ADILISHA: FAHAMU'S HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT REACHES FINAL OF STOCKHOLM CHALLENGE AWARD
A distance-learning project developed by Fahamu for human rights organisations in Southern Africa has reached the finals of the Stockholm Challenge Award for 2003/2004. It was selected from among 900 applicants from 107 countries to be one of 24 finalists in the education category of the award. The project, 'Adilisha: Human Rights Capacity Building in Africa', was developed by Fahamu to strengthen the campaigning, advocacy and managerial capacity of human rights and advocacy organisations in Africa. This was done by providing distance-learning courses using CDROM based interactive materials that were facilitated by email and combined with regional face-to-face workshops.
PRESS RELEASE
Issued by: Fahamu
Date: 22 January 2003
Embargo: None
FAHAMU'S HUMAN RIGHTS PROJECT REACHES FINAL OF STOCKHOLM CHALLENGE AWARD
A distance-learning project developed by Fahamu for human rights organisations in Southern Africa has reached the finals of the Stockholm Challenge Award for 2003/2004. It was selected from among 900 applicants from 107 countries to be one of 24 finalists in the education category of the award.
The project, 'Adilisha: Human Rights Capacity Building in Africa', was developed by Fahamu to strengthen the campaigning, advocacy and managerial capacity of human rights and advocacy organisations in Africa. This was done by providing distance-learning courses using CDROM based interactive materials that were facilitated by email and combined with regional face-to-face workshops.
The Adilisha Project was selected for the finals by an international jury consisting of senior experts from all corners of the globe. The Stockholm Challenge is intended to highlight the best IT projects from around the world in the fields of e-government, culture, health, education, e-business and environment.
“We are well pleased. It is a tribute to all those involved, including all those who participated in our courses. Making the final round of the Stockholm Challenge is further recognition of the success of the approach,” said Firoze Manji, Director of Fahamu.
The Cambridge-based International Research Foundation for Open Learning’s Director, Dr Terry Allsop, who evaluated the programme, said: “Given all that is known about conventional training approaches, particularly in relation to the ineffectiveness of one-off training events/workshops, it is quite clear that this approach breaks new ground. The evaluators are not aware of any other such comprehensive approach to both personal and organisational professional development.”
The Adilisha distance learning courses consisted of the following courses: Introduction to human rights; Investigating, monitoring and reporting on human rights violations; Campaigning, advocacy and lobbying; Leadership and management for change; Finance for the non-financial manager; Fundraising and resource mobilisation; and Using the internet for advocacy and research. The courses - accredited by Oxford University - have been designed in such a way as to ensure that they can be delivered in a format which responds to the technological capacity of the target audience.
Most of those who took the courses had had no experience of either distance learning or of participating in email discussion lists. Thus students gained confidence and general IT skills from their participation in the courses. By providing students with learning materials in interactive format on CDROMs they are able to develop their understanding of the subject to a sufficient depth to get the very best out of the workshop that they attend as part of their course.
Fahamu, a not-for-profit organisation with offices in South Africa and Oxford, is now in the second stage of rolling out courses developed through the Adilisha Project.
The development of the Adilisha Project was funded by the Canadian International Development Research Centre, European Union, and the UK Department for International Development.
The final awards for the Stockholm Challenge will be announced during a ceremony in Stockholm on 13 May 2004.
For more information visit http://www.challenge.stockholm.se/ and http://www.fahamu.org
ABOUT FAHAMU
Fahamu uses information and communication technologies to serve the needs of organisations and social movements that aspire to progressive social change and that promote and protect human rights. Fahamu specialises in making electronic information available to this community by:
- Producing electronic newsletters dissemination news information and debate about social justice in Africa;
- Producing distance learning materials for human rights and humanitarian organisations;
- Providing training through face-to-face workshops;
- Managing websites for our partners;
- Making web-based resources available for offline use;
- Undertaking social policy research on Africa.
Fahamu has a small core of staff and associates located both in UK and Africa. The word 'Fahamu' comes from the Kiswahili word for understanding.
CONTACT DETAILS:
Fahamu
Contact: Dr Firoze Manji
Unit 14, Standingford House,
Cave Street,
Oxford
OX4 1BA,
UK Tel +44 (0)1865 791777
Fax +44 (0)1865 203009
[email protected]
www.fahamu.org
Fahamu SA:
Contact: Adv Anil Naidoo
Southern African Regional Office:
PO Box 70740,
Overport,
Durban,
KwaZulu Natal 4067,
South Africa
Tel.: +27 - (0)31-207-1144
Fax.:+27 - (0)31-207-1194
[email protected]
www.fahamu.org.za
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