New green development at networklearning

Networklearning invites all its friends and colleagues to take a little time to think about their country and its children under the age of five. Why? Because these little kids are the future of the nation. If they are not reaching their full potential, the whole country loses out. » Read Maeve Moynihan’s article: Early Childhood Development: the critical factors What is Advocacy and why is it important for such issues? » Find out the 10 steps to success – in just 3 handy pages. Download Nicolien Wassenaar’s new K ey I nformation S heet, KIS 4: Advocacy » Also new in the Library : Finding Mental Health after Conflict: This useful manual for anyone planning to help people who have been displaced or repressed is now available in Arabic , thanks to Elmubarak Eldaw (47 pages). » Plus two new guest publications: We have the newest edition for job-seekers of A Guide to Voluntary and Humanitarian Work (164 pages), generously donated by Bryan Walker. And Bryan has also made available the 271-page heavyweight Structures for the Displaced: Service and Identity in Refugee Settlements by James Kennedy.

You may have noticed that here at Networklearning we are very keen on newsletters. A recent HATIP Newsletter for health workers has a really positive message:

Social Centre for Humanitarian services, Agriculture and Environmental Protection (SCHAEP) development program [ History ] [ Purpose ] [ Objectives ] [ Activities ] [ Partners ] HISTORY OF THE ORGANISATION Liberalization in Cameroon’s economy has led to the abandonment of farmers to unscrupulous market forces – forced to buy expensive farm inputs and sell their produce at giveaway prices. SCHAEP was launched as a capacity-building organization to assist farmers in Kumba to control, manage and benefit from the proceeds of their labour. As members of the community living the experience, the following problems were diagnosed by SCHAEP’s working team: Lack of organization amongst the farmers and hence poor communication. Poor sales of agricultural products due to lack of common markets. High cost of farm inputs as a result of individual purchase as opposed to less costly group purchase. Farmers’ reluctance to modernize traditional farming methods. Inability to resolve boundary problems amicably. Poor management of the farms’ hard-earned proceeds. Lack of knowledge re diversification of resources to generate more income at the end of production season. Rapid population growth due to migration from other villages for fertile lands. Poor hygienic conditions both at home and on the farms. PURPOSE OF THE ORGANIZATION (MISSION) SCHAEP aims to teach, train and organize the farms into common initiative groups through which they can better manage their agricultural products to their benefit. SCHAEP further seeks to empower the farmers physically, morally, and financially so that they can later on solve their own problems. OBJECTIVES To assist communities in the villages by building their capacity on how to live and work in common initiative groups, in order to strengthen their bargaining position over sales of their produce and purchase of farm inputs. Train members of common initiative groups in the need for good governance and accountability. Educate the common initiative groups on individual management of resources. Teach the farmers nutrition and hygiene. Establish a school outreach program on environmental protection through tree planting and formation of clubs. Advocate and lobby for programs that will help the public and members of common initiative groups. Give assistances to widows and their children. Increase farm yields and raise the standard of living. PLANNED ACTIVITIES Create more common initiative groups in the village and neighbouring villages. Inform members of the market trend of their produce. Plant trees in schools. Train farmers on management, leadership and accountability in running and managing a common initiative group. Support widows and their children in vocational institutions. Carry out vision education in the community and schools. COLLABORATION WITH OTHER INSTITUTIONS SCHAEP works with farmers irrespective of race, colour and religion, and with quarter and village heads, which are auxiliary of government. SCHAEP volunteers are available to other organizations for further training. SCHAEP also seeks volunteers to work with its programs.

Hesperian have informed us that a number of their manuals are now translated into Arabic. They cover both health and disability and include “Where Women Have No Doctor”. “Where there is no Doctor” “Where Women have no Doctor” ”Where there is no Dentist” ”Special Education” ”Disabled Village Children” For the above titles, contact Ghanem Bibi Arab Resource Collective (ARC) Beirut email: arcleb@mawared.org web: www.mawared.org “Helping Health Workers Learn” Contact Abd Ilah Hussein Institute for Arab Research P.O. Box 13-5057 (Chouran) Beirut, LEBANON Tel: 810055/6 “Helping Children Who Are Blind” Contact Ashraf Mahrous, Compubraille, P.O. Box 156 , 76th Street #12 , El Mukattam, Cairo, 11571 EGYPT Tel: 00202 25084152 email: compubraille@link.net

At Networklearning we have been watching events in the Middle East unfold over the last six months – a sometimes uplifting, sometimes sad story, with its ending still unclear. But what shines out is that our sisters and brothers in the region are fighting for more democratic governance and more ability at the grass roots to influence events. Our small contribution: » New Arabic language edition of Interviewing and Counselling at the Grass roots . » We also have an updated edition of An Introduction to Human Rights in the Middle East & North Africa – a Guide for NGOs available in both English and Arabic. » For more Arabic language manuals and resources, see our Arabic page

The Regional AIDS Training Network, (RATN) can keep you informed in Eastern and Southern Africa. Get your NGO onto their regular emailing list. Contact: P.O. Box 16035, 00100 GPO, Nairobi, Kenya; Wireless: Tel: +254-020-2635929/ 254-020-2635938; Mobile (Office): +254-734 999975, 724 255849 Fax: 254-20-3872270; Email: ratn@ratn.org Website: www.ratn.org