This is an archive of the Dadamac.net website, as it was in 2015, it is no longer being updated.

Frances's Blog

Sheep and Goats - and pigs too

Submitted by Frances on 19 June 2013 - 3:14pm
Sheep and goats DFID in the UK is supporting smallholders who rear sheep and goats, to improve their herd size and health. This support is being channeled through the Kaduna State Commercial Agriculture Development Association and from there to the local Jema’a Commercial Agriculture Development Association (JECADA) of which Fantsuam Foundation is a member. JECADA’s members include 25 women sheep and goat farmers who will be accessing the DFID support. This comes as a package of training and access to inputs such as feeds, veterinary care, improved stock and markets. And pigs too! This programme complements Fantsuam's support for smallholders...

Family Planning at Fantsuam Foundation

Submitted by Frances on 13 June 2013 - 6:59pm
USAID funds training Staff from the clinic at Fantsuam took part in training funded by USAID to provide family planning advice in their community. Training is provided in three methods of family planning – intra-uterine devices (IUDs), implants in the arm and the contraceptive pill. Encouraging response Following the staff training, Fantsuam was able to give the first thirty seven women free treatment and for subsequent patients, the advice and treatment is given at an affordable price. Although the staff training only took place at the end of May, forty one women have already attended the clinic and other women...

Social Protection in Northern Nigeria

Submitted by Frances on 31 May 2013 - 9:25pm
Children and vulnerable older women John Dada has give us this information about Fantsuam’s child protection service, “The Fantsuam Foundation Social Protection service was created in response to needs identified in the communities around Kafanchan. Two groups of vulnerable people - children and older women – were those most likely to be attacked because of accusations of witchcraft. The trauma and distress caused for these people, the disregard of their basic human rights and disrespect for their humanity were issues that led us to create a social protection unit. As a result of our experience we developed the first in-house...

Working with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation on Aflatoxin contamination

Submitted by Frances on 19 May 2013 - 9:50pm
Aflatoxin contamination In a 'previous life', John Dada who is the Director of Fantsuam Foundation in rural Nigeria, used to be a lecturer in microbiology. His PhD looked into aflatoxin contamination of grains like maize and groundnuts. Such contamination is very significant in societies where grains are stored for some time until they are needed. Poor storage conditions can contribute to the aflatoxin contamination. Working in partnership John wrote that Fantsuam Foundation is teaming up with the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan (IITA) and the National Agricultural Extension Research Service of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria to raise awareness of...

Affordable Internet Access

Submitted by Frances on 12 May 2013 - 4:17pm
VSAT I remember years ago attending an event alongside other staff from Fantsuam Foundation when many organisations including tertiary education institutions were given grants from the American Embassy. Fantsuam used the money to purchase a VSAT. Even at that time it was realised that access to the internet meant access to knowledge and that poorer and more remote communities should not be excluded from that access. VSAT means 'a very small aperture terminal' to receive internet access, and in Fantsuam's case this meant access in a small rural location. Over the years internet access has become ever more important to...

Zobo for hypertension!

Submitted by Frances on 12 April 2013 - 8:06pm
Kakas attend World Health Day event Kaka is the Hausa word for grandmother. Fantsuam Foundation is supporting 124 Kakas caring for their grandchildren whose parents have died of AIDS. They may be elderly and coping with their own health problems quite apart from their caring responsibilities. Forty-eight of them attended an event organised by Fantsuam Foundation as its contribution to World Health Day celebrated on Sunday 7th April. The Kakas were given the opportunity to have their blood pressure checked by a local nurse and for those already suffering from health problems, to receive treatment for malaria and typhoid. Zobo...

Three pieces of news in one.

Submitted by Frances on 5 April 2013 - 9:39pm
Progress on the toilet block The first piece of news that John gave us at the Dadamac meeting this week was that the toilet block in the new market in Kafanchan has been roofed! Now they are working on the doors and windows. The building which is so vital to the well being of the traders in the market, particularly the women, has one block with 7 toilets constructed from locally made compressed bricks. More value for the money The project has been funded by the Kitchen Table Trust and the American Embassy. The further news is that although the...

From water sachets to flip flops

Submitted by Frances on 27 March 2013 - 6:26pm
Waste plastics When I first went to Nigeria nearly 30 years ago, I always took my own bags to the market when I went shopping . There were few plastic bags and the fruit and veg and even the eggs were sold loose. Shoppers took their own empty bottle if they wanted to buy groundnut oil for cooking. In Nigeria plastic bags have become more common but in addition drinking water is sold in individual plastic sachets. These are useful for those who are travelling or to help people through their school or working day if there is no other...

Preparing for the rains

Submitted by Frances on 22 March 2013 - 9:16am
Earth and concrete ponds At the previous meeting John told us how the earth fish ponds had been dredged by 10 young men so that they could be stocked with juvenile fish. At the meeting on Tuesday he told us that they were unable to get buy the 8 week old fish they had planned but have purchased 2,000 4 week old fingerlings which will be reared and harvested in the earth ponds. But earth ponds are no use when the rains start as they will get clogged up and overflow, and the fish will be lost into the River...

Fresh Fish and Green Veg!

Submitted by Frances on 13 March 2013 - 10:59am
Learn about the rich green vegetable called 'ugwu' and the fresh fish in a barrel in the Fantsuam headquarters! Earth ponds and fresh fish Attachab, the piece of land about 15km from the Fantsuam headquarters near Kafanchan, is beginning to develop as an example of permaculture principles. One of these principles is the 'development of self contained horticultural systems modelled from natural ecosytems'. John told us at the meeting on Tuesday about the completion of two new earth ponds which had been dug at Attachab ready to be stocked with eight week old fish. The earth was dredged by hand...

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