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SIDT
staff undergo audio training from Commonwealth of Learning
Villagers will now have
educational video shows on Health issues. This is made possible by the
Commonwealth of Learning working in partnership with World Health
Organization (WHO) and SIDT. David Walker Senior Educational Technology
Specialist is currently facilitating an 8 days training with the
Radio/Theatre department on how to use the equipments to make video
shots.
Speaking to LINK Mr. Walker
said that after consulting Dr. Katoanga of WHO, SIDT was selected
because of the outreach network in which the organization has.
According to Mr. Walker he
believes that the effective means of communication to the communities
on Health issues is through video shows. “By viewing video shows people
will see in reality the problems areas that need to be address” said Mr
Walker.
Mr. Walker will leave for
Canada after the training and will leave the equipments with the
organization to work with the communities.
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West
Are’are villagers tackle their problems
During
the first week of February, two SIDT staff members braved the rough seas
to travel over to Rohinari ( West coast of Malaita) to conduct a three–
day workshop focusing on 8 villages’ major development issues.
Although it was billed as a
writing up of project proposals, villagers, though discussion, decided
to tackle their more fundamental problem.Before writing up a single
project proposal, Are’are villagers discussed the basic issues that make
any carrying out of a project proposal difficult. Each of the 8 village
groups identified the basic need of strong, on going cooperation in
daily village living as critical to the successful outcome of a project.
Village cooperation on many
levels– keeping the village clean and healthy, fixing up of communal
buildings, attendance at public meetings, backing school, health and
community committees, etc.– becomes evident when many if not all the
above are neglected. Writing up a solid project, receiving funding for
it and working together on the project has little chance of long term
life, if the spirit of cooperation hasn’t been built over a number of
years.
The workshop was attended by
19 men and 6 women. Each village group will sign the MOU before Easter
2005
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People’s Skill, Mediation
and Restorative Justice is seen as an ice– breaking session in all the
RSIP Academy Training. Thirty new recruits personnels received their
training from the 14th— 18th February.
The new recruits consist of six female and
twenty—four male.
LINK
caught up with them in class and found that they
are very interested with the topics.
Speaking to
LINK
SIDT’s training officer Veronica Maepeza said that
the new recruits are a good mixture of young and elderly people with a
lot of experiences encountered in life.
She said that the students
have shared constructive ideas and experiences during the sessions.
At the same time SIDT has
resumed Restorative Justice Training with prison inmates on the second
week of February.
The training started last
year but came to a stop due to the disturbances at the prisons last
year. The training is scheduled for Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.00 am
–11.00 am weekly.
Trainers have shown a
positive result saying that the inmates have shown their interest in
attending the sessions and contributing during discussions in class.
Speaking to the Prison
Service activities Advisor Mr. Jack Carter, he said that the training is
a useful tool. “The training could change the inmates’
mentality to see a positive direction in life,” said Mr. Carter.
There is still a high demand
for the Restorative Justice workshop to be conducted for communities.
The organization will try to cover as many as possible this year.
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Building Livelihood,
Empowerment Strategic Sustainability (BLESS) project has a new project
manager. She is Jennifer Wate who came to SIDT as a cadet reporter in
the early 90’s. She had been trained under various media personnels over
the years and since 1995 headed the media department of the organisation.
Mrs Wate will directly
manage six Community Development Workers (CDWs) who are based in the
provinces and working with 60 communities under the project in Malaita,
Guadalcanal and Isabel. BLESS is a joint project between the Australia
Foundation for Asia (Africa) and Pacific and the Solomon Islands
Development Trust. It is funded by AusAID.
Meanwhile the CDWs are in
town this month and have attended the SIDT’s strategic planning and are
attending the Honiara Youth network workshop which starts on the 28th
this month. The CDWs after the training will then go back to their
various communities to carry out their village activities.
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A Feminism workshop was
conducted in Nadi, Fiji from the 7th-11th February 2005. The workshop
was to trained young women how to become feminist or activists to
ensure that their rights are recognised.
The workshop was jointly
organised by the Fiji Women’s Right Movement (FWRM) and Development
Alternative for Women in a New era (DAWN) Pacific.The workshop was
attended by women working in the media from across Pacific Countries.
Brenda Mauli of SIDT attended the training.
Speaking to
LINK
she felt that she had learnt a lot of new things especially case
studies on women engaged in feminist activities especially in political
Restructuring and Social Transformation issues affect which affected
them in today’s Globalized world .
According to Brenda it was
an opportunity for exchanging of ideas and to also see how our different
neighbouring Pacific Islands operated when dealing with similar issues.
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SAVO
proposal writing workshop
GOAL project has completed
the proposal writing workshop with the 5 communities in Savo namely,
Leboni, Bonala, Pokilo, Panueli and Sisiaka.
The workshop has concluded
with communities drafting out their community logical framework and from
there they will develop the narrative report to which they will discuss
with donors on their funding criteria because different communities have
different needs. Different issues such as Water Supply and Sanitation,
Early Childhood Development and Aid Post.
The main issue highlighted
is that the five communities should work and share ideas when writing up
proposals this is because there are some people who are qualified and
experience that can help the others to put ideas together.
An abbreviation in the
TEAM
initially means working as a team or in other words:
T– Together , E– Everyone, A– Achieve, M–
More
 The five communities were
happy that the workshop was a first of its kind to be held in their
respective communities and that they are happy to be skilled people
after the 2 days workshop.
The overall reaction of the
workshop is exciting and lively and a lot of wide participation and
interaction between the facilitators and participants.
West Are’are
communities sees change through RJP
Eight communities from West Are’are with
the SIDT/GOAL project were determined to initially strengthen their
daily cooperation before entering the more problematic area of project
implementation.
Across the board, the 8
village groups (Sisiomato, Nariekeara, Pipisu, Rutorea. Wairokai, Aiarai,
Kopo/ Waisisi, Masihuro) reached a consensus: they must address the
weakness of lack of cooperation first through the use of a Restorative
Justice Program ( RJP) workshop. It was hoped that getting a firmer
handle of what makes their villages tick or more importantly what are
the blocks to village cooperation, may be enhanced by the use of a RJP
workshop. Alfred Hairiu, parliamentarian for that constituency, will be
asked to fund the intial RJP workshop which could happen as early as
April this year.
PRINT MEDIA UPDATES
The Print Media department
is currently manned by one person this is because Jennifer Wate who
heads the department has left to manage BLESS project.
The Management and Staff of
SIDT would like to congratulate Jennifer Wate for taking up the new
post. We see this as a new job with many challenges especially working
directly with villagers.
From the Print Desk you have
enlighten the department through your contributions towards the
department over the years. The department still look forward for your
continuos support.
Good Luck and all the best
in whatever you do. Never give up and strive for the best.
Ecoforestry
In the month of February the
department staff attended a 3 days meeting with their partner Oxfam. The
department continued on with their extension support and community
tours.
Jeffrey Dennis and Felix
Narasia visited the community projects in the Western Province. Jeffrey
Dennis went to Marovo while Felix went to Vella Vela.
Felix Narasia attended an
Environment NGO meeting in Gizo Western Province. The meeting was
attended by other environment NGOs such as WWF, ICLARM, SIDT Ecoforestry,
Natural Resources Development Foundation (NRDF) Munda based, Tetepari
Descendents Association (TDA) formally known as Friends of Tetepari,
SINUW, ECANSI and KFPL. At the end of the meeting a forum was formed to
look after the affairs of its members and their affiliates in the
communities.
40 cubic ecotimber is now
ready to be exported to New Zealand. It will be shipped in two weeks
time.
All the department staff
will continue on with Extension Support work.
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The
Haus department has gone through changes for the month of February. The
office space which have been left vacant by the Technical Advisor and
the Print Media Department will be occupied by the Worldwide Fund for
Nature (WWF) and also LASI will occupy a vacant office space upstairs
for the new Director.
All office rentals have
increased by 20% for 2005. The department still maintains its existing
staff except for Batholomew Meleuto who is replaced by Alick Angisia.
The SIDT building has been
experiencing some problem with the electricity flow current within the
building. This became evident when audio visual equipments were
connected which send power shocks. The problem has been solved by the
Sunshine Electric and SIEA.
The dormitories were booked
by FSPI Coral projects for the participants.
Kitchen is used by the BLESS
project to do catering for the Strategic Planning Workshop and also the
Honiara Youth Network Advocacy Training.
The Haus department looks
after any queries or problem that affect the SIDT building.
FINANCE DEPARTMENT
 Christine Carberry
(nearest to the camera) of AFAP
have been in the country on the third week of February to help with the
organization finances.
According to SIDT Finance
Office Leonard de Marzynao, they have worked through everything and is
progressing well.
Christine was here in the
country to attend SIDT Strategic Planning workshop which was attended by
Stakeholders and SIDT Staff.
GOAL Project
The GOAL Project has completed thirty–four
(34) communities out of the 70 communities which the project should
with.
For the month of February
the project team visited different communities:
Jennifer did initial scoping
for South Malaita. South Malaita will have their PLA/Proposal writing
workshop in March. Veronica, Felix and Walter conducted a 2 days
Proposal Writing workshop in Savo. John and Benol went to Rohinari, West
Areare to conduct a 3 days Proposal writing workshop.
Veronica and Nichol
conducted a 3 days Proposal writing workshop for Central Guadalcanal.
Since it is only the
beginning of the year the project is positively looking forward the
remaining thirty– six (36) communities to be completed before June.
This is will leave a year
and a half for the Project Team to do monitoring and help communities
write up proposals and submit to different Donors.
However, for the communities
who have completed their training. They are in the process of working on
the Community Logical Framework.
According to the Project
Manager the Project is working ahead of schedule because the project
have covered at least half of communities identified for the 3 years
duration of the project.
In March the Team will
continue conducting community workshops.
Honiara
Youth/Radio Theatre
The department staff with
the Honiara Youth Theatre attended a 3 days workshop in HIV/ AIDS with
Ken Konare (ARH). For the first 2 days they looked at the issue of
HIV/AIDS and on the 3rd day they did theatre drama
training.
Walter Turasi of the Radio/Theatre department told
LINK
the training is to enable the Honiara Youth
Theatre to be good actors to produce an informative drama performance on
the issue of HIV/AIDS.
Honiara Youth is now
preparing to visit Isabel Province probably next month with Ken Konare.
Currently the department is now undergoing
Audio/Video training with David Walker Mr. Turasi told
LINK
that he is happy to learn something new.
ELECTION AWARENESS
The
following list gives a brief description of the election offences under
the provisions of the National Parliament (Electoral Provinces) Act,
1980
Any corrupt of illegal
practice done by the elected Candidate or his Agent shall render the
render the election of such candidate invalid. (sect. 66. (1) )
Giving wrong answers to
questions prescribed in sect 38 ( c) put to a person applying for a
ballot paper. Max fine $100 or imprisonment for 3 months or both. (sect.
67)
Forging, counterfeiting,
fraudulently defacing or destroying a ballot paper of the official mark
on it. Max fine $200 or 6 months imprisonment or both. (sect. 68 (1)
(b))
Supplying Ballot Papers to
any person without authority. Max fine $200 or 6 months imprisonment or
both. (sect. 68 (1) (c ))
Fraudulent taking of a
ballot Paper out of any polling station or place of voting or place of
election. Max fine $200 or 6 months imprisonment or both
Destroying, taking, opening
or otherwise interfering with a Ballot Box or a Packet of ballot papers
without authority. Max fine $200 or 6 months imprisonment or both.
(sect. 68 (1) (e) )
Interfere or attempt to
interfere with an elector when casting his vote or obtain information
from him as to the candidate he is voting for or has voted for or the
number on the ballot paper. Max fine $200 or 3 months imprisonment or
both.
More on Election awareness in our upcoming
monthly issues.
Update from NGO sisters
 VOIS
BLONG MERE SOLOMONS (VBMS):
For the month of February
VBMS staff involved in different activities:
Josephine Teakeni (Director)
attended two different workshops. A two weeks media workshop in New
Caledonia and an Electoral Commission one at the Mendana Hotel.
Ethel Suri (Program Officer)
is on Annual Leave. During her annual leave she will be attending a
three weeks workshop in New York, USA.
Audrey Baeanisia (Research
Officer) just returned from the Isabel Province. She helped facilitate a
workshop ience on Small Business Training conducted for the Mothers
Union.
Bere
Usua (Finance Officer) is working on the Remittance for Bread for the
World.
· Olga
Chapangi a member of VBMS attended the Guadalcanal Leaders Summit at
Mbalasuna to do coverage for the office and also she is one of the
Executive Community Member for the Leaders Summit.
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LASI has a new director
 Literacy
Association of Solomon Islands has a new Director. He is Philip Jionisi
who has wide experience working with NGOs in the country. Mr Jionisi has
worked with the Development Services Exchange (DSE) the umbrella body of
the SINGOs in the early 90s. He has worked with a South Pacific
Commission (SPC) Malaria project which worked in Malaita.
Recently he was the
secretary of the Civil Society Network.
Mr Jionisi’s work
will be to manage the biggest Literacy organization in the country. The
organisation has provincial networks in the country.
Mr Jionisi has a
Degree in Community Development Studies.
ARH Updates
The Adolescence Reproductive
Health (ARH) program coordinated by Ken Konare facilitated a workshop on
HIV/AIDS which included the SIDT Honiara Youth Theatre to look on how to
disseminate information through drama performance.
The Honiara Youth will be
helping the ARH program as of next month March to do HIV/AIDS provincial
tours.
The team will visit the
Western, Malaita and the Isabel Provinces. During the tours the group
will answer any questions that is asked by the people.
However, the ARH program is
working its situation analysis and responsive review by consulting
different people for key information about the program’s outreach.
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Advocacy workshop for Honiara youths
Youths representing
various organizations, church and two theatre groups representing wards
in Honiara attended a advocacy workshop organised by BLESS project and
AFAP which start on the 28 February and ends Wednesday. The workshop
objective is to introduce and train Honiara Youth and other organisation
how to conduct a successful advocacy campaign. The idea is a broader
support for Honiara youth as part of BLESS project in advocacy and
governance in relation to Honiara City Council. This training helps the
young people to draw up a advocacy plan on what they see as urgent
pressing issues which need to be addressed by the government and
responsible authorities.
Advocacy is the act
or process of supporting a cause or issue. The
participants on the first day were able to learn about what is advocacy
and what is not. Very interesting many youths have come to realise that
advocacy is not raising public awareness about your organization. It is
not just about informing the government about your work but rather
building support for a cause and influence for change.
David Shires of
AFAP who facilitates the workshop says we advocate for a cause or issue
because we want others to support it, change or influence legislation
that affects it.
The participants
are happy they are selected for the training and will share the
information with others.
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