Skillshare International
joins Stop AIDS Campaign Speaker Tour
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HIV/AIDS is a global crisis constituting
one of the biggest threats to development
in the 21st century. There are few opportunities
to learn how the people most affected
in Africa and Asia are fighting back.
Most of the media pictures we see of people
living with HIV/AIDS in developing countries
portray passive victims in impossibly
bleak circumstances.
Skillshare International arranged for
the City of Leicester to be a venue for
the United Against AIDS Speaker Tour in
May. Yinka Jegede, a nurse from Nigeria,
and Vijay Nair an activist from India,
attended the meeting at Leicester's Guildhall
to speak about living openly with HIV.
Yinka and Vijay's touching and positive
stories give a very different impression
of people standing up against discrimination
and stigma, and of people fighting for
the right to the treatments that would
keep them alive.
Yinka, who is 22 years old, said: "People
expect to see skeletons walking on the
road to show that a person is HIV positive.
I'm looking forward to a situation when
people can talk as openly about contracting
HIV as they now talk about malaria."
Yinka's openness has caused her difficulties.
She was thrown out of nursing college
when her HIV status became known although
she has since completed her nursing training.
She is now an HIV activist and campaigner.
Yinka has modelled for magazine covers
in Nigeria and the UK, directly challenging
assumptions about the appearance of people
living with HIV/AIDS.
Vijay Nair is the vice-president of the
Indian Network of Positive People. Treatments
for HIV sufferers remain prohibitively
expensive in India. The Network of Positive
People is supporting campaigns at the
international level, targeting drug companies
and western governments to ensure that
treatment is more readily available for
people living with HIV/AIDS.
Vijay spoke about the spread of HIV amongst
men who have sex with men (MSM) in India.
Homosexual acts remain illegal in India
and Vijay talked about the difficulty
of promoting safer sex messages in an
environment where fear of arrest and police
harassment is a constant and real threat.
Vijay and Yinka's tour of the UK has
helped raise awareness of how the global
crisis of HIV/AIDS requires a global response.
For more information, visit www.stopaidscampaign.org.uk
Skillshare International
receives commendation from Charity Awards
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Skillshare International has been awarded
a certificate of commendation by the Charity
Awards 2002 for our achievements in charity
management. The Charity Awards recognise
and celebrate excellence in the leadership
and management of charities.
Heather Lamont, Editor of Charity Finance
explains: "The certificate of commendation
is a new form of recognition given only
to a handful of charities. The judges
were looking for examples of excellence
in charity management which will inspire
others and from which other organisations
can learn."
Our Leadership Development Programme
(LDP) demonstrates our achievements in
leadership by encouraging other organisations
with best practice examples. The LDP has
already had a positive impact on the way
that our partners work. It has improved
the delivery of our charitable objectives
and is considered an outstanding example
of best practice.
Skillshare International's Director,
Dr Cliff Allum said: "It is a remarkable
achievement to receive a certificate of
commendation from the Charity Awards and
gain the recognition for our work that
we deserve."
News from India
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At the end of May, the Foreign Office
advised British Nationals to leave India
due to the imminent danger of war. Following
this announcement, we immediately began
procedures to evacuate our health trainers,
Bharat and Deepa Gadhvi and Katy Thompson,
who returned to the UK in June. Since
then the political situation has improved.
At the time of going to press, the Foreign
Office was advising against 'holiday and
non-essential travel'.
Our country office has been in touch
with other agencies in India and the forecast
is not optimistic. Elections are due in
Kashmir and Jammu in October. This will
be a deciding factor for India's stand
on the border disputes.
Our recommendation is that our current
health trainers do not return to their
postings until the elections in Kashmir
have taken place. We also recommend that
new recruits are not sent to India until
there is strong evidence of peace on the
ground between the two countries, which
will not be evident until the elections
are over.
Despite this, we are continuing to work
with our partner organisations in India.
As well as securing funding for projects,
we are considering recruiting nationals
to support the programme. With 50% of
our existing partners and most of the
new partners insisting on national volunteers
due to the essential need for linguistic
skills, delay in bringing expatriate volunteers
will affect our existing and new programmes
only marginally. In the case of Vidya
Sagar, Ruth Patil, nee Duncan, an ex health
trainer and now a consultant under this
project, has been providing the necessary
inputs in the absence of health trainer,
Katy Thompson.
Our country office staff are still in
Delhi but we have contingency plans to
move them out of the area if this becomes
necessary. We remain in close and regular
contact with them.
Placements
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During the last few months, Skillshare
International has experienced a number
of changes in the placements of development
workers and health trainers.
Botswana
Mark Walker's placement at the Ministry
of Agriculture in Kang as the Assistant
Forestry Officer ended in June. Charles
Lonsdale finished as the Agro-Forestry
Programme Officer at VELD Products and
Development. Lucy Thairu started working
as a Computer Instructor at Kang Brigade
in March. In August, Richard Lackmann
began working at TOCaDI as a Finance Administrator,
Stefanie Thoermer became a Business Manager
at Thuso Rehabilitation Centre, Christine
Love began her placement at Ditswanelo
and Birthe Gjern's placement as Coordinator
at Gantsi Craft started.
Lesotho
Guy Gilder's placement at LMHSP finished
in April. Nick Waterman and Adedayo Elegbede
have finished working at TVED. Ronald
Siyanga and Anders Banda started their
placements at TVED in June. Peter Warner
began his placement as an Advisor and
Aid to the Taung Skill Centre in Mohale'shoek
in July.
Mozambique
In June, Joelle Plumerel finished working
as an English Teacher at the Catholic
University in Cuamba and Stephen Opira
began his placement as an English Teacher
in the Faculty of Agriculture. Adeze Igboemeka's
placement at the Eduardo Mondlane University
in Maputo ended in March. Catherine Scotting's
placement as a Technical Advisor at DNAPOT
in Maputo ended in June. Angie Stratton
began her placement as a Financial Advisor
at IDPPE in Angoche. Paul Collins begun
working as a Land Surveyor and Marketing
Executive at Angoche City Council in July.
Namibia
Andrew Harris finished at NRDP and is
transferring to the Joint Consultative
Committee in Windhoek as a Network Advisor.
Swaziland
In May Simon O'Connell finished working
as the Community Outreach Officer in Malolotja
Nature Reserve. Jonathan Curren's placement
as Renewable Energy Officer at the Ministry
of Natural Resources in Mbabane ended
in June. Hazel English finished working
at the Sebenta National Institute and
Francis Zikusooka's placement at the National
Agricultural Marketing Board ended in
July. Philip Nicklin started his placement
as a Community Outreach Officer at Mlawula
Nature Reserve in May. In June, Paul Mackey
transferred Caritas to SWAGAA where he
is a Financial Advisor.
Tanzania
In April, Nanny de Vries took up her post
as a School Tutor at the Occupational
Training School in Moshi.
G6: Responding
to the World Summit for Sustainable Development
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Between 26 August and 4 September, the
World Summit for Sustainable Development
(WSSD) will take place in Johannesburg
and will be one of the main international
conferences of the decade. It will bring
together government leaders from the South
and the North, along with thousands of
representatives from NGOs, CBOs, the private
sector and local authorities. During WSSD,
the world's attention will focus on the
complex issues of global sustainable development.
At Skillshare International, we see WSSD
as an important chance to promote the
values that define all our work and that
of our partner organisations. One of our
main initiatives has been to establish
the Group of Six (G6) to promote sustainable
development in the countries where we
work.
G6 consists of representatives from Botswana,
Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa
and Swaziland, who are drawn from Skillshare
International's partner organisations,
regional and country offices, members
of Skillshare's Programme Advisory Committees
and development workers.
G6 activities are taking place in-country,
regionally and in the UK. For example,
in Botswana, we have become part of a
joint initiative to popularise WSSD issues
among civil society and the government
of Botswana. Stakeholders' meetings have
been held in Windhoek and in Maseru to
raise awareness about WSSD issues in Namibia
and Lesotho.
In Johannesburg itself, the G6 members
will attend the NGO Conference and participate
in session discussions and exhibitions
as well as make presentations. G6 have
put together a message that they want
to be heard across the countries of southern
Africa at the time of the summit:
"We, as a group of individuals and
organisations working for sustainable
development in southern Africa, call upon
the people, the international community,
civil society, the private sector, businesses,
governments and donors to support our
endeavours in:
Developing and sharing skills to strengthen
the sustainable use of resources by communities.
Empowering people and communities to
make their own choices about development.
Building the capacity to strengthen partnerships
for sustainable development through technical
support, leadership development and resource
mobilisation."
For more information contact David Weatherall
on 0116 257 6606 or email earth.summit@skillshare.org
Trustee visits
Skillshare's partners in South Africa
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By Ann Matthews
When I was given the opportunity to visit
our partners, I leapt at the chance. I
wanted to visit Africa to meet the people
and talk together about the opportunities
and challenges of the development work
they're involved in.
Our first visit was to the Itireleng
Educational Project Trust in the Limpopo
Province (about 500 kilometres northeast
of Johannesburg). Its headquarters are
in a township at Phalorborwa, on the fringes
of Kruger National Park. The project director
is Matome Malatji.
Itireleng supports the empowerment of
disadvantaged groups, rural development
and health promotion by using development
committees in local communities. Its work
fits very well with our priorities set
out in the South Africa Country Plan.
Vegetable gardens have been established
in some villages to improve the community's
nutrition and for income generation purposes.
Other schemes that local development committees
have started with help and encouragement
from Itireleng are adult literacy classes,
youth groups and HIV/AIDS awareness raising.
The Amaoti Disabled People's Association
(ADPA) is in an informal settlement on
the outskirts of Durban. It is a very
poor, semi urban area with narrow mud
roads and shanty homes. The Amaoti Centre
has a small office and a few brightly
painted shipping containers, which are
used for classrooms.
ADPA provides community based rehabilitation
and education programmes for people with
disabilities in the settlement and the
surrounding areas. The teacher, Fundelwa
Gembushe, who herself has a disability,
has been trained and supported by a project
called Enable, which the Natal Adult Basic
Education Support Agency, another Skillshare
partner, helps to run. The former Director
of ADPA attended the Leadership Development
Programme, which has helped the organisation
improve its systems.
In Pietermaritzberg, we visited Create,
a small NGO which also works in community
based rehabilitation (CBR). It provides
first class training for CBR workers,
especially encouraging people with disabilities
to train.
Bonga Mlaba, is a trainer with a physical
handicap. She said: "My father told
me that I wouldn't be able to do anything
with my life because of my disability."
Her own experience has empowered her and
encouraged others.
Create is looking forward to developing
a partnership with Skillshare to improve
its management systems and structure.
Our last visit in South Africa was in
Johannesburg. We joined Glen Steyn, Director
of Conquest for Life, which is a six year
old NGO that works with disadvantaged
groups of young people on a wide range
of innovative programmes. Glen has built
up a young staff team and raised funds
to buy the building and establish classrooms,
work rooms and a young people's cafe.
Groups of marginalised young people from
the surrounding slums go and stay together
on a farm - building trust and confidence,
then return to continue their training
with Conquest or to help run the after
school club and other activities. Conquest
is also looking forward to developing
a partnership with Skillshare International.
Supporters get
their say top
This year's round of Development Policy
Forums has given supporters of Skillshare
International a chance to share their
views with the UK government's Department
for International Development (DFID) and
the opportunity to meet other people interested
in development issues.
A number of supporters attended the DFID
forums in Manchester, London, Norwich
and Totnes to discuss trade, the environment
and the private sector in relation to
development. John and Marion Grant were
among 240 delegates who went to the Manchester
forum held in May. "DFID's message
was that we live in a world where globalisation
is inevitable…[and] where economic
development requires certain preconditions,
including peace, democracy effective legal
systems and addressing debt relief."
John Earl also attended the Manchester
forum: "One of the issues discussed
was that development agencies need to
integrate matters concerning the environment
into their future policies and future
planning, tackling both poverty and environmental
issues."
Alan Anderson went to the forum in Norwich:
"I was surprised by the interest
shown by local (East Anglian) farmers
who were concerned over their own current
economic plight, but were also worried
about the current global trade in food.
The dumping of subsidised food from Europe
and the USA into the markets of poorer
countries was felt to be a severe cause
of poverty."
The forums gave supporters the opportunity
to present their own views. At the Totnes
forum, John Poynton spoke about the importance
of supporting smaller NGOs and the far-reaching
effects of targeted small-scale projects.
He raised the issue of AIDS on training
and development in southern Africa. Everybody
recognised the importance of developing
partnerships with communities in the developing
world.
We would like to thank all those who
attended the forums as supporters of Skillshare
International. You can discuss the three
themes presented at the forums with others
by logging onto www.dfid.commlive.com
Skillshare International
lobbies for Trade Justice top
The Trade Justice Parade took place in
London on Wednesday 19 June. Victoria
Edge-Baron, Skillshare International's
Supporter Development Officer, travelled
to Westminster with representatives from
other Leicester based organisations, including
the local Oxfam and Christian Aid groups
and Leicester Advocating Fair Trade (LAFT),
to campaign for trade justice.
Hailed as the biggest mass lobby of Parliament
ever, the day received great media coverage.
The key messages were that free trade
is not fair trade and that poorer countries
should not be forced to liberalise their
industries and services when protectionism
is still so strong in the North. It is
hoped that the political pressure applied
by the lobby will force the UK government
to make these trade issues a higher priority.
Over 200 MPs were transported by cycle
rickshaw to talk to their constituents
in the queue outside the Houses of Parliament.
A Mexican wave of sound ran from Parliament,
across Lambeth Bridge to the London Eye
at 3.30pm. Throughout the day, campaigners
listened to inspiring speeches by key
players such as Martin Khor, Director
of the Third World Network.
Ann Matthews, one of our trustees, and
some of Skillshare's other supporters
were among the crowd of 8,000 to 12,000
people. Ann explains: "It was wonderful
to take part in such a huge, well organised
and well supported event. The Trade Justice
Parade has given us a chance to lobby
Parliament and urge MPs to add their voice
to speak out for trade justice."
Trade issues affect all of the countries
where Skillshare International works.
With the forthcoming WSSD, it is an important
time to raise these issues with the UK
government.
Skillshare takes
on Global Perspectives in Schools top
"The new millennium demands that
we develop international understanding,
heighten awareness of Europe and the wider
world and strengthen the concept of world
citizenship in our schools and colleges."
Tony Blair, UK Prime Minister
If we're ever to achieve global sustainable
development, it is vital that young people
in the North understand how their lives
are linked to those of people in the South.
Over the last six months, Skillshare International
has been co-ordinating an exciting initiative
for schools in the East Midlands. The
programme of research and planning which
we are carrying out in partnership with
DFID, local education authorities and
development education centres is called
Global Perspectives in Schools.
Global Perspectives in Schools aims to
show how an international perspective
can be included in every lesson and every
subject in the school. For example, in
literacy, primary school teachers can
look at storytelling traditions from other
countries. In secondary school science,
the principles of energy conservation
can be taught by looking at the energy
efficient wood-burning stoves used in
many African and South American countries.
In A-level geography, students can be
encouraged to look in depth at how international
trade issues are impacting on the least
developed countries.
The preliminary results of the Global
Perspectives in Schools show huge variations
in the teaching of international perspectives
across the East Midlands region. In many
schools teachers - often with little support
- are providing incredibly rich input
for their students in relation to international
issues. But in other areas, children are
still leaving school without a real sense
of the global dimension to the subjects
they have studied.
Ultimately, the aim is to enhance opportunities
for young people to expand their knowledge
about the wider world and to enable them
to be positive and optimistic about their
relationship with it. A central priority
will be to emphasise the importance of
this work among local education authorities,
headteachers and teachers by encouraging
them to take the lead in promoting it
through schools.
By ensuring that a global dimension is
integral to core educational practice,
young people can acquire the skills and
be empowered to support global sustainable
development, democratic values and human
rights in an international context as
well as in their local communities.
Volunteer Treasurer
needed for International Voluntary Service
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IVS is a small voluntary organisation
with an annual turnover of £100,000.
We are currently looking for a Treasurer
with the following responsibilities:
