ICA International

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Global Buzz Report: September 2016

Our 10th Anniversary Issue

To view past issues of Global Buzz: Please see here
To view past issues of Network Exchange: Please see here

To view past issues of Winds & Waves magazine: Please see here
Note: any problems previously experienced with the archived issues of the above have been rectified

ICAI Board Report:

At our August meeting the ICAI Board approved three applications for financial support from members. The first was to support the ICA East & Southern Africa regional gathering and ToP facilitation training hosted by ICA Uganda in August - see photo, with thanks to Larry Philbrook. The second was to support the ICA Asia Pacific regional gathering and training to be hosted by ICA India in December. The third was for purchase of a World Foundations Guide for use by members.

The Board is expecting an application soon for the West & Central Africa ICA regional gathering to be hosted by ICA Togo in October. Board members agreed to consult with members in their regions to help to arrange an additional French speaking ToP trainer to provide ToP training in conjunction with the gathering.

The Board heard that groups in Poland and France are working toward submitting applications to join our global network as Associate Members at the next General Assembly on October 20. We heard that several individuals in the Philippines have expressed an interest in re-connecting with ICA and perhaps re-establishing ICA there.

The Board heard that the new joint working group of ICAI and the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) had held its first meeting and begun its work of exploring opportunities for great mutual interchange, co-ordination and collaboration between our two organisations and facilitation communities.

The Board reviewed the Board election process and papers that had been prepared by the Board nominations and elections committee in preparation for elections at the October 20 General Assembly. Board members confirmed their own intentions on completing their terms, standing for re-election or standing down. Board members will support the committee in soliciting nominations for candidates directly with members in their regions.


Martin Gilbraith
          president@ica-international.org


BANGLADESH:


ICA Bangladesh organized a meeting
with one of our donor partners to continue the funding for a school property in a slum area. Shakhawat, (an ICA representative), conducted the meeting a few days ago. The partner informed Shakhawat that they will visit the project area to confirm the practicality of continuing sponsorship to maintain the school for slum area children. Our other donors have ensured us that they will meet with us as soon as possible too.

In addition, all members of ICA Bangladesh have shared and have expressed their opinion to give shape to and increase our research activities. The members also agreed on a proposal to study the work and activities of several other national and international NGOs. It is very important news; as one of our members joined a conference at Dhaka University. The theme of the conference was ‘Secularism, Democracy and Gender Parity in South Asia’, guests from several other countries also joined in this conference.

ICA Bangladesh is attempting to recruit some of the volunteers who work for marginalized people in the developmental sector. It has been brought to our attention, that some foreign students and research scholars have shown interest in the present and ongoing activities of ICA Bangladesh.

Hopefully, in discussion of the above, if the subjects are well presented, we will maintain a disciplined structure with the support of the executive committee and the outcome will be accomplished within a short time. ICA Bangladesh will then present a better role in development at the policy level. The team of ICA Bangladesh has made it their priority to achieve the target activity and to expand the activities of ICA.

Md. Shakhawat Hossain


BENIN:

Mise en service du forage de Adjago (Abomey Calavi)


Toujours avec le soutien financier de l’ONG Well Water Global, notre association vient de réaliser un forage dans la localité d’Adjago située dans la commune d’Abomey Calavi, après celui de Ouèdo.

Nous venons de le mettre en service ce mois afin de soulager les populations qui souffrent beaucoup pour s’approvisionner en eau potable. Pour y parvenir, des efforts importants ont été consentis par tous les partenaires impliqués : les agents de notre association, les techniciens, les populations ainsi que les autorités politiques.

Cette mise en service a été chaleureusement accueillie par la population qui a adressé ses remerciements aux donateurs ayant supporté l’initiative. Un comité de gestion de cinq membres a été mis sur pied pour la bonne marche de l’ouvrage.



Adjago borehole’s inauguration (District of Abomey Calavi)


After completing the borehole of Dodja in 2015, our organization has just finished another one in the village of Adjago, situated in the district of Zè; with the financial support of an American NGO (Well Water Global)

The beneficiary community is already enjoying water from this well. Many partners have contributed for this project: our staff members, community leaders, the building company staff and decision makers. A management committee of five members has been created for the sustainability of this project.

Staff        lambassaica@yahoo.fr


COTE D'IVOIRE:

Le projet de réinsertion exécuté dans la région de l’Agneby-Tiassa est à son sixième mois pour l’année 2 avec des avancés notables dans la réalisation des activités de terrain. Nous avons fait la mise place des champs agroforestiers dans les 5 différents villages sélectionnés, les parcelles de cultures maraîchères sont toutes mis en exploitation avec des spéculations variées de légumes cultivées par groupe de bénéficiaires.

Aussi nous avons depuis la date du 05 août 2016 approvisionné les fermes d’élevage en poussin chair pour les 5 nouveaux villages et pondeuse pour les deux anciens villages choisis pour l’expérimentation de cette variété de poulet.

Le développement des plantes est très satisfaisante et la production des différentes spéculations maraîchères qui ont bien commencées dans ce mois. La production du premier cycle des gombos et des choux sont au stade de finition dans les champs. L’évolution des poussins est une grande joie pour les bénéficiaires qui font pour la première fois un élevage moderne de poulet dans leur vie et dans leur village. La bonne croissance des poussins nous permet de faire une prévision nette du début de la vente dans 15 jours pour les poulets de chairs.

L’arrivée de Madame Maki chargée d’enquête sociologique pour la recherche de financement à ICA Japon en Côte d’Ivoire pour 10 jours d’activités terrains à contribuées à motiver les bénéficiaires dans tous les villages. Cette mission qui s’inscrit dans la recherche future d’idée de projet pour le soutien du présent projet dans la région de l’Agneby-Tiassa.

Durant sa présence, elle a profité pour visiter les 11villages dans lesquels nous menons nos activités.

ICA-CI a une fois de plus été honoré cette année dans la réalisation de ce grand projet par la visite de son Excellence Monsieur Hiroshi Kawamura Ambassadeur du Japon en Côte d’Ivoire le 01er septembre 2016. Cette deuxième mission du premier citoyen Japonais sur un des sites de notre projet est le signe que tout le gouvernement Japonais suit le projet de réinsertion exécuté à Agboville. Son Excellence Monsieur l’Ambassadeur était accompagné de son premier secrétaire et d’une forte communauté Japonaise.

Son Excellence à au cours de cette visite présenté ses civilités aux autorités administratives de la région d’Agboville au bureau de Monsieur le Préfet de Région à Madame la Conseillère spéciale du Ministre de l’Agriculture représentant Monsieur le Ministre de l’Agriculture.

Cette grande visite a aussi été rehaussée de la présence du Directeur Régional du Ministère de l’Agriculture représentant Monsieur le Ministre de l’Agriculture qui prodigué des conseils à tous les bénéficiaires du projet et leur signifier que à travers le Ministère de l’Agriculture c’est tout le gouvernement de Côte d’Ivoire qui suit ce projet.

    Cliquez sur les photos pour les agrandir et pour sous-titrer.      Click pictures to enlarge and for caption

The reintegration project now functioning in the area of Agneby-Tiassa is in its sixth month of the 2 year program, with notable advances in the performance of field activities. ICA-CI started the agroforestry field projects in the 5 different villages selected, and the plots of vegetables are now being tended with positive speculation for the success of the vegetables grown by the beneficiaries. Plant development has been very satisfactory and the production of a variety of vegetables started well this month. The first cycle of okra and cabbage are in their final stages in the fields before harvesting.

Since August 5 2016 we have supplied the means for the meat chicken farms, in 5 new villages, and for laying hens in the two ancient villages chosen for the experiment of this variety of chicken. The evolution of the chicks is a great joy for the beneficiaries, who have now, for the first time, a modern chicken breeding facility in their lives and in their village. The good chick growth allows us to make a clear prediction for the start of sales in 15 days, for broilers.

Madame Maki, charged with the sociological survey for the ICA in Japan, who funded research in the Ivory Coast, was here for 10 days to view the land activities that have contributed to the motivation of the beneficiaries in all the villages. This mission was part of a future research project idea for support in the region of Agneby-Tiassa.

ICA-CI has once again been honoured this year in recognition of this major project by the visit of his Excellency, Mr. Hiroshi Kawamura, Japanese Ambassador to Côte d'Ivoire, on September 1st 2016. The second mission of a Japanese citizen to view our project sites, is a sign that the Japanese government is following the reintegration project implemented in Agboville with interest. His Excellency the Ambassador was accompanied by his first secretary and a strong Japanese delegation.

His Excellency during the visit, presented his respects to the administrative authorities in the region of Agboville in the office of Mr. Prefect of the Region, and to Madam Special Adviser to the Minister of Agriculture, representing the Minister of Agriculture.

This great visit was also enhanced by the presence of the Regional Director of the Ministry of Agriculture who was representing the Minister of Agriculture. The government of Côte d'Ivoire is following the project.


Kouame Konan         konaneug@gmail.com


NEPAL:

ICA Nepal welcomed Ms. Shizuyo Sato from ICA Japan at the beginning of August 2016 for 15 days. The purpose of her visit was to monitor the ongoing project at Changunarayan and provide the community with development training in the Changunarayan community. During her stay she was totally occupied with visits to several different villages, where she observed the ICA Nepal team and the Changunarayan community participants monitoring sanitary napkin production training.                                                  Click pictures to enlarge and caption

The module of community rehabilitation training, was explained to ICA Nepal and its members by a trainer, on the 8th and 9th of August. Then, from 10th-12th August, the community rehabilitation training was given to the Changunarayan community for the 90 participants. During the 3 day program, Day I was focused on Sustainable Development, Day II was on Philosophy, Principle and Mission, and Day III was focused on Leadership. The training was highly successful as community people were able to learn a lot of ways to generate income from agriculture development and community rehabilitation.

During her stay, one of the major activities was related to the training of the sanitary napkin production staff, conducted in Changunarayan. Trainers from India provided the training to 10 women from the community who will be further training more women and conducting several awareness programs in coming days. The training took place on the 16th and 17th of August. Before that, on 15th and 16th August, the 6th psycho-social support program was also held at Changunarayan.

Ms. Sato also visited the neighboring villages of Archale VDC from Nuwakot, on the 13th August and Sangachok VDC of Sindhupalchok, on 14th August. The purpose of these visits was to explore the possibility of future development work and collaboration in the area.

ICA Nepal is happy to announce the relocation of its offices to a new building inaugurated quite traditionally by the hand of Ms. Shizuyo Sato on the 17th of August. ICA Nepal bid farewell to Ms. Shizuyo Sato along with the trainers of the sanitary napkin program, who were invited and came all the way from India, in a small retreat program organized on 18th of August.

The participation of volunteers in the construction of a playground behind the learning center at Changunarayan was also a major achievement for this month. Various volunteers joined together for the construction of the playground for children. Also, after some revision to previous planning, the kitchen and dining hall is being renovated behind the learning center.

After the return of Ms. Sato, ICA Nepal has been focusing on reaching new dimensions and starting new approaches. Keeping the ongoing projects side by side, ICA Nepal is planning and working hard to open new windows for the future.

Prepared by
Pritha Khanal          pritha_khanal@yahoo.com
ICA Nepal


USA:


October Forums Hope to Spur Local Level
Sustainability Efforts


Submitted By: Luke Burrows, ICA-USA intern

October 2016 will mark the beginning of an ICA-USA initiative to accelerate the sustainability efforts of cities across the nation. ICA’s ‘month of service’ aims to pair local, pro-bono ToP facilitators with multiple citywide organizations, creating new collaborations with the goal of bolstering sustainable and environmentally conscious initiatives, and creating a venue for ToP trainers and facilitators to meet more organizations in their locale.

This year is the fortieth anniversary of ICA’s Bicentennial ‘76 Town Meetings, which laid out ICA’s mission, and its current and future efforts. In the top ten concerns, as demarcated by the 76’ meetings, “environmental preparedness for the future” was number eight. Forty years later climate action still remains formational to the ICA mission statement of creating a more sustainable earth.

The forums are individually designed to fit with ideals and strategies of the cities they will be conducted in. For instance, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the local ToP facilitator has long term experience in the public health sector. She will be working with ICA’s contacts in community development and ecological groups in the area. Citizens in these groups have been pressing for a new, environmentally friendly and community-constructed bike path on the city’s northwest side state forest. In addition, there has long been a conversational schism between local government and the city’s low income, minority communities, especially in regards to the unaddressed flooding these communities face. Therefore, the Milwaukee forum, hosted on October 18th, will bring together these groups with a ToP facilitator to devise an immediate plan of action for these distinct causes.

In Minnesota, the state government requires municipal governments to address public policy concerns with a Comprehensive Plan. This being the case, the ToP facilitated October forum in the Twin Cities will focus on outreach to suburban and local government officials to bring a more lively environmental agenda to the city’s Plan for 2017.

This pro bono work seeks to create new business for both local organizations and ToP facilitators. As ICA aims to drive local level action, the expected outcome is for a synergistic, mutual gain for both partners. Consensus building and local planning, vis-á-vis ToP’s methodology, could bring national, governmental actors into the mix, drawing more definitive possibilities for future collaborations.

                                Download ICA ToP Climate Action flyer here



Notices
You are invited to attend the
ICA Asia Pacific Regional Meeting
Please share this invitation to potential attendees in the Asia
Pacific region and beyond. Ask folks to respond by email to icapune@icaindiapn.org


See here: ICA Asia Pacific Regional Meeting. PDF