Richard E Grant appeals for funds on behalf of Skillshare International   top of page
On Sunday 16th February and again on Wednesday 19th February, Richard E Grant appealed on BBC1 and BBC2 on Lifeline for donations to Skillshare International. The Appeal is set to make a huge impact on our work and we are extremely grateful to Richard for giving his time and supporting us.

Richard, who was brought up in Swaziland, said: "I know how people in Africa are struggling to escape poverty. By sharing skills and supporting local initiatives, Skillshare International is helping people in Africa and India to address their greatest needs and this approach makes sense to me."

Being featured on the BBC means that Skillshare's work in Africa and India has been brought to the attention of many people. It has also raised awareness about the opportunities for skilled people to become development workers and health trainers.

The response to the appeal has been magnificent and the enquiries and donations are still coming in. We would like to thank all of you who contributed to the appeal. Further donations can be sent to Skillshare International, Freepost MID 16922, Leicester LE1 7ZU. We will publish the final figure we raise on our website in the near future.

For more information on the Lifeline Appeal, please contact Emma Judge, Public Relations Officer on 0116 257 6608 or email emma.judge@skillshare.org

Skillshare and SADC work together in HIV/AIDS research   top of page
HIV/AIDS is considered to be the single largest threat to human development in southern Africa. Skillshare International is playing an increasing role in the fight against the spread of HIV/AIDS in the region.

In February 2003, the Regional Office won a bid to carry out an assessment of needs and capacity gaps for organisations of People Living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and Swaziland. The Southern Africa Development Community - Health Sector Coordinating Unit (SADC-HSCU) is funding this consultancy with the support of the Department for International Development.

Although the work carried out by community based organisations and non profit organisations in the region is vital to the fight against HIV/AIDS, it is largely uncoordinated and therefore often invisible. There is no accurate data available on these organisations and little is known about their areas of focus or their ability to deliver services at community, national and regional level. SADC-HSCU identified this gap and Skillshare's task is to compile information on existing PLWHA organisations, associations and networks and their activities, identifying capacity building needs and gaps, and determining the present level of collaboration and support provided to PLWHA organisations. Our country offices in Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia, and Swaziland are at the forefront of implementing this consultancy.

The findings of the consultancy will be used to enhance the capacity for local, national and regional networking and advocacy, and to develop and implement more effective support programmes for PLWHA organisations in the region. PLWHA organisations will be able to contribute to national and regional decision making and there will be greater awareness of Skillshare International's work in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, this study may well serve as a pilot for other countries in the region and beyond.

New Developments   top of page

Comic Relief for CLaSH in Namibia
Skillshare International has been working with CLaSH (Association for Children with Language, Speech and Hearing Impairments in Namibia) for four years. CLaSH works to raise awareness of issues surrounding the causes of deafness and the communication potential of deaf children. The organisation enroles deaf children in specialised schools, integrates hearing impaired children into mainstream education and prescribes appropriate hearing aids and ear moulds for pre-school children. Comic Relief is funding the next five years of CLaSH's project "Empowering Families of Deaf Children in Namibia". The total project cost is £136,445, which is 100% funded by Comic Relief.

EC grant for Enable in South Africa
The Enable programme in South Africa provides adult basic education, training and development opportunities for those with physical disabilities and their carers in Kwa-Zulu Natal. The main activities include literacy classes, numeracy classes, activities raising awareness about disability and linking adult basic education with vocational training, income generation and life skills. The grant is for EUR141,974 (£96,391) over three years.

States of Guernsey grant for REASWA
The Sustainable Biomass Programme developed by REASWA (Renewable Energy Association of Swaziland) aims to ensure that wood fuel is used in Swaziland in a sustainable and efficient manner. The grant for the pilot project is £6500 and will be used to promote the use of low cost, local renewable energies for domestic use in the most vulnerable and poverty stricken communities of Swaziland. This will have a tremendous impact, not just in terms of conservation and the environment, but also in terms of tackling poverty at the household level.

The Department for International Development funds development awareness in the UK
The East Midlands Network for Global Perspectives in Schools aims to support schools in the region to recognise, value and develop global perspectives as a core element of the curriculum during young people's education. Hosted by Skillshare International in Leicester, the Network is funded by the Department for International Development and is made up of a number of organisations that includes local authorities, voluntary organisations and higher education institutions from across the East Midlands region.

Sustainable development along the coast of Mozambique   top of page
By Angie Stratton

Skillshare International has worked with the Institute for the Development of Small-Scale Fisheries (IDPPE) for several years and is in the process of recruiting a number of development workers to support IDPPE's work in Nampula and other provinces in northern Mozambique. Based in Angoche, Angie Stratton has been Advisor to the Nampula Delegation of IDPPE in the areas of financial management and monitoring and evaluation since March 2002.

Mateus da Costa is a fish processor who lives in Mpuitine, a small fishing village in Nampula Province, Mozambique. He earns his living by salting and smoking fish which he then sells for a small profit. Until four years ago, when the nearby road was improved and vehicles were able to get through, it was impossible for Mateus to sell his fish outside the local area. But now he can catch a truck to take his produce to the bigger markets further inland. It's a two hour walk to the road, however, and as a result it's still difficult to bring essential goods to Mpuitine. Last year, for example, a lot of fish was destroyed because local fish processors like Mateus could not buy salt to preserve it.

IDPPE funded the road improvements as part of their work to help improve the lives of small scale fishing communities in one of the poorest countries in the world.

The UNDP Human Development Index, which measures factors such as income, education and healthcare, puts Mozambique at the bottom of all southern African countries. The average annual income per capita is US$170, less than 50 pence per day. The rate of adult literacy is only 40%, although this figure is significantly less in rural areas and for women. One in four children dies before the age of five. Set within this context, the northern province of Nampula is itself one of the poorest places in Mozambique, rated by the UN alongside Sierra Leone and Ethiopia in terms of human development. Most people make their living through subsistence agriculture or fishing but face an enormous challenge to earn enough to feed their families and pay for essential services such as healthcare and education.

IDPPE, a department of the Ministry of Fisheries, has just begun the second phase of a major project working with small scale fishing communities in Mozambique. Funded by a UN agency, the International Fund for Agricultural Development, IDPPE works in conjunction with other government institutions and non-governmental organisations to carry out a wide-ranging programme. Using a community development approach, IDPPE aims to increase the incomes of fishing communities, not just by improving fishing and processing techniques, but also by addressing other problems of poverty such as lack of infrastructure, social services and training.

From the beginning IDPPE has worked from the principle that the participation of the community itself is important in order for development to be sustainable. So the community decides whether they need a school or a health centre and provides a quarter of the cost of buildings by supplying labour and materials, such as stone and sand. Schools, health centres and water pumps have been built in several villages along the coast using this approach.

The water pumps have made a big difference, as António Manual, a 36 year old fisherman in Mpuitine village, explains: "The most important benefit that the project has brought is the water pumps because there is no life without water. Before, the women had to walk three or four hours a day to collect water. Now it's easier for them as we have water here in the village and it's cleaner."

For others, education is the key to a better future, both for adults such as Mateus in Mpuitine who has been able to go back to finish school, and for their children. Eliza Niante is a member of the water committee in Pilivili, who has been trained to maintain the pump so that it doesn't fall into disrepair. For her, education is fundamental: "The most important thing which would improve my life would be a school here in Pilivili because if my children's lives are improved, so is mine."

IDPPE also gives training and advice to groups and associations set up to develop income generating activities or to encourage savings. Muanaribo Jorge, secretary of 'New Beginning', a savings and credit group with 16 women members in Angoche, describes their plans: "As a group we have some ideas for improving our lives. We want to buy a machine to make bricks to sell and we would also like to be able to buy a video, TV and generator to set up a video club for the community. People pay 1000 meticais (about two pence) to watch a video, which will help us earn money. These are the hopes and plans of the group in general because we could not do these things on our own."

By involving local people in planning and managing development activities and encouraging the initiatives of groups such as 'New Beginning', IDPPE hopes to bring lasting benefits to the fishing communities along the coast of Mozambique.

Footnote:
In January this year, Nampula Province was hit by Cyclone Delfina, which caused unusually heavy rains, damaging bridges and making some roads impassable. Hopefully the higher costs for transport and essential goods as a result of this will be temporary and will not reverse progress that has already been achieved, nor hamper future development.

Skillshare International marks World AIDS Day   top of page
At the end of last year Skillshare International's staff and supporters were involved in several exciting events leading up to World AIDS day.

Victoria Edge-Baron, Skillshare's Supporter Development Officer, was invited by the University of Leicester to give a talk on Skillshare International and HIV/AIDS. Fifty medical students attended the talk, which covered the impact of HV/AIDS on individuals and communities and the work of our partner organisations in awareness raising and service delivery. This coincided with the University's Sexual Health and Guidance Week, and a staggering £553.60 was collected by students and presented to Skillshare International by the University's RAG Committee.

The week also presented us with the opportunity to do some innovative work in a local secondary school which supports Skillshare in conjunction with Leicestershire AIDS Support Services (LASS), a charity working with people infected and affected here in Leicestershire. Joint sessions were held at Rushey Mead School with year 10 students (14 to 15 year olds) during their citizenship lessons, and concentrated on how the discrimination and stigma surrounding HIV/AIDS affected people. This raised the students' understanding of the scale and impact of HIV/AIDS in the countries where we work, whilst ensuring awareness that it was an issue that could directly affect them in the UK.

Following our visit student and school council member Jay Ganatra wrote an article for Rushey Mead's newsletter: "We have learned how HIV/AIDS is a major catastrophe for some countries, where as many as one third of the adult population is carrying the virus. Many people wear red ribbons without actually knowing why they are wearing them. It's all very well giving a bit of money to charity and saying that you've done your bit, but money is not what will stop the prejudice suffered by people with HIV and AIDS. All money can do is cater for the person's physical needs. Treatment, specialised drugs and nutritional food are important as they could increase the persons life expectancy, but what about their quality of life? People with HIV/AIDS should be free from discrimination. People with HIV have a right to be treated as equal. People with HIV have special needs for healthcare but they are not a danger to others, because HIV is only passed on through unprotected sex and sharing drug needles. So we should have no hesitation in making friends with people living with HIV/AIDS."

The week culminated in a full day workshop run for and by supporters in Leicester. Ruth Allen and Mary Sheppard, who were development workers in Botswana and Swaziland respectively, facilitated excellent sessions on their experiences. Twenty supporters and staff attended the day which provided a valuable opportunity to share thoughts, ideas and experiences.

Skillshare International would like to thank all those who gave their time, money, skills, expertise and other forms of support during the activities of World AIDS Day 2002.

The worst of the epidemic clearly has not yet passed, even in southern Africa where rampant epidemics are under way. In four southern African countries, national adult HIV prevalence has risen higher than thought possible, exceeding 30%: Botswana (38.8%), Lesotho (31%), Swaziland (33.4%) and Zimbabwe (33.7%). As this report shows, the food crises faced in the latter three countries are linked to the toll of their longstanding HIV/AIDS epidemic, especially on the lives of young, productive adults. Source: UNAIDS (2002) AIDS Epidemic Update 2002. Please visit www.unaids.org/worldaidsday/2002

End of an Era   top of page
Albano Veiga, Skillshare's Country Director in Mozambique, is retiring at the end of March. He will be greatly missed by everyone. Albano joined Skillshare as the Project Officer on the Lichinga Project in 1991. A grant had been given to renovate the provincial hospital in Lichinga in the north of Mozambique. The war was still raging across the country and the construction materials had to be transported from Malawi. Despite these difficulties, the project was completed in six months.

Albano has had many successes during his time with Skillshare and in 1996 he became the Country Director. At that time Skillshare's programme in Mozambique was only small. Over the last eight years, under Albano's leadership, it has grown and there is now an office in Nampula. Skillshare's relationships with government partners have expanded, partnerships with the NGO sector have developed and work with rural institutions such as ATAP have been established. Albano inspires confidence in everyone he meets and we wish him and his family all the very best in his retirement years.

Focus for International Women's Day   top of page
International Women's Day is celebrated annually on 8th March across the world. Skillshare International works with partner organisations in all our countries of operation who focus on the social and economic empowerment of women.

One such organisation is the Singhbhum Legal and Development Society (SLADS) in India, which works with the highly disadvantaged tribal communities in the remote and inaccessible hilly terrains of Jharkhand, offering them legal services and community education as well as the community health care services supported by Skillshare. SLADS strives to educate, organise and empower the rural poor, with a special emphasis on women, and aims towards social justice, economic growth and the promotion of self-reliance.

Accusations of witchcraft and the associated violence towards women have been increasing in India. Such violence is rarely condemned and is even deemed to be culturally acceptable and necessary for upholding traditional values and beliefs. Local communities usually condone these practices, often colluding with the perpetrators of violence.

The very essence of women's right to self respect and dignity is being destroyed by the practice of identifying and torturing women as witches. In a two year period almost 40 women and children in the district of West Singhbhum in South Bihar have been victims of torture due to accusations of witchcraft.

The implications of subjecting women to this socially sanctioned torture profoundly affects development agencies and NGOs, especially those concentrating on gender focused development. The belief that a woman is evil and should be subjected to violence for this evil to be removed, coupled with the prevention of women becoming economically and socially independent, is a difficult challenge for agencies seeking women's empowerment and gender equity.

SLADS is highlighting and fighting for these issues. As a result of its activities, the Bihar Witchcraft System Abolition Act 2000 was passed and the Jharkhand Government is directing all concerned authorities to implement the Act to safeguard the interests of women who have been branded as witches. SLADS is also lobbying the central government so that a uniform central law can be made. These problems are not confined to Jharkland and Bihar but are a common problem in eight of India's states.

Supporter's run for fun   top of page
Chris Fish from Norton, near Stockton phoned after he saw our Lifeline Appeal on BBC1. He was taking part in the Stockton-on-Tees 10 mile fun run the following Sunday and wanted to raise money for Skillshare. We supplied him with a sponsorship form and, in the following four days, he raised an impressive £90 from his work colleagues and completed the run in 65 minutes.

If any of you are interested in raising money for Skillshare International, please contact supporters@skillshare.org or telephone 0116 257 6615.

Local groups update   top of page
A group of London based supporters met in early February at the Friends' Meeting House on Euston Road to discuss future activities. The supporters identified Monday 12th May as a suitable date for the next meeting. The venue will be confirmed nearer the time. The first Bristol meeting will also be taking place shortly. If you are interested in meeting other supporters and would like to attend either the Bristol or the London meeting, please email supporters@skillshare.org or call 0116 257 6615 for more information.

In April, Victoria Edge-Baron, the Supporter Development Officer, is going on maternity leave for six months. At the time of going to press we are unable to advise the name of the candidate appointed for the maternity cover. Please send all supporter enquiries to supporters@skillshare.org