This is an archive of the Dadamac.net website, as it was in 2015, it is no longer being updated.

nikki's Blog

Wednesday Meeting Treats!

Submitted by nikki on 19 February 2010 - 11:44am
Once again,Yesterday's online meeting between the UK and Nigeria did not fail to disappoint. As well as addressing the items on the agenda in an informal but business-like way, we had two welcomed treats. The first treat When the team was discussing permaculture and the kitchen garden at Ungwar Masara, the UK were thrilled to be sent a recent video (via Skype chat and from a mobile phone) showing the 850 Jatropa seedlings. These have sinced been moved into the shade to protect them from the current hot conditions that our friends at Fantuam are currently experiencing. The rains are...

Development Partners in Higher Education

Submitted by nikki on 13 February 2010 - 6:52pm
On Tuesday, Pam alerted the Dadamac UK and Nigeria Teams (plus a few of her contacts in Higher Education) that: "The UK Government's Department for International Development ( DfID ) is investing up to £3 million a year in a new Development Partnerships in Higher Education programme (DelPHE), which will run for a seven year period, from June 2006 to March 2013. The programme will provide funding to support partnerships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) working on collaborative activity linked to the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)." Several emails followed; and the next day, at the weekly UK-Nigeria Dadamac meeting,...

Development Partners in Higher Education

Submitted by nikki on 13 February 2010 - 6:52pm
On Tuesday, Pam alerted the Dadamac UK and Nigeria Teams (plus a few of her contacts in Higher Education) that: "The UK Government's Department for International Development ( DfID ) is investing up to £3 million a year in a new Development Partnerships in Higher Education programme (DelPHE), which will run for a seven year period, from June 2006 to March 2013. The programme will provide funding to support partnerships between Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) working on collaborative activity linked to the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)." Several emails followed; and the next day, at the weekly UK-Nigeria Dadamac meeting,...

Photo feedback loop

Submitted by nikki on 9 February 2010 - 10:51am
This is how our feedback works Marcus Simmons taught about mulching on a permaculture training course. Back in the UK he asked for feedback. Feedback was requested during a Dadamac UK-Nigeria team-meeting This photo was sent back to the UK Marcus saw that the mulch was being laid too thinly He sent a detailed email suggesting that one area should be covered with a much thicker mulch, so that people could see if they would get a better result that way.

Sickle Cell Disease in Rural Nigeria

Submitted by nikki on 4 February 2010 - 12:46pm
I was very interested to learn from John that he had attended a workshop looking at the issue of Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) in resource - poor environments. This set me thinking on two levels. First as a former paediatric nurse (I haven't worked in a hospital enviro n ment for a decade but I'm not sure if you ever stop being a nurse!) . . . and , secondly, as a mother. A s a nurse , you quickly realise that Sickle C ell is a very nasty genetic blood condition which can bring sufferers ex cruciating pain ...

Learning about Permaculture

Submitted by nikki on 29 January 2010 - 8:19am
A continued focus of our weekly online UK/Nigeria meetings has been the subject of permaculture. This was not a word or principle I had come across often in my day-to-day life in South London. However over the past two years I have been lucky enough to begin to learn more about it - and to appreciate the importance of designing the proposed model farm at Attachab along the principles it dictates. Even as a relative newcomer to the discipline, I recognise it is the most practical and commonsense way to proceed. Not only does it make ecological and financial sense...

Learning about Permaculture

Submitted by nikki on 29 January 2010 - 8:19am
A continued focus of our weekly online UK/Nigeria meetings has been the subject of permaculture. This was not a word or principle I had come across often in my day-to-day life in South London. However over the past two years I have been lucky enough to begin to learn more about it - and to appreciate the importance of designing the proposed model farm at Attachab along the principles it dictates. Even as a relative newcomer to the discipline, I recognise it is the most practical and commonsense way to proceed. Not only does it make ecological and financial sense...

Global Connections!

Submitted by nikki on 22 January 2010 - 4:56pm
Wednesday's weekly online meeting linking the Dadamac UK office with its sister organisation Fantsuam Foundation took place as usual - but with an unexpected ( and welcome ) twist! In addition to the regular connection between the UK and rural Nigeria , we also established a link with the Streaming, Sharing and Learning workshop in Vienna. How did this come about? Well , the meeting followed its tried and tested path of discussing the agenda - covering topics as varied as the provision of footballs with bells to aid blind players to a major issue of permaculture. However, when we...

First Wednesday Meeting of 2010

Submitted by nikki on 15 January 2010 - 8:43am
Wow, what a start to the New Year! Although it had been a few weeks since our last UK-Nigeria online meeting (due to connectivity issues and holidays) I was quickly reminded again how thrilled I am to be involved with this dynamic group of people. Although these meetings with Fantsuam are arranged for the same time and day each week, they are never routine, dull or a chore. As this was our first for a while, there was a lot to catch up on. Despite (yet another) loss of connectivity and time lags, we enjoyed another productive session - and,...

First Wednesday Meeting of 2010

Submitted by nikki on 15 January 2010 - 8:43am
Wow, what a start to the New Year! Although it had been a few weeks since our last UK-Nigeria online meeting (due to connectivity issues and holidays) I was quickly reminded again how thrilled I am to be involved with this dynamic group of people. Although these meetings with Fantsuam are arranged for the same time and day each week, they are never routine, dull or a chore. As this was our first for a while, there was a lot to catch up on. Despite (yet another) loss of connectivity and time lags, we enjoyed another productive session - and,...

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