The Communication Initiative Network

Where communication and media are central to social and economic development

E-magazines


Average Rating: 5 out of 5 (2 ratings submitted)

Stepping Stones Africa Exchange

Countries

Gambia, Nicaragua, South Africa, Uganda, United Kingdom (UK), Zambia, Zimbabwe

Programme Summary

Stepping Stones Africa Exchange consisted in a series of workshops designed to help United Kingdom and Nicaraguan practitioners involved in gender and HIV work share information about sexual and reproductive well-being and domestic violence. Larger aims of this project, organised by Exchange, included developing gender-sensitive approaches to these issues that engage men more fully, and building an independent international network of those working with participatory approaches in this area.

Communication Strategies

As part of this programme, ten trainers from Gambia, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe met with practitioners in the field of reproductive health in Charney Manor near Oxford from May 5-7, 2002. This workshop was followed by a ten-day exchange programme with the Nicaraguan Association of Men Against Violence (AHCV) and the feminist organisation Puntos de Encuentro in Managua, Nicaragua. These organisations work on domestic violence, gender, and diversity, drawing on experiences from the Sandinista revolution. Returning to the UK on May 19, the group was joined by three Nicaraguan practitioners for two additional days of workshops that analysed and built on the results of the exchange. There was a more public day of presenting the outcomes of the visit to both countries on May 22.

Development Issues

Gender, Health, HIV/AIDS.

Key Points

Exchange is a networking and learning programme on health communication for development that aims to share information and knowledge on effective health communication and to support strategic approaches to health communication. It also works to increase the involvement of southern-based organisations in generating, analysing, and applying good health communication.

Stepping Stones is a life-skills training package on gender, sexual and reproductive well-being, communication, and relationship skills. Created in response to the AIDS crisis in Africa, Stepping Stones is listed by UNAIDS in its best practice series for community mobilisation and is the winner of a BMA film award. It is now being widely adapted and used in over 40 countries in Africa, Asia, and beyond.

Partners

Exchange, Healthlink Worldwide, DFID, AHCV, and Puntos de Encuentro.

Contact

Andrew Chetley
Executive Director
Healthlink Worldwide

56-64 Leonard Street

London
EC2A 4LT
United States
Tel: +44 (0)20 7549 0255
Fax: +44 (0)20 7549 0241

Source

Letter sent from Frank Mubiru to The Communication Initiative on May 2 2002. Also see the summary description and lessons learned as posted on the Exchange website - click here.


Placed on the Communication Initiative site May 20 2002
Last Updated September 03 2008



How useful did you find the knowledge and contacts on this page to your work?


0
No votes yet
Your rating: None

Post your comments (review comments from others below):

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

COMMENTS POSTED


such initiatives are laudable.would like to see an expansion to most African countries.

Help Seed The CI Network

Jobs and more...

Journalist/Reader Connection

What are the best possibilities for journalist-readership connections? (you may choose more than one; please add clarifying comments)