WOUGNET Update Newsletter - May/June 2008

[Dorothy Okello <dokello@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

WOUGNET Update Newsletter - May/June 2008
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A monthly electronic newsletter from Women of 
Uganda Network (WOUGNET) - http://www.wougnet.org
For comments or queries, contact info@xxxxxxxxxxx

To subscribe/unsubscribe to the WOUGNET Update 
Newsletter, send a message to 
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This issue's contents:
1. News and Events
2. Tech Support
3. Gender & ICT Policy Advocacy
4. ICT Training: Citizen Journalism
5. WOUGNET News

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*** Getting the most out of the WOUGNET website - 
Weekly Hands-on Training Sessions ***
Following the launch of the newly redesigned 
website - http://www.wougnet.org, we look forward 
to more engagement by all on the website. The key 
feature with the new website is to allow members 
and registered users contribute directly to the 
website content, participate in forums, and be 
part of the WOUGNET website development. If you 
are comfortable using MS WORD or OpenOffice, you 
should be comfortable editing your organisational 
profile on the WOUGNET website, contributing news 
articles, providing information on your upcoming events, etc.
If you already have your organisation profile on 
the website and/or if you would like to register 
and become a contributor to the website, we are 
conducting hands-on sessions at the WOUGNET 
Secretariat to get you acquainted to the new 
website. The hands-on sessions which are free of 
charge will be conducted twice a week on 
Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2:30 - 5:00pm at 
the Secretariat which is located at Plot 53 Kira Road, Kamwokya.
For more information, please send email to 
info@xxxxxxxxxxx, call 041-4532035, or simply stop by the office.
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News and Events
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= EASSI Monthly Book Review - June 2008
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_mamblog&Itemid=83&task=show&action=view&id=193&Itemid=83
EASSI has started a monthly book review. Reading 
gives knowledge and power. Each book promotes 
women and girls and teaches self empowerment. We 
would like to share these books with you in the 
hope you become sojourners in this literary world.
The first book is by Mukhtar Mai, the true story 
of a lioness. All books reviewed are available in 
major bookshops around the world at fair prices.

= Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka Receives the 2008 
San Diego Zoo's Conservation-In-Action Award
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=0&Itemid=29
For the first time in the history of the 
ZoologicalSociety of San Diego, two new 
categories for the annual Zoological Society's 
Conservation Medal, the Lifetime Achievement 
Award and the Conservation-In-Action Award, will 
also include a monetary award to assist with the 
conservation work being done by the recipients.
The three recipients of the 2008 Conservation 
Medals are - Richard Louv, whose many books and 
articles have brought countless readers to a 
greater understanding of the natural world, 
Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka, D.V.M., a Ugandan woman 
who created Conservation through Public Health 
(CTPH), and Laurie Marker Ph.D., founder of the Cheetah Conservation Fund.


= A working dog: Apac women crying for "a dog that can work"
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
A dog is needed urgently by women in Apac 
district. A dog that can go to the garden and 
farm, work to earn income to look after the 
family, cater for school fees and clothing for 
children, for medical care, and, in its excellent 
form probably help the women in doing household 
chores. Many women in Apac are willing to offer anything to get such a dog.
Margaret Olero, 46, is looking for a saviour in 
such a dog. Olero is chocking with the burden of 
looking after her 7 children, her husband, in 
addition to undertaking all the daily domestic 
chores, while her husband leaves everything to 
her as he has done for the past 24 years. Olero 
says her husband, just like many in Aminamong 
village, Akokoro sub-county in Apac is waiting 
for a dog that can work (go to the garden and 
earn money for the family) before he can get 
convinced to start working for himself and family.
"He always refers me to a popular saying by many 
men in this place that how can he work when dogs 
still eat free food. When I ask him how he 
expects me to get food and meet all family needs 
without his help, he asks me whether he is not 
more valuable than a dog which eats every day despite not working," Olero says.


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Tech Support
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= Virus Alert: Ransomware Encrypts Victim Files
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=27&Itemid=62
Now more than ever, it's important that Windows 
users ensure their machines are safe from 
hackers. A dangerous new strain of malicious 
software that holds the victim's computers files 
for ransom has been unleashed, and Kaspersky Lab 
(Antivirus software developer) is warning that 
security researchers have yet to crack the encryption key.

= Definitions of Malware (harmful computer programs)
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=12&id=36&Itemid=77
According to Wikipedia "Malware" is:  "software 
designed to infiltrate or damage a computer 
system without the owner's informed consent." 
Some definitions of the names you might have 
heard for various kinds of malware include 
computer virus, computer worms, trojans, etc.

For more information or for assistance in 
managing your computer and in using the Internet, 
contact techsupport@xxxxxxxxxxx


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Gender & ICT Policy Advocacy
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= Launch of the Regional EAICT4D Network, Nairobi, 23rd May 2008
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=191&Itemid=29
The regional East Africa ICT for Development 
Network was born out of a five days workshop 
organised by KICTAnet, entitled "Growing Regional 
ICT Opportunities Collectively", held at Lenana 
Conference Centre, Nairobi from May 19th ­23, 
2008. The 5 proposed initial members of the 
EAICT4D network were invited to attend and these 
were I-Network Uganda, WOUGNET Uganda, SWOPNET 
Tanzania, KICTAnet Kenya, Rwanda Development Gateway, and CIPESA.
The main purpose of the network is to disseminate 
research and undertake advocacy on ICT for 
Development and access to infrastructure at the 
sub regional level, in order to create a sound 
platform for sub regional connectivity that will 
provide a platform for the effective use of ICTs in the development processes.
For more information, please write to info@xxxxxxxxxxx




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ICT Training: Citizen Journalism
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WOUGNET is planning a Citizen Journalism workshop 
to help members learn how to raise awareness 
about their respective organizations' activities. 
The workshop will be held from 16 - 18 July 2008
As part of the planning process, we want to get 
an idea of how many members would consider 
sending staff to this workshop. Members will be 
asked to pay a small registration fee.
Please read the following information and send a 
note to info@xxxxxxxxxxx to let us know if you're 
interested! Also, feel free to include 
recommendations on other subjects you'd like to have covered.
I. What is Citizen Journalism?

Citizen Journalism enables any person or 
organization to increase awareness about the 
issues they care about on the world wide web. 
Whether you're writing about gender equality, 
eradication of poverty, good governance, HIV/AIDS 
or otherwise, blogging give you an original voice 
and a potential audience of millions.
II. What will the CJA Workshop cover?

While anyone can start a blog, maintaining a 
professional and well-respected blog can be 
difficult without some basic training.
WOUGNET's Citizen Journalism Workshop aims at 
equipping you with the right skills to do so!
More information about the workshop, including venue and registration:
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_events&task=view_detail&agid=29&year=2008&month=07&day=16&Itemid=29

For more information about Citizen Journalism, 
please visit this blog by the workshop co-trainer:
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_mamblog&Itemid=83&task=show&action=view&id=199&Itemid=83



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WOUGNET News
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= Strategic and Innovative Use of ICTs: WOUGNETS 
Soars High in the Use of SMS to share Information
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=187&Itemid=1
WOUGNET has explored the use of SMS in 
information sharing and carrying out SMS 
campaigns around different themes. The 16 Days of 
Activism Against Gender Violence, an 
international SMS campaign from 25/Nov ­ 10Dec 
2007, with over 170 participants drawn from 13 
countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, North and 
South America, was used as a strategy to call for 
the elimination of all forms of violence against 
women. A Women?s Day campaign was carried out 
from 25/Feb ­ 14/Mar 2008 lead by EASSI, a 
WOUGNET member organisation, with over 240 
participants drawn from 20 countries in Africa, 
Europe and the Caribbean. The aim of the campaign 
was to raise awareness of the plight of the 
girl-child in Kenya during the post-election violence in the country.
Additionally in a test of Mobile Advocacy Tools, 
a campaign on ICTs and poverty reduction, was 
successfully carried out in April/May 2008 and 
proves that SMS is a powerful tool of information 
sharing.  WOUGNET members, partners and 
interested persons discussed questions sent out 
by the secretariat on the theme, ?ICTs: Is your wealth a click away?
The campaign on ICTs and poverty reduction was 
wrapped up with a workshop organised for 
participants of the SMS campaign on 6th May 2008, 
for further discussion on the key issues arising. 
The SMS and workshop were also a contribution to 
the World Telecommunication and Information 
Society Day 2008 held on 17th May, 2008. The 
workshop report is available online.


= WOUGNET and the STOP AIDS NOW Project
http://www.wougnet.org/cms/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=164&Itemid=29
Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) is one of the 
Project Partners of STOP AIDS NOW (SAN) Project, 
a project managing HIV and AIDS in the work 
place. The project is a partnership between five 
Dutch Co-funding Non Governmental Organisations 
that include: Hivos, ICCO, Memisa (Cordaid), 
Novib (Oxfarm) and Aids fonds, established in 
2000. The mission of the partnership is working 
together towards a world without AIDS. SAN 
Project has enabled WOUGNET develop the HIV/AIDs 
policy at the work place. The purpose of the 
policy is to minimise, monitor the policy 
response and manage the spread and impact of HIV 
and AIDS on the employees and operations of WOUGNET.



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The Women of Uganda Network (WOUGNET) website and
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WOUGNET is supported by APC, CTA, Dimitra/FAO and Hivos

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