Global Buzz 2022 02 01

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Global Buzz Report: February 2022

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GLOBAL CALENDAR of zoom events - We would encourage all of us to keep an eye on the Global Archive new initiative – hosting global conversations – book reviews, topical discussions, etc.

Do consider your participation as well as hosting an on line session some time!

Global Schedule of events! icaglobalschedule@gmail.com.

Remember: YOU are invited to:
1.Offer a presentation you are interested in giving;
2.Recommend other people to present;
3.Participate in any of the events and encourage your friends to attend; and
4.Give feedback by emailing: icaglobalschedule@gmail.com.

The vision for the Global Calendar of events is to make this easily accessible/ globally friendly to all no matter where/what!

As you will be aware, ICAI – GA is in process of some re-structuring (with all ICAs represented) – a further opportunity for strengthening our global/regional communication and collaboration.

BENIN:

With the financial support from End Water Poverty, ICA Benin has organised a capacity building workshop for Donga region ‘s Safe Water Consumers’Associations on 26 November 2021. It took place in the district of Ouaké.

More than 30 participants attended to this training facilitated by our staff members. They have been trained on their mission, objectives and how to collaborate with their municipality agencies.

The main actvity of these associations is to visite villages and collect community members’ complaints about water issues. Then they do submit these complaints to decisions makers to find solutions to them.

This well, built in 1957, is supplying water to more than 1000 people of Sopitè (Ouaké). Participants of the workshop are visiting it

In order to enable partners women groups of ICA Benin to become active again, we have conducted a project from July 2021 to January 2022 in Donda region
As we are working with rural women groups, they decided to produce groundnuts and soya beans. These initiatives have been supported by Huairou Commission

GHANA: Development Institute

Promoting the sustainable management
of coastal resources through exchange programmes

As part of efforts to ensure sustainable management of coastal resources in Ghana, our project coordinator paid a working visit to partner organisations CREDI-ONG and ECO-BENIN in Benin under the Small-Scale Initiatives Program (PPI). The visit offered us the opportunity to exchange knowledge and ideas about ways to improve sustainable management of coastal natural resources (wetlands, mangroves etc).

During the one-week visit, our representative visited the Valley de Sitatunga and Foret de Aïzo at Zannoudji to learn about the West African sitatunga and methods adopted in managing these swamp-dwelling antelopes as well as the culture and traditions that shape the conservation of the Aïzo forest. A visit to the women group in the national park also revealed how the women support each other financially through a local initiative called Village Savings Association.

At the mono biosphere reserve, Eco-Benin outlined their strategy of using traditional concepts in protecting mangrove forest. They also showed how they engaged in frequent surveillance and patrols to arrest people involved in illegal fishing and practices, sea turtle protection and the touristic aspect towards conservation of the landscape. In addition to the visit, TDI also participated in the West Africa sitatunga group workshop held at Sita Lodge in Zinvie to update the

workplan for 2022 to 2023, highlighting policy and advocacy, communication and structure and animation of the network.

On the whole, the goal of the exchange visit was achieved focusing mainly on acquiring additional knowledge for the sustainable management of coastal resources. We look forward to more of such opportunities in the near future.

Dzifa Kumaga dkumagah@thedevin.org

KENYA:

Finally, ICA Kenya has been reinstated and in the picture is some of the staff who had gathered to receive team’s progress reports and celebrate the new certificate of registration. Among the staff are the two board members holding the certificate. ICAK is grateful to ICA – USA and ICA Japan for the support to realize this success.

While waiting for reinstatement, ICA Kenya developed a three-year participatory strategic plan (SP) and reviewed the first quarter and planned for the second quarter. Internal training on the use of zoom by the staff during virtual meetings was conducted successfully.

PARTICIPATORY
STRATEGIC
PLAN

3 YEARS PLAN
Draw up an implementation timeline

TRENDS ANALYSIS – historical scan

VISON
Changes we would like to see in place -2-5 years

CONTRADICTIONS
Underlying blocks to achieve our vision

STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
Setting the strategic directions

ONE YEAR ACTION PLAN

3 MONTH IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

PREPARATION AND
Design

To create the plan, 18 MGEP members and partners (board and supporters), met for two and half lively days at EMESS Hotel, Nanyuki Town. ICAK followed the classic ToP Strategic Planning sequence: practical vision, underlying contradictions, strategic directions and implementation (see diagram above). The partners’ vision captured the full range of MGEP core areas of focus: Education, Economic empowerment, Sexual & Reproductive health, Gender Based Violence, Mentorship, Drug & substance abuse that they must meet. What follows is the range of creativity that emerged from the participants. At the end of the

event the participants appreciated the outcome.

ICA Kenya is in discussion with ICA USA on climate change project funding. It’s also in discussion with ICA Nepal alongside other Africa ICAs on Fundraising training and national capacity building to fundraise locally and internationally. The plans for CTL Training facilitated by ICA Canada is at advance stages. The training is set to start in February 2022 and it will take 5 months. The training will be mainly virtual and the participants will come from several ICA countries in Africa.

ICA Kenya is actively participating in regional and global virtual meetings.

NEPAL:

Development Opportunities in the Eastern Development Region of Nepal.

Sankhuwasabha is one of the beautiful districts in Province No. 1 of Eastern Nepal, with mountains and startlingly surreal landscapes with diverse ethnicities living in harmony, separated from other communities. ICA Nepal conducted Need Assessment along with the distribution of educational and healthcare materials at the Northern Part of Sankhuwasabha and Makalu-Barun Areas. The local organizations and people provided full support to the program. The 6-day trip remained fascinating and unforgettable. It approximately took us 2days to reach the administrative center of Sankhuwasabha i.e Khandbari along with some short visits to Khotang Haleshi Temple, and some renowned places of Nepal such as Diktel, Okhaldhunga, Bhojpur, Sindhuli, Hile, and Mid Hill Highway.

Khadbari was surrounded by breathtaking scenery and mountain views, the local people were also very kind and innocent; additionally, they welcomed us with great hospitality. We successfully distributed educational and healthcare materials such as bags, books, copies, pen/pencil, sanitary napkins, soaps, sanitizers, masks, and COVID prevention posters at six different schools at Sankhuwasabha. The local schools included Shree Krishna Secondary School; Bhotkhola Rural Municipality, Dharmadowar Basic School; Makalu Rural Municipality, Ekuwa Basic School; Makalu Rural Municipality, Shree Shova Basic School, Simma Health Post, and Pawakhola Health Post as well as School.

Education Support Program

The unavailability of electricity, and any other means of transportation, as well as road construction, was also the problems at peak; followed by innutritious food. People light up torch lights, tuki, and use solar power to eliminate the dark. Alaichi’s farming was highly observed as a source of income generation. Due to Alaichi farming, people tend to farm fewer cash crops and buy overdue rice from India at a low price. The locals highly consume junk foods and more and more housewives are finding it easier to cook instant noodles and serve their families. During our visit, the people were expecting of getting more than just donations. We also observed discrimination as Dalits were not allowed to enter the kitchen whereas other ethnic groups were warmly welcomed inside the house. The unmanaged water resources have also been causing problems as livestock pollute the water. The construction of the reservoir was considered essential.

The locals further enlightened us about the conditions of health posts and requirements for Medical Equipment such as beds and generators in Karmarang and other health centers as well. The students need to take a long 3-4 hour route to come to school and lack nutritious lunch as well as shelter. The female students tend to suffer more and the day-to-day activities of these students have been very troublesome. The Need Assessment concluded that they require proper Hostels, especially for girls. To gain Higher Studies they further need to visit different other places that take around 6 -7 hours on foot as there are no other means of transportation and are forced to drop out of school even though they wish to study more. The visit was full of surprises and worthy because of unforgettable moments spared in the lap of glorifying nature and with welcoming communities.

Every Friday Learning Friday
ICA Nepal has been organizing different Classified Talks shows from experts on Fundraising and Development-related topics. As mentioned in the earlier reports, we have been conducting Every Friday, Learning Friday program sessions by experts in a particular field. Topics for this January were:

Attendees have warmly appreciated the learning program and the number of participants is growing each week. More and more audiences are attending this free webinar and improving their fundraising skills each Friday with ICA from all around Nepal. The experts and facilitators provide excellent insights to the participants. Additionally, we also express our gratitude to the experts through our Certificate of Appreciation.

ICA Nepal is an active leading facilitator for various organizations and has trained hundreds of facilitators on Leadership, Management, and Governance (LMG). ICA team organized a series of training on LMG for Handicap International and Rotary Clubs to encourage the design and implementation of challenge projects.
ICA Nepal has been facilitating different programs with the themes Women in Community Development.
This January, we successfully conducted a 3-day virtual training session on Master the Skill of Project Proposal Writing and Fundraisings.
ICA Nepal supported local farmers of Sindhupalchowk to sell Shitake Mushroom.
Prof. Tatwa P. Timsina, Founding Chair of ICA Nepal presented ICA Nepal's publications to Ms. Pemba Lama, Secretary of Madan Bhandari Foundation in Kathmandu.
Furthermore, we are very delighted to share that our founder, Prof. Dr. Tatwa P. Timsina, has been elected as the Chairperson of Imagine Nepal.