From ngopulse at sangonet.org.za Wed Oct 1 12:50:38 2008 From: ngopulse at sangonet.org.za (NGO-Pulse) Date: Wed Oct 1 13:49:40 2008 Subject: [NGO-Pulse] =?windows-1252?q?Issue_144_-_Illiteracy=2C_HIV/AIDS?= =?windows-1252?q?=2C_2008_NGO_Web_Awards=85?= Message-ID: <48E355FE.1040605@sangonet.org.za> NGO Pulse - SANGONeT *ngo*pulse | issue no. 144| 01 October 2008 Contents * New jobs, proposals and events this week * Quote of the Week * Top local and international news flashes * Non-profit analysis, tools and opinions * Prodder Directory * SANGOTeCH * BackaBuddy * SN-Announce *New on the Home Page*: http://www.sangonet.org.za A common critique of organisations working in the development sector is that of excess spending, with little result or impact. Whether this is a fair criticism or not, the vast majority of NGOs, CSOs and development agencies are cognisant of the need to demonstrate that they spend wisely on projects and interventions that are making a difference. This is only possible, however, if development work is underpinned by transparent monitoring, evaluation and response mechanisms that support our work. Unfortunately, we do not always get it right. The two articles featured in this week?s edition of NGO Pulse point to instances where the writers believe we are ?not getting it right?. Writing of his experience at the recent International AIDS Conference (IAC) in Mexico City, Paul Smith* expresses his concern over the spectacle that the IACs have become. ?Maybe AIDS fatigue is a real thing and I have succumbed to the narcolepsy after having to sit through the same show over and over again?, he writes. ?What value does this conference and others like it, actually add to our work? Is the conference really worth it? Is it not time for us to consider doing it differently? Is it not time that we actually realise the sectors? reputation for innovation and consider alternative (less costly, more effective, more honest) ways of sharing and learning?? he asks. Click here to read the full article. Christo van der Rheede, executive officer of the Stigting vir Bemagtiging deur Afrikaans, examines the ?literacy crisis? South Africa faces. He argues that the ?billions of rands? government is spending on addressing the crisis will not have a significant impact as long as the ?fragmented approach to the implementation of the ABET process and inability to launch a uniform, strategic plan? is not addressed. Van der Rheede offers practical suggestions to address the ?literacy crisis? and writes, ?we should challenge the self-serving agendas of the big ABET service providers and inept bureaucrats who simply ignore the fundamental pedagogical principle that the teaching of basic literacy and skills should be conducted in mother tongue.? Click here to read the full article. Smith?s* concerns notwithstanding, the impact of HIV and AIDS in Africa demands an urgent and large scale response. Two weeks ago we published an article by Tian Johnson from the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme (TVEP) in which he argued that universal access to the female condom is critical to save women?s lives. The report on the recent ?2008 Thohoyando Victim Empowerment Dialogues: Universal Access to Female Condoms... A Human Rights Issue? is now available. Click here to download it. On another note, the deadline for entries for the SANGONeT 2008 NGO Web Awards has been extended until Friday, 3 October. Remember to send in your entry to jan@sangonet.org.za In preparation for the upcoming MobileActive08 taking place from 13-15 October, last month?s poll aimed to establish whether you thought mobile technology can help NGOs meet their development objectives. Out of the 98 votes, 71 percent (69) believed this to be the case to a significant degree, 26 percent (25) felt that mobile technology could help to some extent, while 2.1 percent (2) thought it did not help at all. This month we ask whether NGOs should own private equity to avoid dependency on donor funding. To cast your vote, please refer to the bottom right of the SANGONeT Portal where the poll is displayed. Do you think we are getting it right? We invite you to respond to the articles we publish today and as always invite your comments and suggestions. *Not his real name As always, we invite your comments and suggestions. - Janine Moolman, editor@sangonet.org.za Jobs, Proposals & Events * * *Vacancies* * Afesis-corplan, a NGO that contributes to community-driven development and good local governance in the Eastern Cape since 1992, seeks to appoint a Project Coordinator: Capacity Building to be based in East London. The application deadline is 3 October 2008. For more information, click here . * The Soul City Institute invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for the position of Project Manager: Training and Coaching to be based in Johannesburg. The application deadline is 6 October 2008. For more information, click here . * Habitat for Humanity International, a ecumenical Christian housing NGO building simple, decent, affordable housing in partnership with people in need, seeks to employ a National Office Specialist to be based in Pretoria. The application deadline is 10 October 2008. For more information, click here . *RFPs and other Opportunities* * The Open Society Foundation for South Africa Foundation is calling for proposals to undertake a longitudinal evaluation of its crime and safety project in the three sites. The submission deadline is 15 October 2008. For more information, click here . * Entries are still open for the Conrad N. Hilton Humanitarian Prize which is awarded annually to an organisation making extraordinary contributions toward alleviating human suffering anywhere in the world. The award carries a cash prize of US$1.5 million. The submission deadline is 3 November 2008. For more information, click here . * Free the Slaves invites nominations from individuals and organisations working to eradicate human trafficking and modern-day slavery for the 2009 Freedom Awards. The submission deadline is 1 December 2008. For more information, click here . *New Events* * South African Institute of Computer Scientists and Information Technologists, in collaboration with the Computer Society of South Africa, is hosting a workshop on Information Communication Technology Grand Challenges on 6 October 2008 in the Western Cape. For more information, click here . * The International Institute For Peace Through Tourism is hosting the 1st IIPT European Conference from 21-24 October 2008 in the Netherlands. For more information, click here . * Publishing and Alternative Licensing Models South Africa is hosting a Publishing Workshop from 3-4 November 2008 in Cape Town. For more information, click here . *Training* * The University of Free State invites applications for its Multidisciplinary MA / Postgraduate Diploma in Gender Studies. The application Deadline is 17 October 2008. For more information, click here . * The International NGO Training and Research Centre is conducting a three-day programme on Supporting Southern Advocacy from 5-7 November 2008 in London, UK. For more information, click here . * The Human Rights Education Associates is conducting an online course on International Tribunals, World Courts and Human Rights from 2 February to 12 April 2009. The application deadline is 1 December 2008. For more information, click here . Quote of the Week * * . - . *Top Local and International News Flashes* *Recent LOCAL news items * * Mandela Congratulates President Motlanthe * Closure of Refugee Camps is Illegal ? CoRMSA * Teenage Mothers Use Child Grants on Alcohol and Clothing ? NGO * HURISA Speaks Out on Thabo Mbeki?s Resignation * Government Stops Mining Project After NGO Appeal * NGO Donates Food Parcels and Blankets to Flood Victims * NLB Slams the DA and Media Over Unpaid Lotto Money * NGO Speaks Out on Leadership Change in the ANC Government *Recent INTERNATIONAL news items* * NGO Urged to Stop Supplying Food and Medicine to the LRA * Quality of Life Better in South Africa than in Other African Countries ? Survey * Turkey Blocks 850 Internet Sites * New Initiative to Raise Efforts to Fight Global Poverty * Kenya Raises PC Import Tax Hurdles for NGOs *Nonprofit Analysis, Tools and Opinions* * Resource: Female Condom Dialogue Report 2008 * Paper: The Right to Food and the Impact of Liquid Biofuels * Paper: Reviewing the Implementation of the Monterrey Consensus * Booklet: Monitoring HIV/AIDS Reporting Through a Gender Lens * Book: The WorldatWork Handbook of Compensation, Benefits & Total Rewards * Report: Report on the Public Hearing on School-Based Violence * Portal: Citizen Journalism in Africa Project * Guide: SANGONeT Development Calendar 2008 *Prodder Directory* Prodder is the most comprehensive directory of NGOs and development organisations in South Africa. To view the directory, please click here . We encourage NGOs to review their entries and forward us information about changes and corrections that need to be made. Any feedback about the new platform in general, including additional features and information to be added, would also be appreciated. Please forward your comments to prodder@sangonet.org.za . Order your copy of Prodder - NGOs and Development in South Africa 2008, here . SANGOTeCH SANGOTeCH aims to assist NGOs by providing software and hardware for very low or discounted fees in conjunction with ICT donor partners, as well as by supporting NGOs to make the most of their ICT purchases and infrastructure. This SANGONeT programme is open to South African non- profit organisations that have either Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) status or Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) status. For more information about SANGOTeCH, please refer to > BackaBuddy SANGONeT supports BackaBuddy , an online fundraising website which combines the power of sport and the reach of the Internet in support of NGOs in South Africa. We provide potential donors with detailed information, through the Prodder NGO Directory , about the NGOs profiled for support on BackaBuddy. For more information contact David Barnard or Matthew de Gale on 011 403-4935 or e-mail: info@sangonet.org.za *SN-Announce* SN-Announce is an e-mail advertising service that provides an invaluable service to the NGO sector in Southern Africa. With a potential readership of more than 10 000 people, it remains one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to reach the NGO and development community in South Africa. The type of information distributed includes alerts for vacancies, campaign launches, conferences, training courses and development services. Subscription to the SN-Announce service is free. For more information about how to subscribe to SN-Announce or post an announcement on it, please contact Dora Moche at SANGONeT on (011) 403-4935 or dora@sangonet.org.za . *Copyleft* You are welcome to re-use any material from NGO Pulse. However we cannot authorise the use of any third-party content accessed via our services. The single phrase below is the copyright notice to be used when reproducing any portion of this alerting service, in any format: From SANGONeT. Copyright 2003-2008, http://www.sangonet.org.za *NGO Pulse Archives* Back issues of the NGO Pulse can be accessed from this link . Subscriptions *TO SUBSCRIBE:* send an email request to ngopulse@sangonet.org.za with the subject "subscribe me". If you have the time to elaborate in just a line or two, we are keen to find out about your professional and development interests. *TO UNSUBSCRIBE:* send an email request to ngopulse@sangonet.org.za with the subject "unsubscribe me" along with your e-mail address. -------------- next part -------------- Skipped content of type multipart/related From ngopulse at sangonet.org.za Wed Oct 8 11:57:28 2008 From: ngopulse at sangonet.org.za (NGO-Pulse) Date: Wed Oct 8 12:20:13 2008 Subject: [NGO-Pulse] =?windows-1252?q?Issue_145_-_Girls_and_Technology=2C?= =?windows-1252?q?_Teenage_Suicide=2C_MobileActive08=85?= Message-ID: <48EC8408.7030502@sangonet.org.za> NGO Pulse - SANGONeT *ngo*pulse | issue no. 145| 08 October 2008 Contents * New jobs, proposals and events this week * Quote of the Week * Top local and international news flashes * Non-profit analysis, tools and opinions * Prodder Directory * SANGOTeCH * BackaBuddy * SN-Announce *New on the Home Page*: http://www.sangonet.org.za In four days SANGONeT and MobileActive will host MobileActive08 , the largest international civil society event to date, focusing on the use and application of mobile technology in support of social action. The over 300 participants at the event will assess the current state of knowledge in the use and effectiveness of mobile technology to advance social action, and investigate trends, needs and investment opportunities. The two articles we publish in this week?s edition of NGO Pulse both raise concerns around technology ? one in terms of girls? exclusion and the other about the potentially damaging consequences of unsupervised use by young people. Faith Nkomo, Girls?Net project manager at Women?sNet writes: ?Given the position of the girl child in societies across the world, how do we ensure that girls and young women acquire and inherit a world in which they are equal citizens, have the right to speak and be heard, and are able to participate meaningfully in all aspects of their development? Specifically, how do we ensure that the information and communication technologies are inserted into girls? heritage?? ?We must debunk the myths around the masculine nature of technology use and challenge commonly held attitudes to girls and technology?, she says. Click here to read the full article. Writing about the increase in the number of teenage suicides in South Africa, Alda Smit, a clinical specialist at Lifeline Ekurhuleni, says ??the pre-occupation with technology does have drawbacks as it does not always leave space for the development and exercise of other life skills. Teenagers could be technologically advanced and display a lot of knowledge obtained from the internet, but a lack of communication skills could leave them lonely and isolated.? Smit outlines several factors that put young people at risk of suicide and says that efforts to support the emotional wellness of youth must be intensified. Click here to read the full article. The article by Christo van Rheede ?The Literacy Crisis ? we published last week, generated much discussion amongst readers. Andrew Miller, CEO of Project Literacy wrote: ?As CEO of a large ABET service provider I must take issue with some of the points raised by Christo van der Rheede in his article ?The Literacy Crisis?... Sadly it is often the client and often, in our case, state departments (!) who refuse the mother tongue first option.? Click here to read his full response. On a different point, we are looking forward to launching the new SANGONeT NGO Portal - NGO Pulse - next week. Be sure to log onto the SANGONeT website next week to view the portal and stay updated with what is happening at MobileActive08. As usual we invite your comments and suggestions. - Janine Moolman, editor@sangonet.org.za Jobs, Proposals & Events * * *Vacancies* * The Good Governance Learning Network, a network of South African NGOs that aim to promote participatory, effective, accountable and pro-poor local governance, seeks to employ a Coordinator to be based at the Foundation for Contemporary Research in Cape Town. The application deadline is 13 October 2008. For more information, click here . * Health-e is looking for young, energetic journalism graduates who are passionate about health reporting, to join its team for a one-year internship. The interns will be based in Johannesburg. The application deadline is 17 October 2008. For more information, click here . *RFPs and other Opportunities* * The National Prosecuting Authority is calling for proposals from NGOs and other organisations currently involved in victim empowerment programmes for grants to develop capacity to assist victims of human trafficking. This is a once-off grant of up to R100 000. The submission deadline is 22 October 2008. For more information, click here . * The South Africa-Finland Knowledge Partnership on ICT is calling for proposals for programmes aimed at benefiting ordinary South Africans in health, education and other specialised areas. The submission deadline is 24 October 2008. For more information, click here . *New Events* * The French Institute of South Africa, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung and the South African Institute of International Affairs are hosting a one-day conference entitled "The European Social Model: Which Benefits for South Africa and Africa" on 15 October 2008. For more information, click here . * The Information and Communication Technologies Association of Malawi in collaboration with the Royal Swedish Institute of Technology and the Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa, is hosting the 6th International Conference on Open Access from 12-14 November 2008 in Lilongwe, Malawi. For more information, click here . * The Drama for Life programme at Wits School of Arts is hosting four-day workshop / festival for theatre practitioners and organisations involved in HIV education, prevention and rehabilitation from 3-6 November 2008 in Johannesburg. For more information, click here . *Training* * The University of KwaZulu-Natal?s School of Development Studies invites applications for its Masters in Development Studies and Masters in Population Studies. The application deadline is 31 October 2008. For more information, click here . * The Institute for the Advancement of Journalism is conducting a one-day course on Advanced Layout and Design on 24 November 2008 in Johannesburg. For more information, click here . Quote of the Week * * Many people see technology as the problem behind the so-called digital divide. Others see it as the solution. Technology is neither. It must operate in conjunction with business, economic, political and social system. - Carly Fiorina. *Top Local and International News Flashes* *Recent LOCAL news items * * Poverty Causes Crime in South Africa ? Survey * NGO Speaks Out on Housing in South Africa * Poverty Declines in South Africa ? Netshitenzhe * Telkom Rolls Out its Own 3G Network * iBurst Named Finalist in the 2008 World Communication Awards * MISA-SA Speaks Out on Media Freedom *Recent INTERNATIONAL news items* * HRW Condemns Human Rights Abuses in Bangladesh * MSF Releases a Report on Malaria * Google Launches Blog Tracking Service * NGOs Urge Zambia?s Presidential Candidates to Prioritise Gender Issues * NGOs Urge International Community to Protect Civilians * EU Opens a Migration Centre in West Africa *Nonprofit Analysis, Tools and Opinions* * Article: Can the New African Foundations Level the Playing Field * Report: Protecting Refugees, Asylum Seekers and Immigrants in South Africa * Toolkit: Gender Based Violence Database * Letter: Project Literacy Responds to Christo van der Rheede?s Article * Portal: Citizen Journalism in Africa Project * Guide: SANGONeT Development Calendar 2008 *Prodder Directory* Prodder is the most comprehensive directory of NGOs and development organisations in South Africa. To view the directory, please click here . We encourage NGOs to review their entries and forward us information about changes and corrections that need to be made. Any feedback about the new platform in general, including additional features and information to be added, would also be appreciated. Please forward your comments to prodder@sangonet.org.za . Order your copy of Prodder - NGOs and Development in South Africa 2008, here . SANGOTeCH SANGOTeCH aims to assist NGOs by providing software and hardware for very low or discounted fees in conjunction with ICT donor partners, as well as by supporting NGOs to make the most of their ICT purchases and infrastructure. This SANGONeT programme is open to South African non- profit organisations that have either Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) status or Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) status. For more information about SANGOTeCH, please refer to > BackaBuddy SANGONeT supports BackaBuddy , an online fundraising website which combines the power of sport and the reach of the Internet in support of NGOs in South Africa. We provide potential donors with detailed information, through the Prodder NGO Directory , about the NGOs profiled for support on BackaBuddy. For more information contact David Barnard or Matthew de Gale on 011 403-4935 or e-mail: info@sangonet.org.za *SN-Announce* SN-Announce is an e-mail advertising service that provides an invaluable service to the NGO sector in Southern Africa. With a potential readership of more than 10 000 people, it remains one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to reach the NGO and development community in South Africa. The type of information distributed includes alerts for vacancies, campaign launches, conferences, training courses and development services. Subscription to the SN-Announce service is free. For more information about how to subscribe to SN-Announce or post an announcement on it, please contact Nicolle Beeby at SANGONeT on (011) 403-4935 or nicolle@sangonet.org.za . *Copyleft* You are welcome to re-use any material from NGO Pulse. However we cannot authorise the use of any third-party content accessed via our services. The single phrase below is the copyright notice to be used when reproducing any portion of this alerting service, in any format: From SANGONeT. Copyright 2003-2008, http://www.sangonet.org.za *NGO Pulse Archives* Back issues of the NGO Pulse can be accessed from this link . Subscriptions *TO SUBSCRIBE:* send an email request to ngopulse@sangonet.org.za with the subject "subscribe me". If you have the time to elaborate in just a line or two, we are keen to find out about your professional and development interests. *TO UNSUBSCRIBE:* send an email request to ngopulse@sangonet.org.za with the subject "unsubscribe me" along with your e-mail address. -------------- next part -------------- Skipped content of type multipart/related From ngopulse at sangonet.org.za Wed Oct 15 18:50:30 2008 From: ngopulse at sangonet.org.za (NGO Pulse) Date: Wed Oct 15 19:02:40 2008 Subject: [NGO-Pulse] Issue 146 - SANGONeT Launches NGO Pulse, the NGO Information Portal. Message-ID: <48F61F56.4070905@sangonet.org.za> NGO Pulse Masthead issue no 146 | 15 october 2008__ Contents <#New_Jobs_Proposals__Events> New jobs, proposals and events <#New_Jobs_Proposals__Events> <#Quote_of_the_week> Quote of the week <#Quote_of_the_week> bullet <#Comment_of_the_week_> Comment of the week <#Comment_of_the_week_> bullet <#Latest_News_Flashes> Latest news flashes <#Latest_News_Flashes> bullet <#Nonprofit_Analysis_and_Opinions_> Non-profit analysis and opinions <#Latest_News_Flashes> <#Latest_News_Flashes> bullet <#Prodder_Directory> Prodder Directory <#Prodder_Directory> bullet <#SANGOTeCH> SANGOTeCH <#SANGOTeCH> bullet <#BackaBuddy> BackaBuddy <#BackaBuddy> bullet <#SN-Announce> SN-Announce <#SN-Announce> Quote of the week The number one benefit of information technology is that it empowers people to do what they want to do. It lets people be creative. It lets people be productive. It lets people learn things they didn't think they could learn before, and so in a sense it is all about potential. - Steve Ballmer. Comment of the week I approached the launch of the new portal with trepidation. For someone that usually has a lot to say on a lot of issues I have only one thing to say about the new portal and that is AWESOME WORK GUYS! - Tian Johnson, Advocacy Officer, Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme. Launching NGO Pulse by Janine Moolman Welcome to the new NGO Pulse newsletter! Today is a momentous day for SANGONeT as we launch both our new portal, NGO Pulse and unveil our new corporate identity. The months of planning, late night debates about logos, look and feel and anxiety producing moments about meeting the deadline are past. Ahead of us lies a process we are very excited about: building NGO Pulse into a vibrant online community where we share our views, whinge, and celebrate our achievements. NGO Pulse is where we connect! This issue of NGO Pulse has been produced during MobileActive08 which draws to a close today. The SANGONeT team has been hard at work preparing for the conference which, judging from the responses from participants, who represent 40 countries, has been inspiring and marked by innovation. With sessions ranging from using mobile phones in AIDS education to using them for organic coffee certification the first MobileActive in Africa has certainly made an impression. Among the almost 400 participants are seven members of the SANGONeT/ HIVOS Citizen Journalism Africa project who have spent the past three days blogging about the conference. Next week we will dedicate a section of NGO Pulse to sharing the outcomes of MobileActive08 with you. For SANGONeT, the launch of NGO Pulse is a culmination of our work over the past two decades. Over the next few months we will introduce you to new functionalities which will allow you to participate in making the portal the kind of space that you feel is useful to you. Click here to read more. In this edition of NGO Pulse, we also publish an article by Archbishop Njongo Ndungane who calls for urgent action to address the impact of poverty in South Africa. "Enough is enough. Words will not feed the hungry. It is time for action that will address the needs of the people of South Africa", he writes. Click here to read the full article. We look forward to hearing what you think about our new look. editor@sangonet.org.za New Jobs, Proposals & Events Employment Opportunities * The Media in Education Trust a NGO working in education development, seeks to appoint a Director: Education and Training to be based in Durban. The application deadline is 27 October 2008. For more information, click here . * The AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for the position of HIV and Human Rights Training Officer to be based in Johannesburg. The application deadline is 30 October 2008. For more information, click here . Proposals, Grants & Awards * New Tactics is calling for proposals for the 2008-09 Partnership Grants under the title "Resources for Strategic Thinking and Tactical Innovation in Local Human Rights Struggles". The grants have a value of up to US$6 000. The submission deadline is 27 October 2008. For more information, click here . * The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is calling for proposals for the Access to Learning Award. The award recipient will receive US$1 million. The submission deadline is 31 October 2008. For more information, click here . New Events * EISA, a NGO that promotes credible elections and democratic governance in Africa, is hosting a two day symposium on the theme "Strengthening Democratic Governance through the APRM: A Civil Society Dialogue", from 21-22 October 2008 in Maputo, Mozambique. For more information, click here . * The Resource Alliance, in collaboration with the Kenya Association of Fundraising Professionals, is hosting the 15th Eastern Africa Resource Mobilisation Workshop from 24-28 November 2008 in Mombasa, Kenya. For more information, click here . Training * The African Institute for Community-Driven Development in partnership with the Centre for Development Support at the University of the Free State is conducting a three-day certificate course on Managing Sustainable Livelihoods: Understanding and Applying the Sustainable Livelihoods Approach from 3-5 November 2008 in Johannesburg. The application deadline is 24 October 2008. For more information, click here . * Wageningen International and KIT are conducting an 11-day course on Local Governance for Rural Development from 9-20 February 2009. For more information and to attend, click here . Latest News Flashes Recent LOCAL news items: * MobileActive08 Gets Underway in Johannesburg * SABC Releases 2007/8 Annual Report * Most Matriculants Not Ready for Exams -- Teachers Unions * Department to Address Weakness in Financial Controls -- Gwanya * A KwaZulu-Natal Community Takes Big Polluters to Court * UNHCR to Launch an Inquiry Against South African Staff Recent INTERNATIONAL news items: * Ethiopia Defends Proposal to Criminalise Foreign NGO Activities * Sierra Leone Tightens Controls Over NGOs * Mozambican Schools Vulnerable to Child Trafficking -- Machel * NGO Develops Guidelines for Nigerian Journalists Reporting from Conflict Non-profit Analysis and Opinions * Book: Ending Aid Dependence * Resource: The Environmental Handbook * Toolkit: 2008 Ibrahim Index of African Governance * Portal: Citizen Journalism in Africa Project Prodder Directory Prodder is the most comprehensive directory of NGOs and development organisations in South Africa. To view the directory, please click here . We encourage NGOs to review their entries and forward us information about changes and corrections that need to be made. Any feedback about the new platform in general, including additional features and information to be added, would also be appreciated. Please forward your comments to prodder@sangonet.org.za. Order your copy of Prodder - NGOs and Development in South Africa 2008, here . SANGOTeCH SANGOTeCH aims to assist NGOs by providing software and hardware for very low or discounted fees in conjunction with ICT donor partners, as well as by supporting NGOs to make the most of their ICT purchases and infrastructure. This SANGONeT programme is open to South African non- profit organisations that have either Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) status or Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) status. For more information about SANGOTeCH, please refer to BackaBuddy SANGONeT supports BackaBuddy, an online fundraising website which combines the power of sport and the reach of the Internet in support of NGOs in South Africa. We provide potential donors with detailed information, through the Prodder NGO Directory, about the NGOs profiled for support on BackaBuddy. For more information contact David Barnard or Matthew de Gale on 011 403-4935 or e-mail: info@sangonet.org.za SN-Announce SN-Announce is an e-mail advertising service that provides an invaluable service to the NGO sector in Southern Africa. With a potential readership of more than 10 000 people, it remains one of the most cost-effective and efficient ways to reach the NGO and development community in South Africa. The type of information distributed includes alerts for vacancies, campaign launches, conferences, training courses and development services. Subscription to the SN-Announce service is free. For more information about how to subscribe to SN-Announce or post an announcement on it, please contact Nicolle Beeby at SANGONeT on (011) 403-4935 or nicolle@sangonet.org.za. Copyleft You are welcome to re-use any material from NGO Pulse. However we cannot authorise the use of any third-party content accessed via our services. The single phrase below is the copyright notice to be used when reproducing any portion of this alerting service, in any format: >From SANGONeT. Copyright 2003-2008, http://www.ngopulse.org NGO Pulse Archives Back issues of the NGO Pulse can be accessed from this link . Subscriptions TO SUBSCRIBE: send an email request to ngopulse@sangonet.org.za with the subject "subscribe me". If you have the time to elaborate in just a line or two, we are keen to find out about your professional and development interests. TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send an email request to ngopulse@sangonet.org.za with the subject "unsubscribe me" along with your e-mail address. -------------- next part -------------- Skipped content of type multipart/related From ngopulse at sangonet.org.za Wed Oct 22 16:06:20 2008 From: ngopulse at sangonet.org.za (NGO-Pulse) Date: Wed Oct 22 16:15:04 2008 Subject: [NGO-Pulse] Issue 147 - Non-Violence, SABC Report, Food Prices... Message-ID: <48FF335C.1030707@sangonet.org.za> NGO Pulse Masthead issue no 147 22 october 2008__ Contents <#New_Jobs_Proposals__Events> New jobs, proposals and events <#New_Jobs_Proposals__Events> <#Quote_of_the_week> Quote of the week <#Quote_of_the_week> bullet <#Comment_of_the_week_> Comment of the week <#Comment_of_the_week_> bullet <#Latest_News_Flashes> Latest news flashes <#Latest_News_Flashes> bullet <#Nonprofit_Analysis_and_Opinions_> Non-profit analysis and opinions <#Latest_News_Flashes> <#Latest_News_Flashes> bullet <#Prodder_Directory> Prodder Directory <#Prodder_Directory> bullet <#SANGOTeCH> SANGOTeCH <#SANGOTeCH> bullet <#BackaBuddy> BackaBuddy <#BackaBuddy> bullet <#SN-Announce> SN-Announce <#SN-Announce> Quote of the week We may never be strong enough to be entirely nonviolent in thought, word and deed. But we must keep nonviolence as our goal and make strong progress towards it. - Mahatma Gandhi. Comment of the week Brilliant new look! We are looking forward to making connections through the Pulse. This platform is very valuable to "US" the NGO community. - Lerato Legoabe on behalf of ABC Ulwazi. SN-Announce SN-Announce is an e-mail advertising service with a readership of more than 10 000 people. Subscription to the SN-Announce service is free. For more information contact Nicolle Beeby on +27 11 403-4935 or nicolle@sangonet.org.za Prodder Directory Prodder is the most comprehensive directory of NGOs and development organisations in South Africa. To view the directory, click here . Order your copy of Prodder - NGOs and Development in South Africa 2008, here . SANGOTeCH SANGOTeCH provides software and hardware to NGOs at discounted fees in conjunction with ICT donor partners. It suppors NGOs to make the most of their ICT purchases and infrastructure. For more information about SANGOTeCH, click here . BackaBuddy SANGONeT supports BackaBuddy, an online fundraising website which combines the power of sport and the reach of the Internet in support of NGOs in South Africa. For more information contact David Barnard or Matthew de Gale on +27 11 403-4935 or e-mail: info@sangonet.org.za NGO Pulse Archives Back issues of the NGO Pulse can be accessed from this link . Non-Violence, SABC Report, Food Prices The flurry of responses to the launch of the new NGO Pulse portal last week has affirmed the place that SANGONeT has in the South African civil society sector. Your comments, suggestions and criticisms have given us much food for thought as we continue working on making NGO Pulse a space that you feel is yours. Over the next few weeks you will see how we are responding to suggestions and improving the portal. In this week's edition of NGO Pulse Prince Nare, project coordinator at the Open Disclosure Foundation, suggests that the strategies civil society organisations employ as a response to the socio-political and economic challenges facing ordinary South Africans, need re-thinking. He calls for a "return to Satyagraha which means 'the force that comes from truth, love and non-violence'" and a condemnation of the inequality that is fueling crime and violence in our country. Click here to read the full article. We focus on the ongoing food pricing crisis that is affecting large parts of the world, and hitting developing countries hardest. The article produced by Oxfam highlights the report 'Double Edged Prices' which calls on governments to learn lessons from the crisis including "the importance of investing in agriculture, having trade policies that ensure food security, and designing social protection systems that protect the poorest." Click here to read the full article. The release of the SABC Annual report on 10 October comes into the spotlight as Kate Skinner, coordinator of the Save our SABC (SOS) Coalition asks some pointed questions to the public broadcaster. She writes that the silence of the report over key issues raises more questions than answers about the crisis at the SABC. Skinner demands answers to her questions: "What percentage of the budget is spent on programming and what on administration? What progress over time, against specific targets, has been made on the SABC fulfilling its language and local content requirements?" Click here to read the full article. And on the subject of media, we also publish a blog from one of our readers who has thrown up his hands in despair at uneven quality of journalism and policing in South Africa. While on the surface a lighthearted blog compellingly titled 'Sex, bombs, toy guns and a married man in a Mercedes', it raises critical points about stereotypes, perception, and what I regard as growing and worrying conservativism. Click here to read the blog. Please continue sending us your thoughts on the new NGO Pulse and also comment on the articles and content we publish. We look forward to hearing from you. Janine Moolman, editor@sangonet.org.za New Jobs, Proposals & Events Employment Opportunities * The Forced Migration Studies Programme in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Witwatersrand invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for the position of Researcher to be based in Johannesburg. The application deadline is 31 October 2008. For more information, click here . * EISA invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for the position of Manager: Governance Institutions and Processes to be based in Johannesburg. The application deadline is 31 October 2008. For more information, click here . * Resources Aimed at the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, a NGO that works to promote the rights and protection of children in South Africa and the region, seeks to appoint an Executive Director to be based in Cape Town. The application deadline is 24 October 2008. For more information, click here . [ Back to Top ] <#top> <#top> Proposals, Grants & Awards * Gender Links invites the submission of articles for a special series of the Opinion and Commentary Service to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism. The deadline for pitches is 27 October and 11 November 2008 for the submission of story. For more information, click here . * The Peter and Patricia Gruber Foundation invites entries for the 2009 Justice Prize. The award includes a gold medal and cash to the value to US$500 000. The submission deadline is 15 December 2008. For more information, click here . * The International Journal of Transitional Justice is calling for papers for its 2009 special issue "Whose Justice? Global and Local Approaches to Transitional Justice". The submission deadline is 15 April 2009. For more information, click here . [ Back to Top ] <#top> New Events * The faculty of Humanities at the University of Johannesburg is hosting the annual Helen Joseph Memorial Lecture on the topic "Law, Morality and Ethics in Public Life in South Africa" on 28 October 2008 in Johannesburg. For more information, click here . * The South African Institute for Advanced Constitutional, Public, Human Rights and International Law is hosting a one-day conference on "The Responsibilities of Business for the Realisation of Human Rights: Towards Greater Regulation" on 3 November 2008 in Johannesburg. For more information, click here . * The African Child Policy Forum is launching the "African Report on Child Wellbeing 2008: How Child--friendly are African Governments" on 20 November 2008 at multiple events in Nairobi and Dakar. For more information, click here . [ Back to Top ] <#top> Training * The University of Fort Hare's Institute of Social and Economic Research, a dedicated interdisciplinary research and post-graduate training centre, is now offering a two-year Masters Degree in African Studies. The application deadline is 31 October 2008. For more information, click here . * Thembani International Guarantee Fund and the Southern New Hampshire University's School of Community Economic Development will be conducting a one-week Management Development Institute course from 17-21 November 2008 in Johannesburg. For more information, click here . * The Institute of Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies at the University of the Western Cape invites applications for its Postgraduate Diploma & MPhil in Land and Agrarian Studies. The application deadline is 31 October 2008. For more information, click here . [ Back to Top ] <#top> Latest News Flashes Recent LOCAL news items: * TAC Praises Hogan's Landmark Speech * R100 000 for Blowing Whistle on Pirated Software * FXI Comments on "100 % Zuluboy" Slogan * SABC Report is Vague and Contradictory * Communications Minister Takes ICASA to Court * LHR Challenges Unlawful Treatment of Refugees * Vodacom Launches Short Voice Service Recent INTERNATIONAL news items: * Former Botswana President Wins Leadership Prize * NGOs Blame World Bank for Global Crisis * EU Donates EUR15 Million Food Aid to East Africa * Rich Nations Reneging Over Aid - Annan * Red Cross to Cut Costs * UNIFEM's Petition Aimed at Ending Violence Against Women * Tanzania's Wealth Plundered -- NGO [ Back to Top ] <#top> Non-profit Analysis and Opinions * Book: HIV/AIDS and Society in South Africa * Resource: Zimbabwe Democracy Now * Resource: The Funding Site * Portal: Citizen Journalism in Africa Project Copyleft You are welcome to re-use any material from NGO Pulse. However we cannot authorise the use of any third-party content accessed via our services. The single phrase below is the copyright notice to be used when reproducing any portion of this alerting service, in any format: >From SANGONeT. Copyright 2003-2008, http://www.ngopulse.org Subscriptions TO SUBSCRIBE: send an email request to ngopulse@sangonet.org.za with the subject "subscribe me". If you have the time to elaborate in just a line or two, we are keen to find out about your professional and development interests. TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send an email request to ngopulse@sangonet.org.za with the subject "unsubscribe me" along with your e-mail address. [ Back to Top ] <#top> -------------- next part -------------- Skipped content of type multipart/related From ngopulse at sangonet.org.za Wed Oct 29 13:23:30 2008 From: ngopulse at sangonet.org.za (NGO-Pulse) Date: Wed Oct 29 13:32:00 2008 Subject: [NGO-Pulse] Issue 148 - Financial Crisis, Female Condoms, Secure Tenure... Message-ID: <490847B2.2060209@sangonet.org.za> NGO Pulse Masthead issue no 148 29 october 2008__ Contents <#New_Jobs_Proposals__Events> New jobs, proposals and events <#New_Jobs_Proposals__Events> <#Quote_of_the_week> Quote of the week <#Quote_of_the_week> bullet <#Comment_of_the_week_> Comment of the week <#Comment_of_the_week_> bullet <#Latest_News_Flashes> Latest news flashes <#Latest_News_Flashes> bullet <#Nonprofit_Analysis_and_Opinions_> Non-profit analysis and opinions <#Latest_News_Flashes> <#Latest_News_Flashes> bullet <#Prodder_Directory> Prodder Directory <#Prodder_Directory> bullet <#SANGOTeCH> SANGOTeCH <#SANGOTeCH> bullet <#BackaBuddy> BackaBuddy <#BackaBuddy> bullet <#SN-Announce> SN-Announce <#SN-Announce> Quote of the week Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life. - Nelson Mandela. Comment of the week We fail to acknowledge that ICTs can and will only take what is there (on a day-to-day basis) and magnify it. If you are a disorganised shambles, you will be an even bigger one in cyberspace... - Robin Opperman, Umcebo Trust. SN-Announce SN-Announce is an e-mail advertising service with a readership of more than 10 000 people. Subscription to the SN-Announce service is free. For more information contact Nicolle Beeby on +27 11 403-4935 or nicolle@sangonet.org.za Prodder Directory Prodder is the most comprehensive directory of NGOs and development organisations in South Africa. To view the directory, click here . Order your copy of Prodder - NGOs and Development in South Africa 2008, here . SANGOTeCH SANGOTeCH provides software and hardware to NGOs at discounted fees in conjunction with ICT donor partners. It suppors NGOs to make the most of their ICT purchases and infrastructure. For more information about SANGOTeCH, click here . BackaBuddy SANGONeT supports BackaBuddy, an online fundraising website which combines the power of sport and the reach of the Internet in support of NGOs in South Africa. For more information contact David Barnard or Matthew de Gale on +27 11 403-4935 or e-mail: info@sangonet.org.za NGO Pulse Archives Back issues of the NGO Pulse can be accessed from this link . Financial Crisis, Female Condoms, Secure Tenure Civil society organisations at the forefront of struggles for economic and social justice have always made the connections between global economic policy and local contexts. The mantra "think global, act local" has assumed new significance in the current global financial crisis as across the world ordinary people are feeling the devastating impacts of ever increasing food, fuel and commodity prices. How is the financial crisis affecting civil society organisations' ability to serve their constituencies? SANGONeT's Executive Director, David Barnard says, "Funders, especially endowment-based foundations such as Ford, Mott, Kellogg, etc might be affected as less money will be available from investments for distribution. At the same time, as company profits decrease or internal spending patterns are adjusted, less money will be available for NGO and community development initiatives." He says the situation highlights the need for NGOs to diversify their funding / income base, especially in instances where organisations are solely dependent on grant funding and/or single donors. We invite you to tell us how the financial crisis is affecting your organisation. What has your response been to these challenges and what advice do you have for other organisations? In an article featured on NGO Pulse this week, Imraan Buccus, writing in the wake of the Alliance Economic Policy Summit on 17-18 October, says "the government is supposed to be by the people and for the people; not by the people and for the markets." He argues that a change in economic policy is not necessarily a bad thing. Click here to read the full article. On the subject of changes, the appointment of Barbara Hogan as Minister of Health has been warmly welcomed by civil society organisations , including the Treatment Action Campaign. Writing in this week's edition of NGO Pulse, Tian Johnson, TVEP advocacy officer, endorses Hogan's leadership of the health portfolio, but questions her silence, and that of the SANAC Women's sector on access to female condoms. He asks Hogan to "turn [her] attention to those girls and mothers who are needlessly contracting HIV because the only tool that they can use to protect themselves is currently in the hands of men only." Click here to read the full article. The third article featured in this weeks' edition of NGO Pulse celebrates the Muldersdrift Home Trust Foundation's (MHTF) victory. The community the Foundation represents, which is situated on the outskirts of Johannesburg, has secured the right to establish a settlement with secure tenure, proper housing and community facilities. Becky Himlin, executive director of Planact, which has been working with the community for 10 years, writes "MHTF, representing 300 of the thousands of poor workers in the area, has waged an uphill battle against wealthy landowners, government bureaucracy, and planning frameworks that did not accommodate the community's vision of a decent place to live. And finally, they have won." Click here to read the full article. We invite you to register as users on NGO Pulse. Click here to find out how to register and also what your NGO Pulse status allows you to do. NGO Pulse also has a Facebook group. Click here to join our growing online community. As always, we invite your comments, suggestions and ideas. Janine Moolman, editor@sangonet.org.za New Jobs, Proposals & Events Employment Opportunities * The Open Democracy Advice Centre seeks to appoint a Fieldworker to be based in Cape Town. The application deadline is 31 October 2008. For more information, click here . * The Freedom of Expression Institute invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for the position of Deputy Director to be based in Johannesburg. The application deadline is 3 November 2008. For more information, click here . * The Sonke Gender Justice Network seeks to employ a National Programme Manager to be based in Johannesburg. The application deadline is 7 November 2008. For more information, click here . Proposals, Grants & Awards * The Open Society Foundation for South Africa is calling for proposals from individuals and organisations for projects focused on educating for democracy. The submission deadline is 15 November 2008. For more information, click here . * Entries are invited from undergraduate, graduate and law students interested in Internet and technology policy for the Google Policy Fellowship. The submission deadline is 12 December 2008. For more information, click here . * The World Travel & Tourism Council in association with Travelport and the Leading Travel Companies Conservation Foundation invites entries for the Tourism for Tomorrow Awards 2009. The submission deadline is 15 December 2008. For more information, click here . New Events * The Women's and Gender Studies and Digital Media Services at the University of the Western Cape are hosting a roundtable discussion entitled "Politics of Digital Media" on 31 October 2008 in the Western Cape. For more information, click here . * The Center on Ecotourism and Sustainable Development is hosting an international conference entitled "2008 Traveler's Philanthropy Conference Philanthropy Work for Development, Business, and Conservation" from 3-5 December 2008 in Tanzania. For more information, click here . * Trialogue, a black-empowered consulting, publishing and research organisation specialising in sustainable business and corporate social investment, is hosting the Making CSI Matter Conference from 2-4 March 2009 in Johannesburg. For more information, click here . <#top> Training * The Community Law Centre at the University of the Western Cape invites applications for its Masters Programme on Local Government 2009. The application deadline is 7 November 2008. For more information, click here . * The Community Development Resource Association, a NGO that works with people who are engaged in social transformation with marginalised communities, is conducting a five-day non-residential course on Advanced Facilitation from 10-14 November 2008 in Cape Town. Form ore information, click here . * The Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University's Department of Economics invites applications for its Advanced Programmes in Development Studies. The application deadline is. For more information, click here . <#top> Latest News Flashes Recent LOCAL news items: * Project Masiluleke to Use Mobile Phones to Disseminate Health Messages * Global Fund Turns Down SANAC Proposal * NGOs to March for Free Basic and Clean Electricity * Motlanthe Urges Africa Use Land for Food * Pretoria NGOs Urged to Intensify AIDS Fight * NGO Conducts Research on Xenophobia in Alexandra Recent INTERNATIONAL news items: * Global Financial Crisis Must Not Delay MDG's -- UN * Amnesty International Criticises Nigeria Over Executions * Caribbean NGOs Want Haiti Debt Cancelled * Financial Crisis affects NGOs * Chinese Ambassador Urges NGOs to Continue Good Work Non-profit Analysis and Opinions * Report: Johannesburg Poverty and Livelihoods Study * Report: The Promise and the Perils of Agricultural Trade Liberalisation * Book: Labour Pains * Book: The African Peer Review Mechanism: Lessons from the Pioneers * Portal: Citizen Journalism in Africa Project Copyleft You are welcome to re-use any material from NGO Pulse. However we cannot authorise the use of any third-party content accessed via our services. The single phrase below is the copyright notice to be used when reproducing any portion of this alerting service, in any format: >From SANGONeT. Copyright 2003-2008, http://www.ngopulse.org Subscriptions TO SUBSCRIBE: send an email request to ngopulse@sangonet.org.za with the subject "subscribe me". If you have the time to elaborate in just a line or two, we are keen to find out about your professional and development interests. TO UNSUBSCRIBE: send an email request to ngopulse@sangonet.org.za with the subject "unsubscribe me" along with your e-mail address. -------------- next part -------------- Skipped content of type multipart/related