Africa Reflect Update
South Africa
In February a Training of Trainers (TOT) was held in South Africa, drawing 18 participants from the southern region including Zambia, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, Botswana, Malawi as well as some NGOs in South Africa interested in adopting the Reflect methodology for use in their development work. It is envisaged that 5 new Reflect projects will be started in South Africa in partnership with different organisations. A facilitators’ refresher course was held in April for the Nkuzi Pilot project in which facilitators were guided on how to write their own units and how to use these units for preparing lesson plans
Mozambique
A World Bank funded evaluation of NFE (Government Literacy Programme) and Reflect was carried out in the Nampula region. One of the strong points of this evaluation was the good working relationship between ActionAid and government departments. NFE is working with ActionAid (AA) Mozambique and hope to incorporate Reflect in their organisation’s activities. A refresher training for facilitators was held in May to enable facilitators to improve their knowledge and skills in Reflect. Materials from the Reflect circles are being collected to develop into booklets for the participants to improve their skills in reading, writing and numeracy. A national TOT was held in July for participants from GOAL, INEA, CLUZ and provincial directors from the Zambezi area. A trainers network was formed to coordinate Reflect activities in the country, with its main aim to facilitate trainings. This came out of the realisation that most organisations feel that they cannot do trainings without the assistance of AA.
Zambia
In February/March this year, the NGO People’s Action Forum (PAF) conducted a TOT workshop attended by people from three districts, including government officials.
Swaziland
A TOT workshop was held in July. The training was divided into two phases because most of the organisations planning to do Reflect will be doing it without the literacy component.
Malawi Reflect Review
The Malawi Reflect programme began in June 1998. This is a programme in partnership between ActionAid, the government, Oxfam and other NGOs. A mid term evaluation was carried out in December 1999 to assess the impact of Reflect in promoting adult literacy. The report shows that on average 70% of the Reflect participants are literate. Women now practice family planning and are able to discuss these issues more openly. Participants recognised the need for growing trees and some have established woodlots on their land. Diseases such as diarrhoea have been reduced as a result of the construction of latrines. There is increased food production and improved food security due to income generating activities and better farming practices. In addition to this, women were more aware of gender issues and were able to talk more, make decisions and influence discussions.
Uganda
National Reflect Forum: Twice every year, the Reflect Coordination Unit (RCU) holds a five day workshop bringing together Reflect practitioners, other creative adult literacy programmes and participatory advocates with the aim of promoting collective mapping out of strategies and creating and influencing partnerships to improve adult literacy in the country. The forum was held in July and the theme was “Materials Development and Utilisation of Participatory Learning Materials”.
The RCU is in the process of developing a documentary on Reflect. The theme for the programme will be “Participation, the Pillar for Adult Learning”. It will provide visual documentation of Reflect theory and practice that will serve as reference materials for training, learning and advocacy to enable the poor to access relevant, equitable and quality education. A draft trainers’ guide was developed by the RCU and distributed to Reflect practitioners in ActionAid Uganda (AAU), partner NGOs and CBOs for review/editing. It should be ready by the end of this year. The unit has also supported the development of three facilitator’s guides. An herbal album was also developed, showing local herbs used for treatment and disease management.
The RCU has been involved in advocacy activities and is a member of LitNet, a network of organisations which aims to influence the government to take on adult literacy fully.
A new Reflect HIV/AIDS pilot programme within AAU is to be started. The two-year pilot, which is to be implemented by AAU in partnership with the WHO, will look at how Reflect can be used to enhance coping mechanisms among chronically ill persons in highly affected HIV/AIDS rural areas and strengthen community capacity.
The manager of the Bhubaneswar Regional office of ActionAid India, Bijay Kumar, as well as Braj Patnail, visited the RC in Mubende to exchange experiences on Reflect in India and Uganda.
Kenya
In mid May, a TOT was held with MUMIAS Education For Empowerment (MEFE) project. It is a local NGO operating in Butere/Mumias and Kakamega districts in Kenya and is involved in general community development work including adult literacy. The training was organised as a follow up to their visit to the RCU in November 1999. AA Kenya organisined a two-week TOT workshop in June in the Samburu region.
Rwanda
ActionAid Rwanda organised a 3-day refresher course which was centered around criticising, appreciating and reviewing progress, new PRA tools, and emphasised gender, development and issues related to the promotion of peace.
Tanzania
AA Tanzania conducted a TOT in June. ActionAid Tz, Aide et Action Tz and government adult literacy departments participated. Participants were optimistic that the training would provide the necessary impetus for a successful adult literacy programme in their country.
Ghana
In February, ActionAid Ghana (AAG) carried out a Training of Facilitators (TOF) for the Chereponi Development programme under a DFID funded proposal for food security.
AA Ghana practitioners’ forum was held in April in Tamale for AAG staff and partners. The three-day forum looked at training, needs assessment, motivation, selection and training of facilitators, post literacy and Reflect and English. Participants were trained in silk screen-printing to assist in materials printing for Reflect circles. A communiqué was issued on the need for the World Bank (WB) to support Reflect in Ghana and for government departments to adopt and pilot Reflect in all regions and was forwarded to the WB, the Minister of Education and the Director for Non-formal Education(NFED). A network was created and members are facilitating other training sessions in an effort to improve their skills and broaden the trainers’ base.
Liberia
AAG provided two staff to assist in three trainings covering a period of 23 days – a TOT, initial training for facilitators and a refresher training for the existing facilitators.
Mali
A regional TOT was held in Bamako in February. The training attracted a total of 30 participants including representatives from the WB, local and international NGOs, visitors from NGOs in Cameroon as well as representatives from the villages where the fieldwork took place. Research was conducted to explore the possible use of Reflect in the communes (villages) and an evaluation of the ADAC project was conducted. Save the Children has 37 circles and are using Reflect in the area of good governance.