This is an archive of the Dadamac.net website, as it was in 2015, it is no longer being updated.

Frances's Blog

From Dadamac UK - to Cisco International - to Fantsuam

Submitted by Frances on 30 December 2014 - 10:22pm
Filo Boko writes from Fantsuam's perspective about a unique collaborative effort It was in April 2013 that Fantsuam's Cisco academy, also known as ZittNet academy, contacted Dadamac UK with an SOS. The academy that has been training students since 2004 faced imminent closure because it could not afford the £4,000 needed to purchase the mandatory new laboratory bundles. Dadamac took up the issue with its networks and was able to contact the Cisco Africa Regional Office to request an expression of its Corporate Social Responsibility to support ZittNet. After a flurry of emails from UK to South Africa to Nigeria,...

The Fantsuam-Dadamac ICT journey

Submitted by Frances on 26 November 2014 - 5:58pm
Fantsuam 'discovers' integrated development. When Fantsuam Foundation began to develop its services in 2001 to meet the development priorities of its host communities, it had no idea that the strategy it was deploying had a name: it is now called ‘integrated development’. Visitors to Fantsuam were often surprised at the array of services provided and some funders even suggested that we prune them down and ‘specialise’. To its credit, it was only Dadamac that saw the logic of our strategy and encouraged us to stick with it, rather than pander to the flavour-of-the-month approach of funding agencies. It was gratifying...

Distance learning challenges

Submitted by Frances on 12 November 2014 - 6:24pm
Teresa from Fantsuam reflects on the technological challenges of being a distance learning student. It was an achievement for me to have scaled the hurdles of proficiency in English, tuition fees and academic qualifications to gain admission into the Masters Distance Learning programme at the University of Southampton, UK. But I had not reckoned on coping with the ICT challenge of keeping apace with my class and courses; a reliable internet connection was one of the requirements of getting on this course and I had been given assurances that our VSAT would be adequate for my needs. During the first...

Fantsuam celebrates 'International Day for Older People'

Submitted by Frances on 14 October 2014 - 10:43am
Age Demands Action (ADA) was launched in 2007 in 27 countries. The campaign challenges age discrimination and fights for the rights of older people. Since it started, Age Demands Action has created a sustainable environment where older people lead in bringing about tangible changes in their country and globally. The focal day of the campaign is the International Day of Older Persons on 1 October where older people take part in various awareness-raising activities and meet Governments. The Older People's Initiative of Kaduna State in partnership with Fantsuam Foundation and HelpAge International, celebrated this year's International day for Older People...

Internet Governance Forum at Istanbul- September 2014

Submitted by Frances on 22 September 2014 - 9:01pm
" I came, I saw...." John reports on a conference in Istanbul. My attendance at the Internet Governance Forum (IGF) in Istanbul has clarified for me what this event is all about. There were abundant opportunities to learn. The first interesting fact about the IGF is that it is not a decision-making body. So why should any government pay attention to it? The fact that its decisions are not binding on any stakeholder, seem to be its biggest selling point as governments can chose from its discussions what is most relevant for them. The IGF outcome document is a reference...

From local to global

Submitted by Frances on 2 September 2014 - 9:39pm
John writes: Taking the reality of rural Kafanchan across the world The Fantsuam Foundation team that attends national and global events always has to justify and clarify its presence and participation at these events. Whether we are in Lagos, Abuja, Melbourne, Johannesburg or London we carry in our head the realities of a different world and sometimes we struggle to make sense of that world outside our rural constituency in BayanLoco, Kafanchan. When Comfort attends the ‘Bottom of the Pyramid global forum’ in Singapore, or Teresa is invited to an experts’ consultation on children and teenager's rights in Africa to...

Community radios for Ebola control

Submitted by Frances on 18 August 2014 - 9:30pm
The need for community radio licences In response to the Ebola virus disease, the WHO emergency committee is considering whether the unfolding threat amounts to an international public health emergency. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention EOC has moved its activation to the highest level, an action it last took during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic, while the Nigerian Government has also declared a red alert. With this unfolding scenario, we need to consider all measures to contain the disease. Nigeria should no longer delay the approval of licences for community radios. The importance of local information Recently,...

A glimpse of Teresa’s day in Fantsuam

Submitted by Frances on 14 August 2014 - 6:03pm
The start of the day My average day starts at 5.00 to 6.00 am with some exercise and house chores, ready to report for work between 7.30 and 8.00 am. First I sort out work priorities for staff and volunteers, monitor reports and program registers to ensure compliance and struggle to complete the evaluation of an on-going programme. John calls me for two unscheduled meetings including a job interview. My colleague needs my advice about a difficult client. Oh it’s already 10 am and I have yet to be fully prepared for my phone interview with Athina from University of...

A strategy for the largest elderly population in Africa

Submitted by Frances on 24 July 2014 - 3:36pm
Senior Citizens Commission for Nigeria The Senior Citizens Care Foundation, SCCF, is one of the few organisations in Nigeria whose primary focus is the care of the elderly. SCCF hosted a national workshop in Abeokuta, on Wednesday 9 th July 2014. In attendance were the State Governors of Osun, Ekiti and Edo, several senior citizens and also members of the Nigerian Society for Geriatrics and Gerontology. Alongside his Excellency Prince Bola Ajibola, Dr Fayemi of Ekiti State and Bishop Matthew Kukah of the Sokoto Catholic Diocese, John Dada from Fantsuam was on the panel of speakers. The workshop observed that...

Grazing rights

Submitted by Frances on 21 June 2014 - 10:22am
The breakdown of mutual dependance The recent violence in Manchok, when a village was attacked, was partly the result of a dispute between settled farmers and nomadic herders or pastoralists. During more peaceful times the two groups can live and work together, both groups benefiting from each other. The herders can leave their cattle to graze on a local farmer’s fields while the farmer benefits from the manure. But when there is a context of violence in the country these trusting relationships break down. In addition over the years there has been a lot of pressure on grazing land due...

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