Category Archives: GRANTS

Kenya: Presentation to Akiba Uhaki

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from odhiambo okecth

Friends of KCDN,

KCDN today presented the completed Strategic Plan 2010- 2013 to Akiba Uhaki Foundation. We must thank AUF for all the support and partnership that we have enjoyed in the last 2 years. We must also thank all the Friends of KCDN who have contributed to our events. It is you who made us strong. We want to thank all of you as well.

More specifically, we want to thank AUF for supporting the development of our Strategic Plan that we submitted today. It was not easy, coming on the wake of a raid on our offices that left us with nothing and without an office.

We successfully completed the development of our Strategic Plan and Mr. Jasper Morara did us proud. He was able to guide us through our thematic areas and we can say with confidence now that we want to stay with these issues.

We now have some clarity of thought on the 3 Thematic Areas namely;

* Child Support;
* Environmental Management; and
* Peace Building.

1] On the KCDN Child Support Initiative, we are down sizing our support to Orphans and Vulnerable Children to the initial 250 children that we supported in 2008. We want to be more effective with our support to these children to enable us provide educational materials such as stationery, books, uniforms, shoes, socks and such like schooling items as we also follow these children to their houses where we will seek to look at how they do their home works and how and what they eat.

This will call for provisions of such items like paraffin and unga. We will make it such a holistic and interactive approach to child support for which we will invite many players to help see us it through.

2] On the KCDN Environmental Management Initiative, we will enhance the confidence that we have with the schools and the community to focus more sharply on our role as society in environmental campaigns. We believe that it is our responsibility as consumers of services being rendered by the various government arms to enhance environmental awareness and invite each one of us to be responsible in how we handle our waste and dispose of the same.

This will call for positive interventions from key players in the sector as we invite the community to also be pro-active in Environmental Management.

3] The KCDN Peace Caravan will be restructured and will focus more on Peace Building. We will engage the various communities to find strength in our diversity. We will go out and create linkages that will help promote good neighbourliness and respect for each tribe. We will advance the call for respect, tolerance and togetherness.

We must appreciate all the support that AUF and all Friends of KCDN have given us to make sure this thinking is captured in a Strategic Paper, and we know that you will walk with us through the implementation stages.

We want to thank Felix, Sarah and Dorine for receiving our report. I also want to appreciate my colleague and Board Member at KCDN- Mr Caleb Ben Onyango for making time for this important engagement in the life of KCDN.

Lastly, I want to appreciate Mr. Ezra Mbogori, the CEO Akiba Uhaki Foundation for the short discussion we had with him on the way forward for KCDN, CCNSET and Vugu Vugu Mashinani. I know we will stay with the issues in all things we do.

Peace and blessings,

Odhiambo T Oketch
CEO KCDN Nairobi,
PO Box 47890-00100,
Nairobi, Kenya.
Tel; 0724 365 557, 0735 529 126
Email; komarockswatch@yahoo.com
blog; http://kcdnkomarockswatch.blogspot.com
blog; http://nairobieastba.blogspot.com
Group mail; friendsofkcdn@yahoogroups.com

Odhiambo is the current chairman to the Stakeholders Evaluation Team on Performance Contract and Rapid Results Initiative at the City Council of Nairobi- CCNSET—

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from odhiambo okecth

YOUNG PROFESSIONALS NETWORKING SESSION/FORUM
+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+

VENUE: Marble Arch Hotel

DATE: Thursday 9th September 2010

TIME: 5:45pm – 8:00pm

GUEST SPEAKER: Julius Kipng’etich, Director Kenya Wildlife Service

TOPIC: “Exemplary Management and Leadership: A Blue Print for Young Professionals”

COST: Ksh. 250 bob which caters for your Tea, Snacks

Registration of Attendants – 5:45pm – 5:55pm

Meeting Call to Order – 6:00 – 6:02

Prayers: 6:02 – 6:05

Introductions of Attendants: 6:05 – 6: 20

Talk by Dr. Julius Kipng’etich 6:30 – 7:30

Announcements: 7:30 – 7:35

NETWORKING SESSION & Tea Break: 7:35 onwards >>>>

Register now by texting your name to 0721 663 208. Very few spaces left!!

For those who wish to join LYP, you can carry your annual membership subscription fee, Ksh. 1000.

Regards

Irene Mbacha

Club Administrator.

Kenya: Call for Proposals- Akiba Uhaki Foundation

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Forwarded by: odhiambo okecth

From: Sarah Nkuchia

Dear Sir/Madam,

Akiba Uhaki Foundation – the Human Rights and Social Justice Fund (AUF), is a regional grant-making organization dedicated to supporting and accompanying human rights and social justice related organizations in East Africa (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda) and in particular, works to support processes, forums, movements and work that initiates radical ways of looking at and addressing root causes of poverty, human insecurity and structural violence.The Fund envisions a just world in which all people enjoy human rights and live in dignity.

Its mission is to be a proactive and innovative grant-making institution working to promote and strengthen human rights inclusive of social justice. Akiba Uhaki espouses and at all times aspires to be guided by, advocate for and adhere to the human rights principles of accountability, empowerment, non-discrimination, participation and express application of the international legal (human rights) framework.

AUF is funding projects aimed at stimulating capacities of communities across East Africa to claim their rights in development. Through a Swedish International Development Agency funded initiative , Akiba Uhaki seeks to develop mutually beneficial partnerships with organizations whose innovative projects seek to advance economic, social and cultural rights of communities and to address the root causes of social injustice in the region. For details please visit our website at www.akibauhaki.org.

The second main aim of this development support is to stimulate Capacities for Communities within East Africa to claim their rights in development through the application of existing knowledge, advocacy and local participation. This will be realized through creative and meaningful partnerships with knowledge institutions and community based organizations.

This development support has the following four principal components;

1. Enhancing the capacity of people to demand their rights through the repackaging of existing knowledge
2. Strengthening linkages between research and advocacy
3. Making the law work to serve the people’s needs and claims
4. Support access to Information Communication Technology(ICT) by rural, peri-urban and urban poor

In this regard, we are pleased to send you this information for your consideration. Should you find it in line with your work, feel free to contact us for discussion on this information. Alternatively, you can send us a Project Proposal or concept Paper for funding consideration. We also encourage you to pass this information to organizations within your network whose work is relevant to this Call for Proposal for funding consideration. Attached is our Call For Proposal document for your attention.

Regards,
Sarah Nkuchia
AUF Programs Intern

Sarah Nkuchia

Akiba Uhaki Foundation – The Human Rights & Social Justice Fund
K-Rep Center, Wood Avenue, Kilimani
Box 27611-00100, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: (254) 20 2441204/2441196
Fax: (254) 20 3861576
Mobile; (254) 0722 659 364
Email: sarah@akibauhaki.org
Website: www.akibauhaki.org
…………………………………………….
“For a Just and Egalitarian East Africa where all persons enjoy their
Rights and live in Dignity”

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AUF CFP .doc
STIMULATING CHANGE FROM BELOW : CALL FOR PROPOSALS

Background:

About Akiba Uhaki Foundation

Akiba Uhaki, the Human Rights and Social Justice Fund, is a proactive and innovative grant-making organization dedicated to supporting and accompanying Human Rights and Social Justice related organizations in East Africa i.e. Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

Stimulating Change From Below Project

Akiba Uhaki Foundation in partnership with the Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) is implementing a Project focusing on “ Stimulating Change from Below”. The objective of the project, which will run from 2009 to 2012, is to stimulate capacities of communities within East Africa to claim their rights in development. It recognizes that in order for citizens to be able to assert their rights, and lift themselves out of poverty, they need access to information.

The Project is a response to the need to strengthen the capacity of the citizenry to claim their rights from the state and other duty bearers towards improvement of their social and economic welfare including poverty alleviation through intermediation of knowledge. It is based on the belief that for the state to provide services effectively including those aimed at poverty alleviation and addressing other forms of social inequality, the citizenry must have the capacity to demand these rights and to hold the state accountable.

The project recognizes that the extent to which governments will be effective and responsive to the people’s needs in delivering services and facilitating development greatly depends on the capacity of the citizenry to not only hold the government to account but also to actively assert and claim their rights. In addition, we recognize the fact that for the citizenry to be able to effectively assert its rights and to improve their social and economic conditions, their access to information is critical, hence the need to provide accessible, affordable, rights-focused alternative media, ICT and enabling infrastructure. This project will benefit communities in both urban and rural areas with a particular emphasis to disadvantaged communities/those who are most affected by social injustices.

Call for Proposals(CFP)

This call for proposals/concept papers invites applications from organizations in East Africa (Burundi, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda ), both registered and unregistered (provided the unregistered organizations are fiscally hosted by registered organizations). Applications are restricted to initiatives that aim to achieve any/all of the following;

1. Intermediation of Knowledge i.e.

* make knowledge from research institutions and other knowledge generating institutions easily accessible and usable by local communities e.g through dissemination of research findings and/or translation into simplified versions and/or local language versions

* link research to advocacy for positive change
* Strengthen the competence of the human rights and social justice sector to produce popular versions of documents.

2. Promoting evidence based advocacy and planning initiatives e.g.

* Bringing to the fore realistic indicators of poverty and other social inequalities
* research on how policy makers use local knowledge while making laws relating to human rights and social justice
* policy and legislative campaigns aimed at enhancing the capacities of people to own and participate in grassroots based development and poverty reduction initiatives

3. Strengthen Existing Community Media (Urban and Rural Community Radios and Community ISPs/Telecos) through

* Support to acquire equipment for quality community media services
* Internal capacity building of community media to push for realization of Social justice at the grassroots level
* Development of human rights and social justice content for community media
* Solidifying links between Community Based Organizations and community media
* Raising awareness of national issues at the grassroots level and linking of grassroots issues with national policy level discourse through utilization of community media

Application Requirements

Interested organizations should submit either project proposals (not exceeding 5 pages), or concept papers (not exceeding 3 pages). The proposals/ concept papers should be in English or French, and guidelines for Akiba Uhaki concept papers and proposals are available on the website: www.akibauhaki.org. Each proposal/ concept paper must be accompanied by the following additional information:

* Two (2) letters from endorsers (human rights and social justice experts, credible organizations, previous funders, government officials, etc)
* bank account details;
* confirmation from host organization (where applicable) that it accepts hosting responsibilities; and
* a budget not exceeding US $10,000.

Any application that is incomplete or fails to meet the above requirements will be disqualified automatically.

Technical Evaluation Criteria:

Proposals/concept papers will be reviewed by a multi-disciplinary panel of staff at Akiba Uhaki and the following will be the key considerations:

* Quality of proposed idea
* Relevance and responsiveness to the CFP
* Clarity in analysis of the problem and the root causes the proposed project seeks to address
* Clarity and viability of strategy and tactics proposed to address the root causes of the problem
* Innovativeness and creativity i.e. Pursuit of new ways to reach audiences, engage citizens and explore new platforms
* Organizational capacity

Upon notification, applicants with good concept papers will be required to develop them into full proposals.

Suitable proposals/concept papers proposal should be sent electronically, mailed or hand delivered to the undersigned by August 15th, 2010. Applications received after this date will not be considered.

The Program Coordinator,
Akiba Uhaki Foundation
Wing 3C, K-Rep Centre, Kilimani
P.O Box 27161100100, Nairobi, Kenya.
Fax: +254 (020) 3861576
Tel: +254 (020) 2441204/2441196
Cell: +254 (0) 722 659 364/731 465 660
Email: info@akibauhaki.org

Proposals/concept papers submitted under this Call for Proposals must contain this reference: REF. NO. 001/AUF/CFP/2010/EAST AFRICA:

USA: Ethiopia, Kenya, Malawi: Obama Govt Gives Kenya Billions in HIV and Aids Programs

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Hi People as Joe Biden passed by Kenya he left behind below news

“The United States has named the first eight recipients of its new Global Health Initiative (GHI) Plus grant, aimed at strengthening health systems in developing countries.

Countries including Ethiopia, Kenya and Malawi will receive additional US government resources as part of the six-year, US$63 billion initiative to help strengthen national health systems by improving supply chain management, health worker retention, and information management, said Nicole Schiegg of the US Agency for Development (USAID).”

As many of us our relatives friends succumb to Aids and Hiv let us hope these grants will help them

Source Interplus news

—
Thanks
Gibson Amenya

Canada: G20 Pledges to Help Poor Meet MDGs:…

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From: Judy Miriga

Please Submit Proposals through Local UN Offices and Agency. Let me know if you need help.

Thanks,

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
June 27, 2010

G20 Pledges to Help Poor Meet MDGs:
Financial Transparency Can Help

TORONTO, Canada– The world’s largest economies hinted today that they will consider increasing Official Development Assistance to poor countries as a way to help them meet the Millennium Development Goals. The Task Force on Financial Transparency and Economic Development calls on the G20 nations to institute financial transparency measures which will result in additional resources that can be used to meet those development targets.

In the Toronto Summit communiqué the G20 countries pledged their commitment “to meeting the Millennium Development Goals by 2015” and noted that they will reinforce their efforts “including through the use of Official Development Assistance.”

“By pushing for transparency measures such as beneficial ownership registries, country by country reporting for multinational corporations, and automatic exchange of tax information between governments, the G20 can help curtail tax evasion and massive corruption which drain resources for development from poor nations,” said Raymond Baker who heads the Task Force. “Transparency equals more resources for development,” he noted.

Indeed, up to $1 trillion in illicit money is drained from developing countries each year according to research by Global Financial Integrity, a Washington, DC-based research and advocacy group. Current levels of Official Development Assistance, at $100 billion annually, pale by comparison.

“Given the ratio of aid inflows to illicit outflows it is highly unlikely the MDG targets will be met without significant new resources of revenue,” Baker noted.

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The Task Force on Financial Integrity and Economic Development addresses inequalities in the global financial system that penalize billions of people, and advocates for improved transparency and accountability.

NGO-s: Dambisa Moyo’s Book- Dead Aid

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From: SIMON KOKOYO

Dambisa book is simply asking development workers to re-evaluate their strategy in addressing community challenges. Are we using old tools to address challenges brought about by SAP or are NGOs reactive to situations? In the book Lords of Poverty by Hancok, he asks, “whom is this “aid” aiding”. This is a fundamental question as most development workers tend to agree that the trillion poured in Africa does not reflect the desired change by tax payers in the First World or in the North. Aid in Africa has ended up creating higher numbers of middle class elites in urban centres as opposed to addressing challenges faced by the most vulnerable. It is ironical for NGOs executives to talk about the gap between the rich and poor widening while their monthly salaries and allowances could bring a big difference in rural urban villages.

Aid is dead in Africa since the tax payers in First World expect to see a change but unfortunately this will never be achieved as the receiver ‘elites’ have other things in mind.

What is the alternative? I have three suggestions;
– We need to highlight activities of NGOs working Africa through internet, other than radio and TV. The target communities need to be empower to generate and disseminate their own news.
– We need to build strong social audit programmes at community level to help beneficiary write report cards to be shared with the contributors back in Europe, North America and elsewhere.
– Let all Aid being channeled through NGOs into Africa be stopped. The IMF/WB usually suspend Aid to countries but we have never witnessed a country collapsing because of lack of Aid. Instead countries adjust accordingly and survive. I know it is a tall order but the donors could try.

thanks
simon

– – – – – – – – – – –

– – Odhiambo T Oketch wrote:

In his article on Dambisa Moyo’s Book- Dead Aid, Ikhide has not been convincing.

He acknowledges the strong points from Dambisa’s book and refuses to separate substance and reality from theory and wishful thinking.

Dambisa has brought to the fore some hard truths about Aid to Africa, currently standing at US$ 1 trillion, with no tangible results. It is our responsibility to take this debate to the next level, not to shoot the same down. But if we have to shoot it down, let us be factual as we offer the next viable solutions.

She observed reality on the ground and she is fairly soft and accurate on her synopsis. I wished she should have questioned the relative wisdom that makes the African ruler grow in riches as the country he rules grows in poverty. We have many cases where the economy of most African Countries are in the reds, yet, despots like Mobutu, Moi and the others are the richest men on Planet Earth. Richer that those who give Africa Aid.

Ikhide got his analysis wrong. He concentrated on the messenger rather than the message Dambisa is passing on to us. Is her message apt, relevant and timely? Yes. Should we look at the message or at the messenger? No. Ikhide looked at the messenger and in his diagnosis, gave the wrong prescription. You amputated the left leg while the problem was in the hand.. Sad.

Dambisa could be a poor student of history. She could mix some dates in her analysis and historical facts, but does that negate her synopsis on Dead Aid? Does getting the dates wrong kill the import of her message? I bet not.

Ikhide accepts that there is more from where Dambisa is coming from. Then instead of giving us more, he shoots her in the leg. And this is tragic. I would have given more in how Aid is killing Africa, how Aid is aiding despotic rule, how Aid is fueling corruption, how Aid is making us dependent than independent and so on. I would have given historical facts on how nothing is seen from Aid so given to Africa. I would have catalogued the list of African rulers who have grown in riches more than the countries they rule.

I would have helped strengthen the historicals that Dambisa got wrong, and in the process, I would have helped to add value to her hypothesis.

But being unable to offer the best alternative, Ikhide should have held his peace and remained quite for ever. If you are bold enough to criticize, be bold enough to offer the next alternative.

I find elements of contradictions in this posting. You say that you share in her misgivings, that there is more from where she is coming from, that she is right when she says democracy has impoverished Africa, that it is easy to agree with he, then, you say you are disappointed. How do you get disappointed with issues you agree with?

In shooting the messenger rather than the message, your contradictions come out so glaring. It fails to convince me that yours is an honest analysis of Dead Aid. Your analysis is on Dambisa the person.

I have tried to get the jist of Moses Obe Ochonu’s support to Ikhide and I have been again left at a loss. He says he has taught Dead Aid to his students twice and gives Ikhide an Excellent score for this warped review. I sympathize with his students. If he gives Ikhide an Excellent for these contradictions that are so easily detected and seen, then his score of Excellent is a disservice to the growth of intellectualism in Africa and the World.

Ikhide’s review is a mass of contradiction and offers no alternative, yet Moses gives a score of Excellent. He then goes ahead to indicate that Dead Aid is at best taught together with End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs. My foot, Are we such desolate?

Jeffrey Sach is the brains behind the failed Structural Adjustment Programmes that the World Bank and International Monetary Funds prescribed to Africa and the 3rd World as a deterrent to poverty. We all know that the SAPs failed and failed miserably. Does this vindicate Dambisa Moyo?

Moses goes ahead to hide his position in the use of words. The problem is, we hide our incompetence in the use of words when we are faced with challenging situations. Instead of facing reality, we go technical, to give an impression that we are well read. I refuse to hide in the use of words. I would rather remain as clear as possible, so that no one feels intimidated by my responses.

It does no move Africa forward to hide our intellectual capacities in jargon. People who would have wanted to respond feel dwarfed by the usage of such technical jargon, and they choose to hold their peace, however wrong you are.

Dambisa Moyo has struck the right chord and she needs our support. We all know what Aid has done to Africa, and all facts in the last 50 years of African Independence speak for themselves, and Dambisa is right. Where we feel she was inadequate, let us add value; if she left something pertinent out, let us bring it forth.

Let us be academic with our theories on her book. Let us be part of the solution that will take Africa to the next level. Let us talk with one accord and help Dambisa address this concern in Africa and the 3rd World in General.

Hers is a bold step forward, a step in the right direction that we must enrich.

Odhiambo T Oketch,
Nairobi Kenya.
http://kcdnkomarockswatch.blogspot.com
Group mail; friendsofkcdn@yahoogroups.com

$2 Million Competition Seeks Ideas to Transform Learning

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(AScribe Newswire) — As President Obama called for new efforts to reimagine and improve education in science and math, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation announced a $2 million open competition for ideas to transform learning using digital media. The competition seeks designers, inventors, entrepreneurs, researchers, and others to build digital media experiences – the learning labs of the 21st Century – that help young people interact, share, build, tinker, and explore in new and innovative ways. Supported by a grant to the University of California at Irvine, the competition was planned and announced in partnership with National Lab Day, a movement to revitalize science, technology, engineering and math in schools that was highlighted at a White House event today.

Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), in cooperation with the Entertainment Software Association and the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation, will team with MacArthur to support Game Changers, a new component of the competition. Game Changers will provide awards for the creation of new game experiences using PlayStation’s popular video game, LittleBigPlanet(tm). SCEA will also donate 1000 PlayStation(r)3 (PS3(tm)) systems and copies of the LittleBigPlanet(tm) game to libraries and community-based organizations in low-income communities.

“Lifting American students from the middle to the top of the pack in STEM achievement over the next decade will not be attained by government alone,” said President Obama. “I applaud the substantial commitments made today by the leaders of companies, universities, foundations, non-profits and organizations representing millions of scientists, engineers, and teachers from across the country.”

“MacArthur is pleased to team with Sony and National Lab Day to encourage the next generation of innovators to focus on science, technology, engineering and math. Digital media, including games, are the learning labs of the future and this open competition encourages people to consider creative new ways to use digital media to create learning environments that are engaging, immersive and participatory,” said Connie Yowell, MacArthur’s Director of Education. “This competition will help ensure that the new and highly engaging approaches to science, technology, engineering, and math find their way into schools, libraries, museums, and other spaces for learning.”

“This challenge truly embodies what’s possible when you place the learning tools and the opportunity into the hands of creative and imaginative minds,” said Jack Tretton, president and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America. “When leveraging the innovative technology of LittleBigPlanet and the PS3 system, both advanced and novice gamers have access to an open canvas to learn, build, and explore entirely new kinds of gaming experiences. They can also share their creations with millions of gamers around the world to play, rate, and review their levels. There’s no better training ground for anyone interested in digital media.”

The competition is designed to promote “participatory learning,” the notion that young people often learn best through sharing and involvement. Participatory learning, as defined by the competition, is a form of learning connected to individual interests and passions, inherently social in nature, and occurring during hands-on, creative activities. Successful learning labs and games will exploit all of these elements. Awards will be made in two categories: 21st Century Learning Lab Designers and Game Changers.

The competition includes three rounds of submissions, with public comment at each stage. The public will also be invited to judge the final candidates, including the selection of People’s Choice awards in each category.

“Learning labs are digital media projects that promote hands-on participatory learning,” said Cathy Davidson, Duke University Professor and HASTAC co-founder. “They promote learning together with others, by interactively doing, trying, sometimes failing. When we think of laboratories, the image of beakers and microscopes come to mind, but learning labs help us reimagine and expand our understanding of learning across all domains of knowledge.”

Competition winners will join an existing community of 36 awardees from 2007 and 2008, including a video blogging project for young women in Mumbai, India; a cutting-edge mobile phone application that lets children conduct digital wildlife spotting and share that information with friends; a project that leverages low-cost laptops to help indigenous children in Chiapas, Mexico learn by producing and sharing their own media creations; and an online platform for 200 classrooms around the world that allows young people to monitor, analyze, and share information about the declining global fish population.

The competition is funded by a MacArthur grant to the University of California, Irvine, and to Duke University and is administered by the Humanities, Arts, Science and Technology Advanced Collaboratory (HASTAC), a virtual network of learning institutions. The competition is part of MacArthur’s digital media and learning initiative, which is designed to help determine how digital technologies are changing the way young people learn, play, socialize and participate in civic life. Answers are critical to education and other social institutions that must meet the needs of this and future generations.

Information about the competition, which will begin officially on December 7, is available at http://www.dmlcompetition.net/ .

CONTACT: Andy Solomon, MacArthur Foundation, asolomon@macfound.org, 312-917-0313

Forwarded by:
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

Higher Education for Development Awards 13 More USAID-Funded Grants in Africa-U.S. Higher Education Initiative Grant Competition

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From: Judy Miriga
Date: Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 5:54 AM

WASHINGTON, DC – Higher Education for Development (HED) and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) announced today that an additional 13 partnerships will be funded through the Africa-U.S. Higher Education Initiative Planning Grant Competition.

Funding was originally proposed and awarded for 20 partnerships in April 2009 (a complete list of winning partnerships is available at www.hedprogram.org). However, the competition drew such a high level of interest, with nearly 300 applications submitted, that USAID decided to award funding to 13 additional applications. Partnerships, comprised of one U.S. and one African higher education institution, will each receive $50,000 grants from USAID to develop plans to address regional and national economic development priorities including such as engineering, health, agriculture, environment and natural resources, science and technology, education and teacher training/preparation, and business, management, and economics.

“We are extremely pleased to fund these additional 13 partnerships,” said Alonzo Fulgham, Acting Administrator of USAID. “With the addition of these 13, we now have a total of six historically black colleges and universities in the initiative and a number of well-respected, top-ranked academic institutions in the United States and throughout Africa. The expertise and experience delivered by these institutions will have a critical impact as this effort moves forward.”

The following are the new 13 winning partnerships:
African Higher Education Institution

U.S. Higher Education Institution
Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia University of California, Los Angeles
Bayero University, Nigeria Ohio University
Cuttington University, Liberia Southern University System
International Institute for Water & Environmental Engineering, Burkina Faso Tuskegee University
Kenyatta University, Kenya Syracuse University
Kigali Health Institute, Rwanda Emory University
Makerere University, Uganda University of Wisconsin, Madison
Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Rhodes University, South Africa University of Florida
University for Development Studies, Ghana Florida A&M University
University of Cape Town, South Africa University of Cincinnati
University of Ghana Brown University
University of Liberia Indiana University

HED manages the competition which grew out of the Africa-U.S. Higher Education Initiative (www.aplu.org), a collaborative effort between a number of higher education associations and other organizations, led by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (A-P-L-U), formerly the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC).

“We are highly enthusiastic about the expansion of this effort,” said Dr. Tully Cornick, executive director of HED. “We were so impressed with the quality and caliber of the applicant pool; it was a difficult peer review process to whittle down a final list of winners. By funding these additional 13 partnerships, we recognize that even greater expertise, knowledge and connections will be brought to bear to address a variety of critical development needs.”

“Africa has an urgent need to strengthen institutions that cultivate human and research capacity.” said Peter McPherson, president of A-P-L-U. “Working together in partnership, African and U.S. higher education institutions have the ability to increase the quality and access to education, and help solve local problems. The partnerships that will be created through this initiative have the potential to make a difference in the future of the African continent.”

HED, funded by a cooperative agreement with USAID, was founded by the six major U.S. higher education associations to engage U.S. colleges and universities in international development. For more information about HED and to view details about the planning grants competition (including a complete list of the winning institutions), visit www.HEDprogram.org.

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
– – –
Subject: Higher Education for Development Awards 13 More USAID-Funded Grants in Africa-U.S. Higher Education Initiative Grant Competition

Paid, Overseas Fellowship Positions with Atlas Corps

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From: Judy Miriga
Date: 2009/10/21

Atlas Service Corps seeks nonprofit leaders from around the world to apply for their 2010-2011 fellowship positions in Washington, DC, Baltimore, MD and Bogota, Colombia. Expenses are paid in this prestigious fellowship program, including a living stipend, health insurance, and training. Applicants must have 3 or more years of experience in the nonprofit sector, a college degree, fluency in English (and Spanish if applying to volunteer in Colombia), and a commitment to return to their home country after one year. Candidates from outside the U.S. are placed at outstanding host organizations in Washington, DC or Baltimore, MD including Ashoka, Asian American LEAD, CentroNía, Grameen Foundation, and Population Action International. Candidates from the U.S. are placed at organizations in Bogota like Global Humanitaria and Oxfam GB. In addition to volunteering full time at their host organizations, Fellows are enrolled in a management development training program and join a growing network of nonprofit leaders from around the world. For more details about eligibility requirements and the application process, please visit: http://www.atlascorps.org/apply.html and watch a short video about the application process here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx63RKbqoKY. The deadline to apply is November 10, 2009.

CONVOCATORIA BECAS ATLAS SERVICE CORPS
Atlas Corps esta seleccionando líderes profesionales del sector social provenientes de todas partes del mundo, para ser parte de nuestro programa de becas de alto nivel. La convocatoria para el periodo 2010-2011 ya esta abierta, buscamos líderes de Latinoamérica , India y el Sur de Asia. Este programa cubre los gastos de manutención mensual, seguro médico y programa de entrenamiento. Los requisitos básicos para participar son los siguientes: Tener 3 o más años de experiencia en el sector social, título universitario, hablar ingles con fluidez y comprometerse a regresar a su país de origen a trabajar en el sector social por un año más.

Los elegidos trabajarán en organizaciones en Estados Unidos. tales como: Ashoka, Asian American LEAD, CentroNía, Grameen Foundation, y Population Action International (en Estados Unidos) y Oxfam GB o Global Humanitaria (en Colombia). El trabajo en las respectivas organizaciones es de tiempo completo y adicionalmente los becarios tendrán derecho a participar en un programa de capacitación en temas relacionados con Gerencia en Cooperación para el Desarrollo. Los seleccionados serán parte de un selecto grupo de líderes sociales de todo el mundo con quienes podrán intercambiar sus experiencias y conocimientos.

La fecha de cierre de la convocatoria es el 10 de Noviembre 2009. Para información detallada sobre en proceso de aplicación visite, http://www.atlascorps.org/apply.html o vea el video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx63RKbqoKY

INSCRIÇÕES ABERTAS PARA O PROGRAMA DA ATLAS SERVICE CORPS
Atlas Corps convida jovens líderes de várias partes do mundo, atuantes no setor social, para fazer parte do nosso competitivo programa de bolsas de estudo de alto nível. As inscrições para o período de 2010-2011 já estão abertas e estamos buscando líderes da América Latina, Índia e Sudeste Asiático. O programa cobre um auxílio para despesas mensais básicas, seguro médico, passagens de ida e volta e sessões de treinamento, além de oferecer um prêmio pela conclusão satisfatória do programa. Os requisitos básicos para participar do processo de seleção são os seguintes: Ter 3 ou mais anos de experiência no setor social de seu país de origem, ter diploma universitário, falar inglês fluentemente e comprometer-se a regressar à seu país de origem para trabalhar no setor social por pelo menos um ano.

Os participantes do programa trabalharão em conceituadas organizações, tais como: Ashoka, Asian American LEAD, CentroNía, Grameen Foundation, e Population Action International (EUA) e Oxfam GB ou Global Humanitaria (na Colombia). Além de trabalhar em tempo integral em suas respectivas organizações, os candidatos terão direito ainda a participar em um programa de capacitação em Gerência e Cooperação para o Desenvolvimento e de fazer parte de um seleto grupo mundial de líderes sociais, com os quais poderão trocar informações, conhecimento e experiências.

A data de encerramento das inscrições é dia 10 de Novembro de 2009. Para maiores informações a respeito do programa e dos requisitos para fazer parte desta grande oportunidade visite o site: http://www.atlascorps.org/apply.html ou assista ao vídeo sobre o processo de seleção na página do YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mx63RKbqoKY.

Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com

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Subject: Paid, Overseas Fellowship Positions with Atlas Corps

FREE MASTERS PROGRAM

3 Replies

From: george omburo
Date: Wed, Oct 14, 2009 at 4:31 PM

FYI…Feel free to pass along…

FREE MASTERS PROGRAM AT WAKE FOREST RECEIVES POOR RESPONSE

Wake Forest University has an opportunity for minority students to attend its MBA program for FREE, and so far, the response has been very poor. Please, pass along this opportunity to your friends, families, and networks to see if there is an interest. This is a great school and a tremendous opportunity to attend a top graduate school.

See details below. The contact person information is:

Derrick S. Boone, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Marketing
Room 3139 Worrell Professional Center
Babcock Graduate School of Management
Wake Forest University 1834 Wake
Forest Drive Winston-Salem , NC 27109-8758
email: derrick.boone@…
Website: http://mba.wfu.edu/
Phone: (336)..758.4475;
Toll-free: (866) 925-3622;
Fax: 336.758.4514

Message from Derrick S. Boone, Ph.D.:

Greetings,

I wanted to let you know about a great opportunity here at Wake Forest where you can get a FREE education and get PAID while you’re doing it. Our Dean of the Schools of Business is the former CEO of PepsiCo and very committed to diversity. He’s gone around to his CEO friends, who have agreed to donate a bunch of money to pay tuition and fees, provide a stipend, and a job, to diverse students. The details are below. The problem is, response to the program has been dismal! As a faculty member, I would be embarrassed for him to have to tell his CEO friends, “thanks so much for your donation, but unfortunately I have to give it back because we couldn’t find Any students who wanted it.” So, I need your help. Please contact me if you, or ANYONE you know is interested in the program. I want to help out as many young scholars as I can. Don’t worry about whether or not you (or they) have taken the GMAT, etc. All you need to do at this point is JUST APPLY.

About the Program:

The Master of Art in Management program is designed specifically for liberal arts majors only. The MA degree program is a 10 month intense study of the basic functional areas of Business. After graduation and working for approximately two years, all MA graduates are eligible to apply to Wake Forest as part of the MA/MBA joint degree program and get the MBA in one year. The new Dean, Steve Reinemund, has created a new scholarship for diverse students pursuing the MA degree called the Corporate Fellowship.

The Corporate Fellowship provides full tuition and a $21,000 stipend to cover living expenses. Additionally, each Corporate Fellow will participate in a practicum. The practicum has two components, educational and professional development. Each student will be assigned a mentor that is a high level executive with their sponsor corporation. The mentor will oversee an educational project covering 4 of the functional areas of business using their own corporation as the subject.

The student will visit the corporation 3 – 4 times during the program to present his/her results of their research project. Additionally, the “professional development” component of the fellowship provides career coaching and leadership development for the students.

The goal for the corporation is to be able to groom and hopefully, hire a top candidate from a diverse background for their organization. Of course, there is no obligation that the students accept any offer of employment. Still, the student benefits, even if they are not ultimately hired by their sponsor corporation in that they have the MA degree and the type of experience that will make them more marketable.

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Subject: FREE MASTERS PROGRAM

PROPOSAL WRITING AND FUNDRAISING WORKSHOP FROM 27TH-29TH MAY 2009 AT THE SCHOOL OF MONETARY STUDIES, THIKA ROAD

5 Replies

Date: Thu, 14 May 2009 07:36:51 +0000 [02:36:51 AM CDT]
From: karegwa muchiri
Subject: PROPOSAL WRITING AND FUNDRAISING WORKSHOP FROM 27TH-29TH MAY 2009 AT THE SCHOOL OF MONETARY STUDIES, THIKA ROAD

Dear Partner,

INVITATION TO THE PROPOSAL WRITING AND FUNDRAISING WORKSHOP FROM 27TH-29TH MAY 2009 AT THE SCHOOL OF MONETARY STUDIES, THIKA ROAD

Organized By: CAPACITY CONCERNS AFRICA AND PURPLE IMAGES PRODUCTIONS

Training Brief Description:

Development organizations depend on fund raising skills and effective project management to survive. In the absence of good ideas and skilled proposal development staff and effective project management, most organizations cannot survive beyond ONE year. Public perceptions about the excesses and big consumerism by the International NGOs and the United Nations Staff is only a mirage to thousands of struggling indigenous organizations that contribute immensely to poverty and disease eradication.

The truth of the matter is that programme and fund raising officers work tirelessly to keep their organizations afloat. In the absence of good ideas, effective fund raising skills and strategies most organizations will not grow and will collapse in the formative years. The key most important skill that an organization must have is an effective fund raising manager. Fund raising in the development sector is a very competitive and equally labor intensive . CBOS/ NGOs like businesses must therefore market themselves and have innovative and effective strategies for success. During the fund raising activities, there are key skills and tips that programme officers must learn to win grants especially in the call for proposals. Effective project management skills ensures sustainability for projects.

Capacity Concerns Africa and Purple Images Productions have identified proposal writing as a REAL need among many organizations in Kenya and have dedicated time and energy for capacity building in this critical area. Program officers attending the course will get hands on skills in the following areas;

1. Concepts in Project development and management

2. Needs Assessment, Project Development and Proposal writing

3. Innovative Project strategies in Project funding processes

4. Skills necessary in successful fund raising Activities

5. Succeeding or losing a Grant: Mastering the politics of fund raising in Kenya

6. Effective networking with NGO/CBO partners as a tool for fund raising

7. Work Plan Development

8. Budget Development

9. Introduction to Monitoring and Evaluation

The trainers have over fifteen years of experience each in proposal writing and project management and have conducted similar training in Kenya, Sudan , Congo, Tanzania, Uganda Rwanda among other countries.

The Charges for the training is Kshs 17,500/- for the three full days of Training inclusive of Lunch and two Teas, Training and Writing Materials, Certificate, handouts, Proposal Writing project assistance for two weeks after the workshop . All the participants will also be given a free copy of international donor directory. Participants requested to organize own accommodation and transport to the training venue.

INTERNATIONAL DONOR DIRECTORY ALSO AVAILABLE FOR KSHS 3000/- FOR THOSE WHO WILL NOT ATTEND TRAINING BUT FREE FOR WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS

PAYMENTS AND BOOKING WITH DAMARIS AT :

CAPACITY CONCERN AFRICA

MBUCHIA HOUSE, WESTLANDS, 3RD FLR

254-020-4452674/ 4450937

Cell: 254 722-322977

capacityafrica@gmail.com or

info@purpleimages.com

www.purpleimages.com

Foundation Invests in 81 Unconventional Global Health Research Projects

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May 4, 2009

Foundation Invests in 81 Unconventional Global Health Research Projects

$100,000 grants will explore how unique approaches, including the use of tomatoes, cows and magnets, can be used to prevent infectious disease

Contact:
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Phone: +1.206.709.3400
Email: media@gatesfoundation.org

SEATTLE — The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation today announced 81 grants of US$100,000 each to explore bold and largely unproven ways to improve health in developing countries. The grants were awarded to researchers in 17 countries through the foundation’s Grand Challenges Explorations initiative, which aims to develop a pipeline of creative ideas that could change the face of global heath.

The projects focus on novel approaches to prevent and treat infectious diseases, such as HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, pneumonia, and diarrheal diseases. The first round of 104 Grand Challenges Explorations grants was announced in October 2008.

“Investments in global health research are already paying big dividends. An incredible number of new vaccines, drugs, and other tools are becoming available to improve health in developing countries,” said Dr. Tachi Yamada, president of the Gates Foundation’s Global Health Program. “Grand Challenges Explorations is our way to help inspire the bold ideas that could one day help transform global health.”

The 81 funded researchers will explore a wide range of new ideas, including giving mosquitoes a “head cold” to prevent them from detecting and biting humans; developing a tomato to deliver antiviral drugs; and using a laser to enhance the effect of vaccines.

One of the new grants was awarded to Dr. Bikul Das of Stanford University Medical School, who has studied cancer stem cell biology for the last decade but maintains an interest in infectious diseases due to clinical training in India and Bhutan. The new grant will enable him to explore the potential role of stem cells in latent TB infection.

“I am so excited to have this opportunity to join the war against infectious diseases,” said Dr. Das, who read about Grand Challenges Explorations on a plane after speaking at a cancer stem cell conference. “I hope my expertise on cancer and stem cell biology can help enhance the field and relieve suffering.”

Examples of other funded projects include:

New tools to diagnose and treat diseases:

– Luke Savage and Dave Newman of the University of Exeter in the U.K. will attempt to build an inexpensive, battery-powered instrument to diagnose malaria by using magnets to detect the waste products of the malaria parasite in human blood samples.

– Boitumelo Semete at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in South Africa will attempt to develop “sticky nanoparticles” that attach to tuberculosis-infected cells and slowly release anti-TB drugs. The new therapy could shorten treatment time and reduce side effects, using existing medications.

– Eric Lam at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in the U.S. will work to develop a tomato that delivers antiviral drugs when eaten.

– Erich Cerny of Wissenschaftlicher Fonds Onkologie in Switzerland, along with his brother Thomas, will test whether inducing antibodies against anti-malarial drugs can significantly prolong the half-life of those drugs in the body, extending their effects.

Creative ways to prevent mosquitoes from infecting humans:

– Fredros Okumu of Ifakara Health Institute in Tanzania will attempt to design a network of outdoor mosquito traps to help reduce malaria transmission in rural areas.

– Thomas Baker at Pennsylvania State University in the U.S. will examine the potential to infect malaria-carrying mosquitoes with a fungus that-like a head cold-suppresses their sense of smell and their ability to find human hosts.

– Jefferson Vaughan at the University of North Dakota in the U.S. seeks to immunize cattle against mosquitoes. Mosquitoes that bite an immunized cow might then die or have reduced ability to reproduce.

More efficient and effective vaccines:

– Lucia Lopalco of the San Raffaele Scientific Institute in Italy will seek ways to generate “self-targeting antibodies” that attack a receptor protein on human immune cells-potentially blocking the HIV virus from entering cells and preventing HIV infection.

– Fass? Coulibaly at Monash University in Australia will test whether protein crystals produced by insect viruses can be used as a new way to deliver vaccines. These “MicroCube” protein particles are stable, could be used against multiple diseases, and may not require refrigeration.

– Mei Wu at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School in the U.S. will explore whether illuminating skin with a targeted laser before administering a vaccine can enhance immune response.

Applicants were selected from more than 3,000 proposals in the second round. All levels of scientists are represented-from veteran researchers to young post-graduate investigators-as are a range of disciplines, such as neurobiology, immunology, and polymer science. The grantees are based at universities, research institutes, nonprofit organizations, and private companies in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America, and North America.

Learn more about the complete list of Grand Challenges funded projects at http://www.grandchallenges.org/explorations.

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Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to reduce inequities and improve lives around the world. In developing countries, it focuses on improving health, reducing extreme poverty, and increasing access to technology in public libraries. In the United States, the foundation seeks to ensure that all people have access to a great education and to technology in public libraries. In its local region, it focuses on improving the lives of low-income families. Based in Seattle, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and Co-chairs William H. Gates Sr., Bill Gates, and Melinda French Gates.

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Date: 04 May 2009 12:35:29 -0700 [05/04/2009 02:35:29 PM CDT]
From: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Subject: Foundation Invests in 81 Unconventional Global Health Research Projects