This is a “Train the Trainee” workshop on accessing online breast cancer information for 20 deaf persons consisting of 16 women and 4 men. Much as breast cancer is a disease that has a woman’s face, we recognize that men do have breast cancer hence the inclusion of male participants. This project aims to bridge the gap between the deaf community in Nigeria and accessing breast health information in order to build their capacity to fight against the disease. A 2- session (morning and afternoon) workshop is being proposed scheduled for 2 hours per session on Fridays and Saturdays for 8 weeks.
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Ibadan
Describe the specific population with whom you will be working.
About 11 million Nigerians are deaf and probably half of them are women who are at risk of breast cancer. Presently, public education on breast health is primarily developed for the hearing public. The communication barriers they face in accessing breast health information is what this project seeks to address and fast-tracked by online resource. Since every woman is at risk of breast cancer regardless of who you are or where you live, there is an urgent need to resolve these inequalities by designing educational projects in the appropriate format and language to meet the needs of the Deaf. Chairperson of Partners for Healthy Living of the Deaf (PHD) is a member of the project Team and actively involved in development of this proposal. The level of computer familiarity is very low.
Who else will be on your team to help implement the project?
1. Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu https://www.facebook.com/betty.anyanwuakeredolu
Twitter: @bettyaak
2. Desmond Nwabugwu https://www.facebook.com/dezzybosco
Twitter: @dezzybosco
3. Emmanuel Oluleye Korede https://www.facebook.com/korede.oluleye
4. Catherine Okafor https://www.facebook.com/catherine.okafor.1
5. Agatha Olaniyi
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
A page named Empower Nigerian Deaf Community Network will be created on BRECAN website: www.brecan.org Contents: Breast Cancer Education: This section provides the basic information about breast cancer making it possible for the reader to have a better understanding of the disease. Such information includes: What is breast cancer? What are the signs and symptoms of breast? How to be breast aware and demonstration of breast self examination using video in sign language. How is breast cancer treated? Coping with life after breast cancer. Other contents include: Ask the Doctor- for expert opinions on questions, Frequently asked questions, blog, and Announcement of events.For citizen media output, participants will create a facebook page “Nigerian Deaf Community against Breast Cancer”.
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.
BRECAN has forged a cordial relationship with the deaf community in Oyo State since 2011 through our innovative Jog for life event. If this proposal is considered, we are set to bring breast cancer information at the finger tips of a greater number of deaf persons in the nooks and crannies of Nigeria. With the feedback on the positive impact of our vocational and empowerment programme for the vulnerable as some of the beneficiaries have applied their newly acquired skills to start micro businesses (such as making of liquid soap, stove thread, disinfectant, insecticide, scouring powder, school chalk, olive oil, and paint), we are partners in their progress. Funds permitting, plans are underway to organise a 2nd edition of the programme and possibly establish a revolving loan scheme.
How many participants do you think will be trained in your project?
We will train 20 who will be equipped to become trainers thereby extending the reach of the project to a greater number of individuals within the deaf community.
The success of the project will give us the leverage to seek local sponsors for the sustenance.
Describe which technologies, tools, and media you will focus on when training participants.
We will focus on the use of computers, mobile phones (texting), face book and twitter. These media are effective means of communication with or without hearing ability.
Skills: Computer appreciation with internet application, mobile phone operation, social media application, breast cancer education and advocacy.
In the Team are: a computer instructor, a hearing deaf interpreter, a deaf educationist and internationally trained breast cancer advocate. Low cost smart phones are available these days. Computers are also accessible at internet cafes with a small charge.
Describe the facilities where you will hold the workshops.
The workshops will be held at BRECAN Centre which has a conference room that sits 12 persons, a library that sits 20 persons and a gallery that sits 50 persons. We plan to provide 7 computers, 24 Smart phones, 1 4G LTE Broad Band USB Modem and 1 digital projector with screen. The workshop will be held in two sessions (morning and afternoon with 10 persons per session) in the conference room. The gallery is suitable for the plenary sessions for all participants and informal interactions while the library will be a very useful resource for additional information.
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?
We have been in partnership with Partners for Healthy Living of the Deaf (PHD) a women- led NGO, since 2011 when the organisation participated in BRECAN Jog for Life, an outdoor event that raises breast cancer awareness and promotes exercise as a healthy life style. By 2013, we extended our invitation to the Nigeria National Association of Deaf (NNAD), the umbrella body for the deaf community in Oyo State Nigeria. The NNAD participated in marking the 2013 World Cancer Day on Feb.4, 2013, BRECAN Jog for Life in October and in addition, some of the members benefited from a 3-day (July 18-20, 2013) Vocational training and Empowerment programme in honour of the BRECAN Founder/President who turned 60 and 16 as a breast cancer survivor. BRECAN is a friend of the deaf community.
What specific challenges do you expect to face when planning and implementing your project?
1. Barrier in communication: Nevertheless, an interpreter is readily at hand to break down the barrier. The interpreter will be engaged throughout the implementation of the project. Members of he entire team with no knowledge of the sign language will be encourage to learn.
2. Selection of participants: In view of the small amount of the grant, we can only start with 20 participants. Obviously, the selection of the participants may be problematic but given that we have adopted the “train the trainer” approach, we are hopeful that the tension of not being selected will be doused with the realization that the training has the potential for replication.
How will you measure and evaluate the project’s impact, specifically: your primary participants, the wider regional community, or the global digital community?
At the end of the workshop there will be a performance test to assess the preparedness of the participants to train others. Only the successful ones who scored a certain grade to be decided by the Instructor in consultation with the Team will be issued Certificate as Trainer. Those below the set grade will receive Certificate of Participation.
Success will be defined by the number of people visiting the face book page, BRECAN website and ASK the Doctor.
If your project were to be selected as a Rising Voices grantee, what would be the general timeline of project activities in 2014?
June 2014: Selection of participants
July –August: Workshop
September: Submission of workshop report
December: Submission of Impact Assessment report
Detail a specific budget of up to $2,500 USD for operating costs.
No Description Amount $ Description Amount $
1 Desktop computer 485 B/F 2146
24 Smart mobile phones 720 Electricity (fuel for generator) 100
24 Recharge cards 96 2 Banners 50
1 4G LTE Broad Band Modem 122 Light refreshment 200
2 months Internet subscription 61 Total $ 2496
24 Instruction manuals 312
1 Instructor’s fee 200
1 Interpreter’s fee 150
Sub-total $ 2146
Besides the microgrant funding, what other support can Rising Voices provide for your project to ensure its success?
Publicity in the media.
Contact name
Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu
Organization
Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN)
