The project is about setting up of Community Information Centres (CICs) at Oshakati, Oshikango and Katutura for community Information and communications technology (ICT) training and income generation projects.The idea of setting up Community Information Centres (CICs) is to link Information Communication Technology (ICT) with HIV prevention and poverty eradication by attracting the public, especially people of 15-49 years age group, to these Centres with services such as ICT training, selling of recharge vouchers (or airtime) for cell phones, copying, typing, email and internet services.
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Oshikango
Describe the specific population with whom you will be working.
The idea of setting up Community Information Centres (CICs) is to link Information Communication Technology (ICT) with HIV prevention and poverty eradication by attracting the public, especially people of 15-49 years age group, to these Centres with services such as ICT training (or computer training), the selling of recharge vouchers (or airtime) for cell phones, copying, typing, email and internet services.
The idea is that while people are visiting the Community Information Centres for the above-mentioned services, they will be given HIV prevention and treatment information using specifically designed leaflets and distributing condoms.
These Community community members live in the area where organisataion operates and are familiar with its activities. They have cellphones as advantage
Who else will be on your team to help implement the project?
The active partners of the Solidarity Community Care Organisation are the communities of Etope in Ohangwena Region, Omutsegonime and King Kauluma in Oshikoto Region and its Community Care and Support Groups (CCSGs) in Khomas and Oshana regions and Tsumeb City respectively.
These communities and support groups play direct and leading roles in the projects and activities of the organisation, which are usually situated in their villages and settlements.
The traditional, community and church leaders of these communities and the political leaders-local and regional councillors of towns and constituencies where the projects of the organisation are implemented are also partners of the organisation.
These partners own cellphones, but lack computer training to benefit from digital storytelling
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
This programme is primarily focusing on HIV PREVENTION by mobilising, informing and educating communities to prevent HIV through the following:
a) Promotion of Behavioural change, including reducing concurrent relationships and using condoms;
b) Promotion of Biomedical strategies, including circumcision and the prevention of mother-to-child HIV transmission (PMTCT);
c) Promotion of Treatment of HIV, other viruses and sexually transmitted infections; and
d) The promotion of social justice and human rights in HIV-AIDS.
According to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), health, including HIV/AIDS information, can be communicated through various channels (or methods) to increase awareness and assess the knowledge of different populations about various health, and HIV/AIDS issues.
What technologies and digital tools do you plan to use in the trainings?
Describe the connections that you or your organization have already established or plan to establish that will contribute to the success of the project.
The active partners of the Solidarity Community Care Organisation are the communities of Etope in Ohangwena Region, Omutsegonime and King Kauluma in Oshikoto Region and its Community Care and Support Groups (CCSGs) in Khomas and Oshana regions and Tsumeb City respectively.
These communities and support groups play direct and leading roles in the projects and activities of the organisation, which are usually situated in their villages and settlements.
The traditional, community and church leaders of these communities and the political leaders-local and regional councillors of towns and constituencies where the projects of the organisation are implemented are also partners of the organisation.
These partners participate directly and indirectly in the projects of the organisation.
How many participants do you think will be trained in your project?
Altogether more than 100,000 people, including members of the organisation, clients and residents of the Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Khomas and Oshana regions, are expected to benefit directly and indirectly from the projects of the organisation by December 2015.
Over 90% of the organisation members are women, whose main economic activity is seasonal communal farming, mainly mahangu (millet) cultivation. The projects of the organisation provide opportunities for them to do something useful that benefits themselves and their communities.
The experience drawn from the work of the organisation in the community since 2006 shows that its projects are feasible and beneficial.
The existing conditions in the communities where the projects of the organisation are being implemented are conducive.
Describe which technologies, tools, and media you will focus on when training participants.
The project will focus on the use mobile phones and computers for digital storytelling, most community members have mobile phones but lack skills on how to employ them maximally to benefit the community. One major shortage is the availability and less knowledge in the use of computers to access media such as Facebook, Twitter, etc . to Community and educate community members on HIV/AIDS prevention , community income generation activities and and food production to eradicate poverty in the community. Some community members live in areas that receive above-level rain but lack knowledge to produce food for personal consumption and selling to generate income for community prosperity and well-being.
The Organisation has personnel who are computer literate and use most media such as Blogs.
Describe the facilities where you will hold the workshops.
To implement its programmes, the Solidarity Community Care Organisation has a Community Health & Development Centre in Ohangwena Region and a Hammermill in Oshikoto Region as important assets, which have improved its capability to deliver the necessary services to the communities that it serves.
In addition, the organisation has more than 149 members, Community Health and Development Workers who provide the actual services to the communities and manage its programmes and activities on a daily basis. The communities served by the organisation, especially community and political leaders at village, constituency and regional levels support and provide land for the projects of the organisation.
The Community Health and Development Centre of the organisation has adequate space and electricity
What is your current relationship with the community with whom you plan to work? What makes you the most appropriate individual or organization to implement this project?
To improve health and create prosperity in the communities where it works, the organisation trained 106 Community Health and Development Workers in Ohangwena, Oshikoto, Khomas and Oshana regions of Namibia since 2007, funded by UNAIDS-Small Grants Fund-Namibia. It built a Community Health and Development Centre in Ohangwena Region in 2009 with funding from the U.S. Ambassador’s Self-Help Program and Jet Community Awards 2008.
The Community Health and Development Centre of the organisation now provides potable water to the community and is connected to electricity since 2011 thanks to the support from the Canada Fund for Local Initiatives.
The Community Health and Development Workers of the organisation have been providing community health services (mostly AIDS care and support).
What specific challenges do you expect to face when planning and implementing your project?
The experience drawn from the work of the organisation in the community since 2006 shows that its projects are feasible and beneficial.
The existing conditions in the communities where the projects of the organisation are being implemented, including the high level of unemployment and ill health, partly due to HIV, AIDS, and poverty, are conducive to the implementation of the projects of the organisation.
In fact, the organisation has been recognised in the community. The communities have welcomed the organisation’s projects as evidenced by their support and the provision of the land where the organisation Community Health and Development Centre is built. What the organisation needs is financial, material and technical support to implement the planned activities and projects as proposed.
How will you measure and evaluate the project’s impact, specifically: your primary participants, the wider regional community, or the global digital community?
Over 64,800 people are expected to be provided with community mobilisation, education and information services and to benefit from this information and counselling by using it to go for HIV testing, accepting their HIV statuses and protecting themselves and others from new HIV infections.
Ultimately, the projects of the organisation are expected to educate its clients and community members to access ARVs, adhere to it, and indeed empower them to use the information and counselling provided to make decisions regarding HIV/AIDS and use such information to know their rights and obligations within the struggle against HIV/AIDS, poverty and underdevelopment.
If your project were to be selected as a Rising Voices grantee, what would be the general timeline of project activities in 2014?
The Solidarity Community Care Organisation is implementing its 5-Year Plan 2010-2015 after achieving satisfactory results from its activities over the past seven (7) years. The implementation of the organisation’s 5-Year Plan 2010-2015 started in January 2010, will end in December 2015, and will be reviewed in January 2016 after a major evaluation that is expected to result in next 5-Year Plan 2016-2020 of the organisation.
Depending on the availability of funds, the organisation is prepared to continue with the implementation of its planned on-going programmes and activities.
Once funds are obtained, the procurement of materials and services as described above under the organisation’s Programmes, including medicines and pharmaceuticals, office furniture and equipment, sewing machines and materials (textiles), gardening tools, and building materials, will start immediately (see also implementation schedule below).
The supply and delivery of the supplies and equipment will follow.
Detail a specific budget of up to $2,500 USD for operating costs.
hardware 600
internet access 550
workshop costs 500
travel 400
coordinator expenses 150
Communication expenses for training, management, coordination and reporting 200
Office consumable goods (stationery) 100
TOTAL USD 2,500
Besides the microgrant funding, what other support can Rising Voices provide for your project to ensure its success?
the organisation needs is financial, material or technical support in order to implement its projects as proposed further in the budget.
Contact name
Mr. Constancio Hishiyukifa Mwandingi
Organization
Solidarity Community Care Organisation (SCCO)