rural setting is technology especially computers for database management and improved information management systems. Not forgetting e-mail. Hence the call for training in such skills like computer training and access to them. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ PROJECT NEWS AND EVENTS ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ July 2007 = The International Women's Summit (IWS), July 4 - 7 2007, Nairobi, Kenya http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews07.html#IWS07The International Women?s Summit brought together 1,500 women of all ages and HIV statuses, as well as stakeholders and partners to discuss the impact HIV and AIDS has on women and recognise the leadership women from across the world have demonstrated in bringing a solution to the pandemic. The IWS featured a wide range of activities and sessions and exceptional speakers to celebrate and expand the power of women?s leadership. The Summit allowed particpants to build skills, strengthen existing partnerships and create new networks in order to mobilise the changes needed to reverse the global HIV pandemic on women and girls at all levels. The first day, July 4, was a Positive Women?s Forum exclusively for HIV positive women. The goals of the Summit were: To highlight the difference women?s leadership is making in response to HIV and AIDS by making visible African and young women?s leadership, at grassroots and community levels, including national, regional and international levels; To build the capacity of leaders and their organisations in undertaking sustainable programmes that address cutting-edge issues; To raise awareness and mobilise the women?s movement on HIV and AIDS and crosscutting issues and produce the evidence required to effect change at all levels in society; To provide the space for networking and the building of strategic partnerships that will broaden the impact of responses to HIV and AIDS at all levels. Vowing that ?we can lead the change we wish to see in the world?, participants at the World YWCA?s International Women?s Summit on HIV and AIDS concluded their meeting with a call to action demanding individual and collective responsibility. October 2007= Connect Africa Summit: Marshall Plan for ICT to meet 2015 development goals, Kigali Serena Hotel, Kigali, Rwanda, 29 - 30 October 2007 http://www.wougnet.org/Events/projectnews07.html#CAMP07The Connect Africa Summit will be held in Kigali, Rwanda, 29-30 October 2007, under the patronage of the President of Rwanda, Mr Paul Kagame, and Chairman of the African Union, President John Kufour of Ghana. This collaborative effort will engage some 500 high-level stakeholders active in the region, including China, India, the European Commission and G8, OECD and Arab countries, major ICT companies, the United Nations Development Programme and other international organizations. While investment in ICT infrastructure in Africa has improved dramatically in recent years, representing a total of $8 billion in 2005 -- up from $3.5 billion in 2000 -- and growth in mobile phones has increased by as much as 400 per cent, Africa has fallen back in overall connectivity, according to the ITU. While mobile telephone use has surpassed fixed line telephone access, fewer than 4 out of every 100 Africans have Internet access; broadband penetration remains below 1 per cent; and 70 per cent of all Internet traffic within Africa is re-routed outside the continent, driving up costs for businesses and consumers. The Connect Africa Summit will be organized by the ITU, the World Bank and the UN Global Alliance for ICT and Development (GAID), in partnership with the African Development Bank, the African Telecommunication Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa. The private sector, governments and international organizations will be called on to work together, and there will be a commitment to creating an environment that promotes the improvement of ICT. The emphasis shall be laid on a few targeted areas, such as using ICT to empower people with disabilities and to "reverse the pyramid of learning" by ensuring that all schools are connected to the Internet. The goal is to establish 500'000 telecentres worldwide by 2015. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ TechTip ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ = Introduction to BlogsA number of WOUGNET members have heard of blogging, but the question still remains what is a blog anyway? This month, we highlight blogs, some of the reasons one may blog, examples of blogs, and where you can get started with a blog of your own. *** What is a "blog"?"Blog" is an abbreviated version of "weblog," which is a term used to describe web sites that maintain an ongoing record of information. Blogs range from the personal to the political, and can focus on one narrow subject or a whole range of subjects. Many blogs focus on a particular topic, such as web design, politics, sports, or mobile technology. Some are more diverse, presenting links to all manner of other sites. And others are more like personal journals, presenting the author's daily life and thoughts. Some blogs are personal blogs, which record a single person?s thoughts, activities and reactions. These can be very influential if the persons who create them are interesting personalities with important or provocative things to say. Personal blogs can be effective means for people to promote themselves and their personal interests; and some people find them to be psychologically fulfilling tools for self-expression. Blogs also can be used as tools for creating on-line communities of people interested in the same subjects or in each other. On such a ?blogsite,? any number of people can describe their thoughts, activities and reactions, and thereby share them with others who participate on the blogsite with them. Since blogs are normally publicly available web sites, some people can simply read them without contributing any thoughts or materials of their own. These are called ?lurkers,? and they often outnumber the active ?bloggers? who contribute to the blogsite. Blogs are a useful tool of communication between individuals or groups of people. They can be considered a form of an online discussion (though the conversations can often be hard to follow). They are spaces where comments and thoughts can be added by others enhancing opportunities of social networking. *** Why Blog?Using blogs, ideas are brought up on blogs, discussed further by others on their blogs, and distributed to yet more blogs. This is somewhat like a publicly available email discussion. Blogs makes it possible to carry out a conversation in public, with hundreds of thousands of readers. *** Examples of Blogs Blogs can be both private and public. Individual or community 1) Some examples of community blogs include: - http://blogs.bellanet.org (Bellanet's Blog) - http://www.theweblogproject.org (The Web Blog Project) 2) Some examples of private blogs are: - http://www.rightconversation.com/ (Amy Graham) - http://www.fullcirc.com/webog/onfacblog.html (Nancy White) *** Sources of Blogs The following sites enable one to establish a blog of their own: Wordpress - http://www.wordpress.com Blogger - http://www.blogger.com Blogger Talk Forum - http://www.bloggertalk.comThis Tech Tip was compiled by the WOUGNET Technical Support Team. WOUGNET has participated in and conducted training sessions on blogs primarily as a result of our experience as a Focus Network for the Harambee Project that seeks to reinforce African voices through collaborative processes. The Harambee Project is coordinated by Bellanet Africa. For more information or for assistance in managing your computer and in using the Internet, contact techsupport@xxxxxxxxxxx ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ WOUGNET News ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~= Apac e-Society Programme: Improved governance and service delivery through the use of ICT and e-Governance http://www.wougnet.org/Projects/wougnetprojects.html#AeSPThe Apac e-Society Programme is an initiative by the Humanistic Institute for Co-operation with Developing Countries (Hivos) and International Institute for Communication and Development (IICD). This model is piloted in Apac district, Northern Uganda in collaboration with two local partners, I-Network Uganda and Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET). The e-Society Programme is a new approach for the two lead organisations. Hivos as a civil society support organisation and IICD which has worked with both civil societies and local governments but has always targeted ICT4D from a non-political livelihoods perspective rather than a democratic governance perspective. Through this programme, IICD and Hivos wish to explore and operationalise, together with government and civil society partners, the opportunities of improved governance and service delivery through the use of ICT and e-governance. Apac district was identified as a potential starting point to implement the e-Society programme in Uganda because the district incorporates all challenges that come with rural ICTs and local e-Government. In addition, formal and informal working relationships already exist between Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and government; and Hivos and IICD already have linkages with Apac through their project work. ** Programme FormulationThe formulation of this programme is a process that started with a quick scan in November 2006 in Apac district and covered the four sub counties of Apac, Ayer, Aduku, Akokoro and the Town Council. The overall objective of the scan was to identify and assess the e-governance structures in Apac District, within the local Government, the Civil Society and the Apac Community. In addition to the quick scan, a number of consultative meetings were held involving CSOs, local Government and the community of Apac district. The findings of the quick scan were the basis for the Round Table Workshop (RTW) that was held in February 2007 in Apac district with all stakeholders. The objective of the RTW was to provide stakeholders with a platform for identification, prioritization and formulation of one coherent programme and to create opportunities for access to and sharing of information, knowledge and services in order to improve overall social service delivery and to strengthen government civil society interaction and collaboration. Following closely after the RTW was the Lifelong training workshop for all stakeholders who were to be involved in implementation of the programme. Stakeholders were equipped with ICT skills and were also involved in validation of the final programme proposal. The Apac e-Society Programme is a three year phased programme and is in the first phase of implementation. Sites have been identified at the district and sub counties involved, where mini training labs and community centres will be set up, using existing structures within the local government and CSOs. It is expected that the introduction and adoption of the e-Society model will bring change in the management styles, procedures of transparency, accountability and institutional development, supported by ICTs such as radio, computers and Internet. It will mean new ways of working and new procedures adapted by the Apac community. ** Further informationFor further information about the Apac e-Society Programme, please send email to esociety-l@xxxxxxxxxxx = Call for expressions of interest: Refurbished ComputersTen years ago, Tony Roberts and two colleagues came up with the idea of assisting communities in less developed countries with computers. They started Computer Aid, a UK based charity that refurbishes computers and ships them to various communities in the world. This year, the charity celebrates a decade with an aim of surpassing the 100,000 computers' mark. To date, Computer Aid has provided about 90,000 computers to various organizations, 75 per cent of them in Africa, and the numbers are rising by the day. As a result of the WOUGNET - Computer Aid Partnership, a shipment of refurbished Pentium III and IV computers is in Kampala and available for sale to NGOs, non-profit and faith based organizations, as well as educational institutions. The computers are priced at 100 pounds Sterling each. All interested please contact Milton Aineruhanga, Technical Support, by email: techsupport@xxxxxxxxxxx or call 077-2411556 or 041-4532035 for more details and to make a booking. *********************************************************************** The Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) website and mailing lists are hosted by Kabissa - Space for Change in Africa WOUGNET is supported by APC, CTA, Dimitra/FAO and Hivos*********************************************************************** [Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index] Last Updated: Sun Sep 16 12:42:34 2007 |
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