"This unique book presents extensive analysis and discussion from the Pan-Asia ICT R&D Grants Programme covering 56 projects in 18 countries across Asia-Pacific. In addition to inputs from the ICT4D project heads, the book features insights from 6 ICT experts who personally visited these projects fo
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r assessments, as well as the key take-aways from a 3-day Learning Forum bringing all project heads and assessment experts together with donors and sponsors of this ambitious ICT4D initiative. What have been the key contributions of ICTs to development projects in healthcare, education, gender equity, agriculture, environment, disaster management and policy research? How can such ICT4D projects reach sustainability, replicability and scalability? What are the challenges involved in capacity building and execution for such social entrepreneurship projects? And what new horizons open up for these regional initiatives in the future? These are the key questions addressed in this publication. The book also provides valuable insights into the passion, motivation and experience shared readily by the ICT4D practitioners across the region. And on a lighter note, it also captures some of the amusing and humorous anecdotes along the way which make ICT4D such a human adventure at the end of the day! The book also has a companion CD and Web site with a wealth of information for ICT4D practitioners, donors and researchers, including video interviews, assessment surveys, and worksheets." (Back cover)
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"The book’s narrative structure intentionally uses minimal theoretical academic abstractions. Instead, it adopts a pragmatic approach – journalistic to an extent – to speculate what works best for journalists in Asia given the political constraints and resource limitations that many are compel
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led to work under, and which journalists in richer developed countries would take for granted. As the title of the book implies, speculative discussions, commentaries and interviews with journalists aim to rediscover “development journalism” as a viable model for working out the recognisable benchmarks of best practice in the Asian context. Case studies and interviews were mainly conducted with English language newspapers – excluding the local language community radio, which is arguably the most influential medium in developing societies – for no other reason than language accessibility." (Prologue, page xv)
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"There have been an estimated 3.8 billion mobile phones in the world in 2008 and most of the growth has been taking place in the Global South. 15 million people in Africa now individually own mobile phones but do not have access to a TV at home. A higher percentage of Kenyans use mobile commerce tha
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n Americans or Finns. More Jamaicans access the web from mobiles than from desktop computers. The publication provides a roadmap for media professionals on how to navigate the world of mobile media, based on in-depth interviews with media executives and technologists, and extensive research into latest best practice. It points to areas of potential like free-to-use short message service (SMS), Bulk SMS gateways to deliver messaging to networks, M-Commerce, mobile news alerts and voice-driven information services. Apart from many concrete examples both in the South and the North, the publication also includes summaries of mobile market conditions in 20 countries across the developing world. For media considering entering the mobile market, it suggests that mobile Internet access will continue to increase and that text (rather than voice) messaging is growing. It recommends starting one's own mobile news outlet rather than feeding news to others." (CAMECO Update 1-2009)
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"Las prácticas y experiencias sobre acceso a la información y participación ciudadana que se reseñan en este documento reflejan ciertos avances hacia un fortalecimiento del sistema de control, lo que resulta imprescindible para una gobernabilidad incluyente. Sin embargo, el relevamiento indica t
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ambién que los estados no han dado pasos incontestables, sino que se trata de medidas aisladas que sólo logran conformar –aunque de manera incompleta– un cuadro cuando se las combina con las que han tomado los demás. La experiencia también demuestra que los poderes políticos no tienen incentivos para producir reformas integrales." (Observaciones finales, página 31)
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"This book is a contribution to efforts to improve governance systems around the world, particularly in developing countries. It offers a range of innovative approaches and techniques for dealing with the most important nontechnical challenges that prevent many of those efforts from being successful
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or sustainable. By so doing, the book sets out the groundwork for governance reform initiatives. Its overarching argument is that the development community is not lacking the tools needed for technical solutions to governance challenges. The toolbox is overflowing; best practice manuals in various areas of interest tumble out of seminars and workshops. However, difficulties arise when attempts are made to apply what are often excellent technical solutions under real-world conditions. Human beings, acting either alone or in groups small and large, are not as amenable as are pure numbers. And they cannot be put aside. In other words, in the real world, reforms will not succeed, and they will certainly not be sustained, without the correct alignment of citizens, stakeholders, and voice." (Introduction, page 1)
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"The use of comics as a campaigning tool for grassroots organisations is a relatively new phenomenon and has been tested so far only in India, some other South Asian countries and in a few countries in Africa. This manual on the creation of comics as a medium for communication of development ideas s
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hares the experiences the authors gained in seven countries. It gives a number of examples of comics from these countries, photographs from workshops on grassroots comic creation, and manuals that demonstrate how to approach this communication medium with local non-governmental organisations (NGOs) or with community members. It explains how to make wall poster comics, booklet comics, strips, and accordion folded mini comics for local distribution - at meeting places, bus stops, shops, offices, schools, on notice-boards and electricity poles, etc. Reproduction methods include: photocopying for issues up to 30-40 copies, screen printing for issues from 100 copies upwards, and offset printing for issues from 200-300 copies upwards." (CAMECO Update 4-2008)
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"This report is one of the first studies comparing systematically different aspects of community radio practice in developing countries. Based on five country surveys - Colombia, Mali, Nepal, Peru and South Africa - it provides descriptions and analyses of: participatory processes and volunteerism;
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relationship with the community; exertion of rights; accountability and good governance; community radio networks; financing and financial sustainability; and community radio in conflict and post-conflict situations. The detailed country studies show that the practice of community radio broadcasting differs widely according to the national context, the legal environment and the specific role of national community radio associations and networks. In comparing the country studies, the main report stresses good practices, e.g. regarding the role of strong national networks, as well as some challenges like the need to accompany volunteers in a more systematic way and to address the precarious financial state of many community radio stations." (CAMECO Update 5-2008)
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"The authors present six local and independent radio stations from Africa - community radio stations, and commercial and NGO run radio stations with strong community participation - showcasing good practices for sustainability, defined as "ability of a radio station to maintain a good quality develo
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pmental broadcasting service over a period of time." Asking the question, what is it that needs to be sustained? they offer a holistic view on sustainability by examining how a radio station is embedded in its geographic, economic, infrastructural, social, linguistic and cultural context. Furthermore, the case studies consider the broadcasting environment, programme schedules, management structures and sources of income of the radio stations. Particular attention is paid to the community engagement of the radio stations and to the causes for active community involvement." (commbox)
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"This manual was written for experienced and novice advocates alike who are eager to use state of the art technology techniques to challenge old policies and create new ones that will enhance the quality of life and access to opportunity for everyone. The case studies, resources, tips, and best prac
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tices included in this report will help readers plan and implement campaigns that use various combinations of online and offline tools to effectively engage their constituencies. Of course, technology changes in a nanosecond, making some strategies and tactics nearly obsolete almost as the words describing them are written. Nevertheless, the underlying ideas and concepts described here will remain relevant and the resources listed in the report will stand as sources for finding new, perhaps not yet imagined, tools to combine online and offline advocacy strategies. The PolicyLink website (www.policylink.org) is one such resource where visitors will find updates on campaigns described in this document and brand new ones." (Preface)
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"The aim of this book is to share stories and learning from alliance-based efforts to improve employment standards for workers, primarily women in export-orientated supply chains. These stories are about people and their organisations building more powerful and effective ways to get their voices hea
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rd. Anyone wanting to learn more about popular campaigning work, and about how change happens, will benefit from reading this book. It will show others who are working in this area how the initiatives it describes led to developing new campaigning components and overcoming obstacles. This book differs from a campaigning manual; the stories show how the relationships were developed and what processes were followed, explain the motivations behind the choices that the different alliances made, and highlight the resulting successes and failures of these alliances." (Introduction)
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"Chapter One focuses on the story of the Kidz Radio Project, and its vision; children's radio in South Africa (case studies and examples); international children's radio initiatives. Chapter Two is a market-place of ideas from kids, mentors and teachers who work in the field of children's participat
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ion. It includes tips from Kidz Radio participants; tips from older people; thoughts on participation and power-sharing; guidelines on how to create a healthy environment for learning. Chapter Three explores a range of activities that you can use in your Kidz Radio training. For example: confidence-building games and energisers; activities to release creativity; role plays; tools for teaching children interview skills, presentation techniques, and “writing for the ear”. Chapter Four discusses the most popular formats in Kidz Radio: magazine shows (including drama, storytelling, interviews, radio diaries, jokes and phone-ins); and news (how to report the stories that matter most to young people in your community). Chapter Five is a library of articles, toolkits, handbooks and websites about children's radio – not just in South Africa, but in other parts of the world too." (Page 7)
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"This research initiative assessed the key media changes and developments in seventeen African countries over the past five years and aimed at recommending intervention strategies for strengthening an independent, professional media sector. The summary report presents the main findings regarding med
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ia landscapes, media legislation, media technology and equipment, journalism training and principles of media development. According to this publication "substantial evidence is provided that points to: non-sustainable and short-term approaches to projects; disconnected programmes; unneccesary competition amongst donors; and, consequently wasted investment of donor funds" (Page 15). In addition, individual country reports have been released, written by renowned African media specialists and researchers. They include: Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Each country report consists of three sections: 1) Media sector developments, 2) Challenges for future media development activities, 3) Case study: illustrating good practice in media development." (commbox)
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"[...] This publication, Writing for Our Lives, documents best practices from the Maisha Yetu project, whose defining feature has been continuous in-house mentoring and training on health care reporting in six African media houses over a two-year period. The uninterrupted presence of journalist-trai
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ners (as opposed to the more widespread model of one-time workshops on health care reporting) has allowed for the integration of theory and practice, resulting in dramatic changes in the quantity and quality of reporting on HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria. It has created champions of health care journalism in mid- and upper-level management where there was little or none before. It has helped journalists to recognize the centrality of women’s stories in the HIV/AIDS crisis." (Foreword)
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"The contributions in this book are the result of four years of experience in online teaching at the Konrad Adenauer Center for Journalism (CFJ) at the prestigious Ateneo de Manila University, Philippines. First presented at a workshop at the Ateneo de Manila in December 2004, the individual chapter
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s draw on the wealth of faculty experience to identify best teaching practices. The book is divided into five parts devoted to different aspects of online journalism education and training. After the prefaces, the second part explains the fundamental differences between traditional teaching and online courses. Online teaching differs from traditional teaching in that it does not allow direct eye contact. Therefore, Part II addresses how to effectively design virtual learning situations. Part III designs strategies for engaging online students in active and fruitful class participation using synchronous and asynchronous teaching methods. Part IV addresses how to assess students and ensure high academic standards in the context of a multicultural virtual classroom. Part V complements this handout on online pedagogy by discussing upcoming changes in the rapidly evolving field of online journalism instruction. This publication is aimed primarily at journalists in online pedagogy, but is also recommended for others working in the field of online instruction." (KAS Regional Programs website 9/21/2007)
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"Inspired by innovations that emerged from the Kothmale Community Radio and Internet project, Sri Lanka, in 1999 and 2000, UNESCO has since established some fifty CMCs in a wide range of contexts in some twenty countries on three continents. In addition to new facilities and increased local capacity
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in communities around the world, pilot CMCs have involved a wide variety of partnerships, across all levels, and have led to an expanding number of creative and dynamic new initiatives and solutions in key areas, from content creation to financial and social sustainability. Significantly, the first phase of the CMC programme has also led to national ‘scale-up’ projects now underway in Mali, Mozambique and Senegal. This volume not only shares the context and experiences of UNESCO-supported CMCs, but is also intended to facilitate direct, practical cooperation between international and national agencies with CMCs at the ground level by providing a directory of local CMC services and contact information." (Foreword)
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