Technology & Development

We are, as they say, in the age of the computer. To many, it seems strange to imagine keeping in touch without mobile phones, or looking for information without the internet. With technological advances come many different possibilities for advancement... to save time here, to make more money there. Smart phones are becoming more and more common place, bringing with them a wealth of applications that support a vast range of functions. Technologies are now able to work in a synergy with each other - phones with the internet, mp3 players with maps and satellite navigation, even watches serve as USB data storage systems these days. All these allow for an increased free-flow of information which is crucial to development.

Developing countries are often cited as being technologically backward, and (perhaps more often) lagging behind their more developed counterparts. Encouragingly however, increasing numbers of people are realising the benefits of technology and are becoming more and more innovative in its use. Even better, individuals in developing countries are adapting this technology and making it work to solve their specific problems and address their needs.

The question about technology is not whether or not it brings benefits - because for the most part, those are clear for all to see. To some, technology is simply a means by which to make life easier. To others, it has become an absolute necessity. Can we then say that technology is absolutely necessary for development? In cases such as areas of rural Zambia were the internet is allegedly more accessible than clean water, you have to wonder whether priorities have been set correctly, if at all.

This is not to say that these targets should be made at the expense of technological advancement. In some areas, mobile phone technology is being used to save lives, and to say advances in technology should be scrapped in favour of other 'more important' issues would be foolhardy. Where then, do we draw the line?

Some would say there is no need for such a line to exist. If, for example, there is a way of using one to achieve progress in another, that would optimise benefit for all concerned. An example of such a case can be found with Zack Matere, a Kenyan potato farmer - and from what it sounds - a would-be entrepreneur and philanthropist as well.

The 50 Kenyan shillings (about 66 US cents) he spends a day accessing information on the internet each day proves to be too expensive (or as some might say, frivolous) for the majority of people in his local community. Recognising the benefits and potential for advancement that can be gained by the wealth of information online, Zack plans to post useful information (on agriculture, health and education) on his local information boards.

"The internet is quite an individual pursuit. But a noticeboard is more of a group thing", he explained to the BBC. "So if I post an item on a noticeboard on potato disease, for example, the community can read it, talk together and come to a decision."

You can read more about Zack's story here. It is this kind of innovative thought that can propel development in rural and even urban areas, even if this can only initially be achieved by taking baby steps.

47 Years of African Leadership for Africa

Yesterday, 'Africa Day', marked the 47th anniversary of what is now the African Union (the AU was formed in 2002 to replace the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) which was established on May 25th, 1963). Forty seven years of united leadership from the 53 member states that make up the Assembly of the African Union have seen their fair share of ups and downs. The AU's initial handling of the crisis in Darfur, for example, was severely criticized. However, the 2008 invasion of Anjouan to oust separatist leader Colonel Mohamed Bacar and the 2003 peacekeeping intervention in Burundi are widely acknowledged as successes.

Click here for a detailed account of the AU's history - from the people behind the OAU to what it is today - and here for more information about their activity to date. Acknowledgment to allAfrica.com for the information.

Below, you can find an excerpt of Jean Ping (Chairperson of the Commission of the African Union)'s address to journalists earlier in the year, which has a brief run-through of the progress the AU is making on various countries. The full speech can be found here, and the full-text article can be downloaded from the AU website.

"Ladies and gentlemen,

"In 2009, conflicts and crises have again spilled a lot of ink. However, we hope 2010 will be the year for durable solutions and the culmination of processes begun to entrench peace, safety and well being for people in Africa. As I like to say, our ultimate aim is to preserve African citizens from fear, and poverty.

"As you are aware of, the crisis in Madagascar [sic] has given us a hard time. Neither the adoption of the Transitional Charter nor the agreements of Maputo and the Additional Act of Addis Ababa were enough to dissolve the Gordian knot of the distribution of ministerial portfolios. I just returned from Madagascar where my mission was to present compromise solutions to the Malagasy parties. The Commission's initiative was welcomed, but no positive conclusion can be announced as of now.

"In Somalia, President Ahmed Sharif has opened dialogue with the armed opposition and the hard-line insurgents. Notwithstanding this, Al Shabaab and Hisbul Islam continue to undermine the national reconciliation process by repeated attacks. This further deteriorates the humanitarian and security situation in the country. AMISOM whose mandate was renewed for a period of 12 months has still not attained the authorized effective of 8,000 men. I hope that the promised troops will be on the ground in 2010. In the meantime, it is clear that Somalia is still a major concern throughout Africa and the world.

"In Sudan, considerable progress has been made. In January 2010, the process of implementing the global peace agreement has celebrated its 5th anniversary. However, many challenges remain. National elections will be held in April 2010. They will be followed by the referendum for southern Sudan and the Abyei region in January 2011. Regarding Darfur, I hope that the implementation of the Mbeki Report will be a lasting solution.

Conselling based education

One of the tools that we aim to promote through the YLMP is Counselling Based Education (CBE). Below is a brief description of what CBE entails and hopes to achieve. It was written by Seth Tandoh, who works with Media Youth Project:

"CBE is a style of sharing information that utilises the trainee's own curiosity and life experiences. Unlike a typical Ghanaian classroom set-up where students are "lectured at" from rigid, inflexible notes, the trainee is required to give something of himself.

Here are some of the unique aspects of CBE as practiced by Media Youth Project. The first four relate to training methods:

1. We throw away conventional 'chew and pour' teaching.
At Media Youth Project the trainee himself becomes part of the learning process.

2. We keep learning groups small so we can give everyone individual attention.
By keeping the numbers small (between 3-10), the leader can give each individual attention and, in love, help him or her to chart a consistent course of self-development.

3. We place great emphasis on practicals.
Emphasis on putting what one has learnt into immediate use.

Plastic waste management: How you can help

The following is an article on plastic waste management written by Aba Tetteh, one of our senior mentors. Thanks for your contribution Aba!


When they first came in they were great. Thinking about convenience and affordability, we ignored the havoc it could also create: the Menace of Plastic.

Less than five years ago, the use of plastic was not the norm; now, you cannot buy anything without being given a plastic container or bag to put it in. It is important to note that despite the fact that plastics have made life easier for us in terms of being convenient and affordable, plastics do not disintegrate or decompose easily, and as a result we are battling with how to get rid of our plastic waste in an environmentally friendly way.

Here, I seek to illustrate some things we as individuals can do to manage our plastic waste. In the absence of a nationwide management of waste, we can reduce our plastic use by following simple principles of management.

As a nation, we need to learn how to sort out our refuse. Sorting makes it easier for waste management companies to pick up our waste and recycle it without having to pay extra for people to sort them out. Ghanaians are willing and able to dispose of rubbish in containers that are provided, and this is evident by the fact that when waste bins are packed with waste that have not been picked up, most people still go out of their way to cramp rubbish into the container. When we get into the habit of sorting out our waster materials, the two recycling companies we have operating in the Ghana, namely, Ghana Waste Recycling and Zoomlion Ghana Limited, will find it easier to pick up the sorted plastic waste. Getting people to adapt a habit is tedious especially if there is a lackadaisical attitude about it. It is a matter of principle, self-awareness and individual policing. In order for this change to take place, we will have to inculcate the habit of sorting our rubbish, starting in our schools and homes.

In the meantime, we can look at reducing our use of plastics by applying the 3R’s: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. How many times do you buy stuff from the market or while walking in town? How do you normally carry such an item or items? Is it in your handbag, carrier bag etc, anything reusable? Oh, here is a thought, you probably would buy a plastic bag or be given a plastic bag by the seller; this is what we would typically do. When we get home, we throw the plastic bag away without a second thought. How about instead of throwing that bag away, we fold it up and keep it stored away. Plastic bags vary in texture and durability. You can use the less durable bags to line your rubbish containers or for wrapping certain items. With the more durable plastic bags, you can reuse them as carrier bags. Remember to keep a carefully folded plastic bag in your handbag or wallet ready for use whenever you find that you need it. This bag can be used for about four or more times before being finally discarded.

How do you know when mentoring works?

The following was compiled by Ann Rolfe, a leading mentoring specialist in Australia. This is what she had to say about mentoring:

Whether you use sophisticated metrics or simply ask participants, it is important to gain feedback on mentoring to evaluate whether the relationships worked, made a difference and contributed worthwhile organisational outcomes. Plan to gather both qualitative and quantitative data before, during and after the mentoring.

Success Indicators - identify what you can measure pre and post mentoring to gauge benefits;
Early Follow-up - check in with people soon after the program launch to ensure that they have made contact and begun the mentoring relationship;
Monitor - stay in touch, build two-way communication, identify any potential problems and resolve them sooner, rather than later;
Mid-point Review - get the group together, face-to-face or via webinar. Workshop what's working well and what could improve. Help them create strategies to gain the most value from their mentoring
Finalé - a final group session gives closure to participants. Make it special and acknowledge their contribution. This is the time to recognise their achievements and take feedback for improvement for future programs. Questionnaires can be used to elicit their evaluation and quantify qualitative input.
Post-program - schedule review of longer-term success indicators at appropriate intervals. Mentoring will show immediate benefits but the greatest gains come from the enduring effect of mentoring.

Mentoring as a one-off event may be indelible for individuals but mentoring imbedded in the culture is the ultimate measure of success. If the benefits of mentoring are to be perpetuated, it is what you do after your mentoring program that will determine if mentoring works.

(SOURCE)

Note: Ann Rolfe's blog has been added to our 'Interesting Blogs' widget on the right hand side.

A Library Success Story: 'The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind'

After a discussion between Elinam Adadevoh (YLMP Programme Manager) and Adobea Akuffo (Senior Mentor), I've decided to post an amazing story of a boy who was inspired to do great things by a book in his local library. Here is a short review:

"William Kamkwamba was born in Malawi... a country plagued by AIDS and poverty. Like most people in his village, his family subsisted on the meager crops they could grow, living without the luxuries — consider necessities in the West — of electricity or running water. Already living on the edge, the situation became dire when, in 2002, Malawi experienced the worst famine in 50 years. Struggling to survive, 14-year-old William was forced to drop out of school because his family could not afford the $80-a-year tuition.

Though he was not in a classroom, William continued to think, learn — and dream. Armed with curiosity, determination, and a book he discovered in a nearby library, he embarked on a daring plan — to build a windmill that could bring his family the electricity only two percent of Malawians could afford. Using scrap metal, tractor parts, and blue-gum trees, William forged a crude yet working windmill, an unlikely hand-built contraption that would successfully power four light bulbs and two radios in his family’s compound. Soon, news of his invention spread, attracting interest and offers of help from around the world. Not only did William return to school but he was offered the opportunity to visit wind farms in the United States, much like the ones he hopes to build across Africa.

A moving tale of one boy’s struggle to create a better life, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind is William's amazing story — a journey that offers hope for the lives of other Africans — and the whole world, irrefutably demonstrating that one individual can make a difference." (SOURCE)

Kudos to William Kamkwamba for his courage, innovative spirit and determination to see this project through from start to finish. It is encouraging to see that young people are interested in learning, and can (and do) get information from books. It makes the work we're doing at Kinbu seem all the more relevant... who knows how many budding 'Williams' we have amongst us?

You can read an article on this story (including details of how William created water pumps and introduced solar power to his community) here. Aside from the book, a documentary and a Foundation have been created in William's honour.

Databank Foundation and YLMP on allAfrica.com!

Databank Foundation and the YLMP (as well as other Foundation initiatives) have featured in an article on allAfrica.com! You can read excerpts of the article below, or you can read it in full here.

Databank... is poised to address the leadership problem that has plagued the continent, through the... Databank Foundation, by training leaders for the continent's development.

So far, 200 people have been trained through the initiative and challenged to bring success to their fields of endeavour.

Mr. Ken Ofori-Atta, Executive Chairman of Databank Group, said the Foundation was an initiative to address the leadership crisis which has plagued the continent, in order to develop Africa and to help solve the problems in the identified areas.

Meanwhile, another programme labelled as the Young Leaders Mentorship Programme targets the youth to become part of the solution and not the problem to the challenges facing Ghana.

A pilot project of the mentorship programme is currently being run at the Kinbu Secondary School, which when successful, would be extended to other communities.

Unfortunately, some of the information on the original article was incorrect, but we have sent a comment pointing this out, and hopefully it should be rectified soon.

How to find your Leadership Style

An article on finding your leadership style from wikiHow:

Leadership has about as many definitions as it has people to define it. Once thing, however, is certain - it does not come in a one-size-fits-all package. Leadership styles vary and each is as good as the other, provided that you know your style and are able to draw on its strengths to motivate and lead your team. The ultimate aim is to both understand your own leadership leanings and to draw on the other styles as well.

Steps

1. Think about how you approach leading others. Do you jump right in and show others how it's to be done before standing back and letting them try? Do you stand back and encourage with praise and subtle correction? Or, do you like to be seen in the midst of your team working through things at the same time? Here are three distinct styles that are fairly typical (noting that everyone has overlapping shades of styles and unique approaches):

• Front end leader: This leadership style involves demonstrating how something is done and requesting others to follow the lead. It is a dominant style of leadership.
• Supporting leader: This leadership style involves patiently waiting for others to give things a go, and giving them praise for getting it right and gently redirecting any errors in the process. This is an intuitive, trusting style of leadership.
• Interactive leader: This leadership style involves mucking in with the group and learning together. You learn and err together, while you still take responsibility for showing, guiding, and supporting. This is a sharing style of leadership.

2. Relate your leadership style to your dominant personality traits. Can you see the linkages now? This is not about finding a negative relationship between your personality traits and leadership abilities; rather, it is about informing yourself as to what parts of your personality style you tend to rely on when leading. And if you feel that any of your personality traits might be holding up your full leadership potential, understanding this provides you with the opportunity for improving your leadership skills in weaker areas through training, up-skilling and focusing.

3. Match your leadership style to the job, activity, or project. It makes sense to select leadership opportunities that will benefit the most from your principal leadership style. For example, if you are excellent with a hands-on approach to leadership, you will enjoy work where structure and process matters. If you're a high achiever who stands out the front at all times, you are likely to be a great leader in situations of change and uncertainty, where vision and a thick skin are required all of the time. If you're easygoing and enjoy motivating people through support, you are likely to be better in a setting of professionals, academics, and others who already know their work inside out but need to be brought together skilfully.

Who is a Mentor? Tips for building successful mentoring relationships

This article is adapted from the Indiana University's Office of Mentoring Services & Leadership Development website.

While there are many different ways of answering the question of who is a mentor, a basic definition with which we can begin is that a mentor is a special kind of helper who works with others in a positive, constructive way so that both mentor and protégé (or mentee) have the potential to grow through the relationship.

Mentoring is a way of offering a variety of services to mentees throughout the duration of the mentoring period, and sometimes even after. The program takes what's called a 'developmental' approach, which in everyday language means that we're working to create services that support mentees as they grow, learn, and mature through their living and learning experience.

Therefore, a mentor is an individual who creates a paraprofessional working relationship with students aimed towards personalizing and improving the quality of student life and learning.

So, how do mentors fulfill their role?

As we consider what mentors do that leads to achieving the goal of 'personalizing and improving the quality of student life and learning,' it's important to realize that:

1. many of the same things we do in everyday life to 'help others are similar to the role of a mentor, and
2. it is a mentor's responsibility to take what we do in everyday life and develop those 'helping' abilities into a set of paraprofessional mentoring skills.

Some of the things that one might do to help a friend who's having a hard time might include:

• providing information and advice based on your experience and ideas;
• encouraging him or her to take a healthy, positive, and constructive risk;
• 'being there' just to listen and understand;
• offering honest and positive feedback;
• planning and thinking with her or him about how to work through a challenging or confusing situation;
• sharing different points of view to understand an issue or problem from as many different ideas and ways of thinking as possible; and,
• making use of multiple perspectives to base decisions in choosing from the best of all the options, creating an action plan, and following through with that plan.

Helping, providing, encouraging, being there, offering, planning, sharing, and making -- these are all things we do to help one another as we grow, learn, and change through everyday living and learning. And, in large part, this list provides another dimension of understanding who is a mentor and what he or she does. But, we need to go further to understand what it means to become a skilled mentor.