Reporting on disability plays a crucial role for the inclusion of disability issues in the development agenda and in the society. Proper communication is needed to raise awareness on disability, which is too often perceived as merely a health issue, approached with denial, stigma and basically unknown to the public at large. Communication campaigns are the basis of educating people on disability prevention and encouraging, acceptance of disability as part of the diversity of human condition.

In Kenya, People with disability are often excluded in the development agenda due to lack of proper communication formats and channels. Additionally, proper use of language and culturally acceptable terminologies is a necessary prerequisite if persons with disability are to be included in the information agenda.

Current facts about the impact of exclusion prejudice and discrimination on people with disability have serious effects on their families, caregivers, friends and communities. These and many other issues can be made available in discussion and campaigns through the existing mass media instruments. There is clear indications that there is an urgent need to fund media campaigns on gender and disability which first target journalists themselves, then to the champions of the disability issues and finally through a combination of both groups. It calls for proper structures to be put in place to allow for closer networking among journalists and the people in the disability world. There is demand for formation of a strong, effective, efficient and focused network between the stakeholders in disability and members of the fourth estate. It would be prudent to work with existing networks (disabled persons organization, gender activities and media organization) which can be useful in fostering the ideals of such a thematic approach.

Many reports done in the resent past vouches for a paradigm shift from reliance on experienced journalists to young and upcoming cadre of journalists who can be impressed upon from their early age in the profession to embrace and report internationally the disability issues throughout their career. This, it is hoped, will dismantle the current apathy displayed by the current crop of journalists. This can not come overnight and therefore it calls for proper planning, patience and intensive and sustained training aimed at changing the attitude of journalists on disability.

In a nutshell, for journalists to communicate disability issues more effectively here in Kenya and abroad, there is need to develop their capacities, have a reliable and sustained information flow targeting them as well as a provision of resources.

George Kasera

They say, “Today’s children are tomorrow’s future.” Simply meaning that if empowered and well nurtured at a tender age, people we consider as young today, tomorrow will be leaders of the nation in different aspects of life. To ensure that women take their rightful leadership role, there is a need to nurture today’s young women, now.

Across Africa, many young women are not being sufficiently empowered to realise their potential to contribute effectively to women’s movements and national developments. Women and men in decision-making and leadership positions today, at some point in their lives, will undoubtedly pass the torch to the younger generation.

Women are usually socialised to believe that their place is the kitchen and not public domain. We are brought up not to speak out, but let men speak on our behalf even on issues that directly affect us.

One just needs to look back at the recent elections in Zambia to see that there is a great need to develop tomorrow’s women leaders, if we are going to see a change in the decision-making landscape of the country to one of gender equity. Just 14 % of the 150 parliamentary seats contested went to women. At the local government level the situation is even worse – just 9.5 %.

Zambia failed to reach the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) target of 30% representation of women in politics and decision-making positions by the end of 2005, and is even further from the newly set target of 50 %.

It is for this reason that a non-governmental organisation (NGO) in Zambia, known as the Young Women in Action (YWA), has come up with an initiative to empower young women, to help create tomorrow’s women leaders.

YWA Publicity Secretary, Precious Mooze said in an interview that young women still face a lot of difficulties in being accorded opportunities to fully participate in decision-making at the community, organisational, family and national levels.

She said the reason often given as an excuse is that young women do not have the desired leadership skills and experience to take up higher positions or adequate knowledge and information to articulate issues properly.

“It is a fact that a number of programmes have been tailor made for adults, particularly older women. This has led to an intergenerational gap and often manifests itself through problems of continuity in organisations when older women leave their positions,” said Mooze.

Even when it comes to voting day, women are often over burdened with social responsibilities such as cooking, looking after the sick especially with the HIV/AIDS pandemic, selling markets, looking after children. Traditionally, women, especially those in rural areas, believe that voting is a man’s issue and it is a sheer waste of time to them.

22-year-old Sanana Isiteketo participated in a training programme conducted by YWA. Isiteketo said that adults dominate most NGOs, but she wants to see a situation where young women are more involved. She said it is a challenge for young women to access opportunities to participate in decision-making positions, but through advocacy and lobbying relevant authorities, this can change.

“I feel great that I was given the opportunity to train as a young woman. They are a lot of things that I learnt which I did not know such as power relations and how young women can exercise power in their own right. We also learnt about NEPAD and the Africa Peer Review Mechanism, and how youth can participate, thereby contributing towards Africa’s development. This information was appreciated by most young women including myself because a lot of us did not know about it.”

Mooze added, “YWA also works with young men aged 15-35 as associate members. YWA believes that today, it has been difficult for men the world over, to support women’s cause because of their different believes and the lack of knowledge on what gender is as regards development.”

She said the organisation hopes to produce a team of young women as trainers, construct a training centre and resources centre for young women’s entrepreneurship skills and a well-established YWA Secretariat where young women will be able to source knowledge.

By training young women in Zambia, and in all African countries, we are equipping a new generation with the knowledge and skills to bring their countries forward. After all, once we are gone, who else is there?

Perpertual Sichikwenkwe

(Perpertual Sichikwenkwe is a journalist in Zambia. This article is part of the Gender Links Opinion and Commentary Service that provides fresh views on everyday news.)

MDGs seem to be one the latest buzzwords – along with climate change and many others – but it is so for a reason.

Increasing partnerships for development, ensuring that any child attend school, and eradicating the worst forms of poverty do look quite daunting tasks for any government, let alone individuals. Despite this though, new social endeavours and projects are taking shape in each corner of the world, managed by one of the most untapped resource ever: young people.

Not surprisingly, young people worldwide – who account for over half of the world’s population – are taking the MDGs seriously enough to start doing something themselves, without further waiting for external help from historical actors such as the government or other well-know NGOs and institutions. They tackle the issues affecting their communities and the world at large, trying to bring about a meaningful and long-lasting change, a change for good.

Young people worldwide are taking stand on most issues under than sun, and unlike past generations, their impact is real, concrete and measurable. As such, there are young people who successfully lobbied to have a regional youth policy drafted and implemented in Pakistan, young people who fight for the economic and social rights of marginalised Ogoni people in Nigeria, and people spreading the word about HIV/AIDS in villages in rural Africa. Of course, these are but few examples; many more are the untold story of young people actively engaged in making MDGs a reality in their own communities.

Confronting the status quo and the adults is by no means an easy task for anyone, let alone young people. However, most of us have already realised that MDGs can actually be achieved if each and any person gets involved personally. What matters the most, is having a small impact locally, and work toward it to the best of one’s ability.

It goes without saying that the path to change – and achieving the MDGs – is a long one, albeit difficult and uncertain, but definitely one worth taking. Young people worldwide are already working to achieve it…will YOU join us too?

Selene Biffi
Youth Action for Change
Founder

To get inspiration, ideas and contacts to your work. You can become a member in some of the many social networks on the Internet. TellusBlog.com lists the three best ones.

TakingITGlobal.org

TakingITGlobal is an international organization - led by youth and empowered by technology. TakingITGlobal connects youth around the world to find inspiration, information and get involved in improving their local and global communities.

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, with a growing worldwide presence, the organization’s flagship program’ TakingITGlobal.org, serves as the most popular online community for young people interested in connecting across cultures and making a difference, with hundreds of thousands of visitors each month.

TakingITGlobal works with global partners – from UN agencies, to major companies, and especially youth organizations – to build the capacity of youth for development, artistic and media expression, make education more engaging, and involve young people in global decision-making.

Link: http://www.takingitglobal.org

Change.org

Today as citizens of the world, we face a daunting array of social and environmental problems ranging from health care and civil rights to global warming and economic inequality. For each of these issues, whether local or global in scope, there are millions of people who care passionately about working toward a solution but have no way of connecting with each other to advance a common goal.

Change.org aims to transform social activism by serving as the central platform that connects likeminded people, whatever their interests, and enables them to exchange information, share ideas, and collectively act to address the issues they care about.

To augment the power of the grassroots networks that develop through Change.org, we help connect these networks to the many nonprofit organizations that are already working to advance worthy causes around the world - over 1 million in total. We facilitate dialogue and collaboration by creating a social network around each nonprofit, thereby allowing people to participate in ways never before possible - by posting ideas and suggestions, engaging in direct dialogue, and organizing communities of donors, volunteer events, and rallies.

Link: http://www.change.org

Idealist.org

Idealists.org/Action Without Borders connects people, organizations, and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives.

AWB is independent of any government, political ideology, or religious creed. Our work is guided by the common desire of our members and supporters to find practical solutions to social and environmental problems, in a spirit of generosity and mutual respect.

Link: http://www.idealist.org

Much too often reality of the world looks dark. We are watching the news and looking at the world, feeling that our arms are tied. As if the events on this planet are out of our control. Our planet is just too big and the problems far too irresolvable.

There are those however, who KNOW that they can make a difference, who know that it´s possible, who know that change is just beyond our reach. Some of these individuals started the organization Kiva. Kiva lets you connect with and lend money to unique small businesses in the developing world. By choosing a business on Kiva.org, you can “sponsor a business” and help the world’s working poor make great strides towards economic independence. Throughout the course of the loan (usually 6-12 months), you can receive email journal updates from the business you’ve sponsored. As loans are repaid, you get your loan money back. Thanks to the life changing technological progress we have made, also known as the Internet, Kiva can make, what used to be expensive and complicated, very simple and inexpensive.

People do want to make their own money and create their own life, their own happiness. And there are capable. Only in certain cases, just wanting it and being capable isn’t really enough. This is the reason I have fallen in love with this organisation. It is so simple. So easy. It’s actually so easy that I feel people could do it every day. I don’t how much the loans can affect people’s lives and their businesses in the long run, no one can guarantee that a business will continue to be successful. But without these loans a lot of them might never even have a chance to be.

The other day I got in to a discussion about the meaning of life…Just a simple lunch conversation. Those conversations often lead to more anxiety than anything else, however they get you thinking…And we do need to think about our world. Often. Life flies by and no one can really guaranty what happens next. But don’t we want to feel like we made a difference and made something good in our lifetime? This I guarantee: You CAN change the life for at least one person somewhere in the world. You could be the difference between happiness and misery. You could give love and support, which will lead to someone’s happiness. That, if nothing else, gives a major meaning to your life.

There is just enough happiness, food, money and much else…for each and every one of us. If only we make some efforts. There is absolutely nothing more worth it.

Quotes from loan givers:

“I loan because I can. Kiva makes possible and easy what was not, and I hope this can encourage more humanity in the world.”

“I loan because I want you to have the same opportunities as I do. Opportunities to build a future for my family in a way that will also benefit the community I live in.”

Mia Masnic

More information at http://www.kiva.org.

Our world has never been as vibrant as now. You can feel the change in all the world’s regions and cultures. TellusBlog.com are a group blog that demonstrates these changes and the people behind it.

We will report from a world filled with injustice and chaos, but our focus will be to show the good side of the stories, progress and development, and in at the same time give concrete examples to make foster even more change around the world. Our ambition is to give all our readers inspiration and tools to make a difference.

We will show a world with a bright future. Today, more people then than ever are free from poverty;, more people have access to a primal education, and the global health are is much better today then than any time in history. TellusBlog.com will show that we can make a better world; our leaders have the money, the technical innovations and the plan to make it, and now we need to tell them that we want to do it!