Europe/Africa ICA Regional Report
(includes additional reports from United Kingdom, Kenya, Benin)

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Report: United Kingdom
Report: Kenya
Report: Benin

Africa


Europe

Prepared by Lan Levy

The online regional gathering for Europe took place on 15th November 2012. I was one of the five participants together with Larry Philbrook, Martin Gilbraith, Jonathan Dudding (UK) and Linda (Vienne). It was a short gathering, which helped us catch up with what’s happening in ICAs worldwide, especially after the conference in Nepal.

I was eager to hear news from other ICAs and about the direction that ICAI is going to take for the next few years. It’s important for me to feel connected and aligned with the development of ICAI. It seems to me there was a momentum built during Nepal’s conference, a willingness to strengthen and develop ICA network. ICAI is trying to take the lead, trying to give clear directions. There are still a lot of questions raised concerning status (associate, membership…), what will the changes be?

Here is some news about ICAs in Europe from my point of view:

ICA:UK:
At a turning point with Martin Gilbraith stepping out. It is working on its development strategy for the coming years and is the most active ICA in Europe with regular ToP trainings, leadership trainings and international programs. Jonathan Dudding is developing with his colleagues a conflict transformation approach called KUMI.

ICA:Croatia:
I sense a rebirth. Zlata and her colleagues are planning its re-establishment with strong will and commitment and also dealing with questions concerning the statutory laws.
BOSPO was focusing on the project of improving tuberculosis control in the Roma population and other vulnerable groups funded by UNDP the last 21 months.

Austria
:
Hannah and Gerda are very active in preparing and giving ToP trainings and facilitating workshops for women’s organizations and NGOs. They are connected to ICA Germany and are not yet an ICA on their own. A new and strong energy is coming up …

ICA:Spain:
This is another active ICA in Europe after ICA:UK. After getting granted projects from Grundtvig and others, Catalina and her team were working on different areas and in several countries. I’m amazed and envious of their success and diversity in action: exchanging best practices on Peace and Empowering Women themes; Spanish ToP trainee’s journey; Initiatives of Change; Community Building.

ICA:Belgium:
Quite quiet this year. Anna let us know that she is moving to New Hampshire and Maine areas. Well situated in the neighbourhood area of Brussels, ICA:Belgum offers ToP training, facilitation consulting, residential rental, workshop rooms rental…

ICA:Germany:
More active in other communities like open space and future search than in ICA methods. Mia, Michael and Sabine are designing and are ready to deliver ToP trainings.

ICA: Netherlands
:
I met 2 persons from Netherland (Inge and Erica Vandenberg) in ICA interchange 2010 in Brussels. Inge is still active in ICA: Netherland and Erica has stepped out. As far as I know, they are working a lot with youth. Hope to hear from them very soon.

France:
Lan is developing ToP training in particular and facilitation in general. ToP training is getting a positive response. I’m hoping to reach a larger number of people next year. I’m getting help from other ICAs, especially from Belgium and Taiwan, and creating a place for ICA in France. Together with a group of facilitators, we have already established a chapter of IAF Paris. Consultants, coaches, and in agile communities are getting familiar with the facilitation notion now (which was not the case 2 years ago).

A new wave of facilitation is coming in Europe. There is a need and there is a lot of hesitation to move forward too. Hopefully, ICAs Europe will be strong enough. Using ToP to get people involved in taking actions to overcome this turbulent period seems to me more appropriate than ever.

Each year we organize an ICA European Interchange. After Brussels and Vienna, the next will be in Paris. We are scheduling this event on the weekend of 15th to 17th March 2013. Other ICAs (non-European) are of course welcome to join us.



ICA:UK

ICA:UK continues to work both nationally and internationally whilst also holding a strategic review prompted by a recognised need to change and the departure of Martin Gilbraith as Chief Executive. The current staff team consists of four people (about 3 full time equivalents) and we have a Board of 9, most of whom joined in early 2012.

Internationally:

•   We continue to work with ICA Togo on a UK Government-funded programme with community schools in Togo
•   Village Volunteers sponsored a strategic planning event for CDI, one of our Kenyan partners
•  Work to share the Kumi approach to conflict transformation continued in Tunisia (training facilitators to run workshops to discuss the new constitution), and in the Netherlands with an EU- funded learning and sharing event for Kumi practitioners in Europe.
•  Exploring regional programme in Africa on impact assessment (both to capture ICA’s
•    impact and to see how ToP can be incorporated in a new methodology)
•    Started virtual mentoring scheme with 4 partner organisations in Africa
•    Contracts with international NGOs
•    Worked with ICA Spain to deliver five day ToP training in Madrid

Nationally:

•    Ongoing schedule of public ToP courses (mostly GFMs)
•    Providing facilitation and training services to range of UK clients: mostly voluntary sector, some public sector
•    Planned EU-funded five-day ToP training course in December
•    Approved supplier in a national voluntary sector infrastructure organisation strengthening programme

Organisational Development

•    Joint staff/Board away day to look at our external environment and to see where we stand as an organisation in terms of our mission, values and principles.
•    Launch of longer period of discussion and decision involving ICA:UK Associates and network leading up to the launch of a new strategy at our AGM in January 2013.
•   New financial system developed and launched and switched to online banking



Africa

Prepared by Gerald Gomani

The Nepal Conference saw the participation of the following African ICAs: ICA-Kenya represented by Meshack Mutevu, ICA-Tanzania (Charles Luoga) and Zimbabwe (Gerald Gomani). African ICAs that couldn’t make it to the conference were: Zambia (OPAD), South Africa, Cote d’ivoire, Cameroon, Togo, Benin, Nigeria and Uganda due to financial difficulties. While peer to peer has been effective, much need to done to reach out to fragile ICAs and the challenge is on how to get the struggling ICAs back on the track.

ICA-UK has created successful partnerships with African ICAs such as ICA-Togo which has managed to secure a grant for Education for the next two years. Other ICAs such as ICA Zimbabwe, Kenya have received technical support and financial support through ICA –USA which have helped to enhance organisational performance and delivery. For example there have been exchanges between ICA-UK and ICA- Zimbabwe. Such efforts are commendable and need to be sustained.
 ICA Taiwan has also provided technical support and training free of charge to African ICAs such as Zimbabwe, Kenya and so forth. These are the initially steps and hope some initiatives will continue in 2013.

The HIV/AIDS meeting held in Nepal has opened a way on how struggling ICAs can be brought on board. Gatherings for African ICAs need to be organised to include everyone and build some consensus of how we can move forward and also share the work that is going on.

Training in Virtual Facilitation is a need for African ICAs and hope to get a training session conducted to those who are interested.
Below is a summary of the reflections concerning Africa in Nagarkot

1.   Most of ICAs in Africa are fragile; HOW?
This is due to inadequate resources
•    Financial resources
•    Human resources
•    Skills/experience

2.   We are continuing our activities (prevention, care and positive self-management with regards to HIV/AIDS,ToP) using only small available resources and skills

3.   SO WHAT?
a)   To improve and widen the relationship with different partners with whom we share vision and values; not only for soliciting for funds but to allies and participate to work together
b)  To revive communication with old ICA staff and friends to help with connections from “FRIENDS of ICA”
c)   Conducting training of facilitators
•    Use available gifts from ICA UK, USA and Canada (who through personal conversations during this gathering have shown the interest to help)
d)  To bring IAF (International Association of Facilitators) to Africa
e)   Mentoring program for ICA staff (facilitators from experienced facilitators)
•    Mentoring visits
•    Co facilitation invitation
f)   Improve peer to peer collaboration
•    Through sharing activities reports
•    Regular communication/discussion (monthly update in Africa)
•    Exchange visits
g)   To utilize existing and future opportunities for ToP and leadership trainings e.g. introduction of country system in Kenya will likely give Ica a chance to conduct a lot of trainings
h)  To strategize for all sorts of threat e.g. political instability

Conclusion

In order for African ICAs to become financially stable, it requires some capacity strengthening in program delivery and creating funding linkages such as what ICA Australia is doing in Asia. To this end, African ICAs are calling for collaboration with other ICAs to improve their program delivery. African ICAs have clear visions of what they want to become, and what capacities they need to be strengthened in order for them to be able to fulfill their visions. The realization of this vision will require technical and financial support from external sources.



ICA-Kenya


Vision

 ICA- Kenya envisages empowered communities that are developed socially, economically and politically without tribal, gender, religious or culturally biases.

Mission Statement

 ICA-K is inspired by the concern for the human factor in world development proposes:
•    Promotion of participatory approaches to deal with the challenges facing individuals, communities, organizations and Nations
•    Empowerment of communities in rural and urban areas of Kenya with skills that strengthens their ability to direct their development.
•    Establishment of an environment that contributes to human development.
•    Collaboration and networking with other organizations and individuals locally and internationally to share information and to improve approaches to development.

Core Values

1. Love
2. Compassion
3. Equity
4. Transparency
5. Accountability
6. Professionalism
7. Teamwork
8. Stewardship

Leadership Training & Integrated Development Programme (LTID)

LTID Programme is one of ICA-Kenya’s community initiatives to empower communities to take a leading role in their own development. Currently this programme is being implemented in Ikalaasa location of Mwala District Machakos county. In Ikalaasa Location the programme is being implemented in two Phases. Phase 1 running from January 2007 to December 2009, and phase 2 from July 2010 to June 2013.

LTID Focus

 In Ikalaasa Location the LTID has been guided by a Baseline survey outcome that was conducted in January 2007 and strengthened by an evaluation outcome conducted in March 2010. The following interventions have been the main focus for this programme:
•    Leadership training
•    Sustainable Agriculture training
•    HIV and AIDS trainings
1.   HIV and AIDS Prevention Education
2.   Mobile VCT at village level
3.   Positive self-management Training for PLWHAS
•    Paralegal Training for widows
•    Gender training
•    Youth empowerment
•    Social Economic and Political empowerment
1.   Self-help group (Household Needs catered)
2.   Cluster level Association(Community needs)
3.   Federation (Coordination body)
•    Leaders exchange forums
•    Stakeholders exchange forums
•    ICAK staff capacity building

Leadership Training

 During the phase 2 programme 290 leaders from 42 villages trained on Leadership skills and group facilitation methods.

Sustainable Agriculture Training

Sustainable Agriculture training in Ikalaasa location is a key component of LTID programme to curb the challenge of food insecurity in the location. 382 out of 580 have been trained.

Agriculture Exchange Visits

Agriculture Trainings are enriched by farmer exchange visits which give farmers an opportunity to interact with other farmers from other regions. “Seeing is believing”. The exchange visit gives farmers exposure where they learn by seeing. In Ikalaasa Location farmers were exposed to one of the life changing exchange visit in Mtito Andei which is drier than Ikalaasa Location. This led to the adaption of Moringa as a cash crop in Ikalaasa Location.

HIV and AIDS Prevention Education Trainings

To curb the spread of HIV and AIDS in Ikalaasa Location. ICAK has taken a preventive measure of Educating the Community on HIV and AIDS Prevention. The training is meant to change the people’s Behavior, Attitudes and Perceptions that promote the spread of HIV in the community.

Mobile Voluntary Counseling & Testing

 ICAK in collaboration with the ministry of Health takes VCT services closer to the community. People come to know their HIV and AIDS status at their village level. More than 1,000 people have been tested in Ikalaasa Location during the Phase 2 programme.

Positive Self-Management Training
PLWHAS needs care and support. ICAK has taken a positive role to empower PLWHAS. Those living with the virus are trained on Health eating, adherence to medication, action planning, problem solving, dealing with difficult emotions, communication skills, positive self-talk, breaking the symptom cycle for HIV among others. More than 420 PLWHAS have been trained in Mwala District. And 42 trained as Community resource Persons.

Paralegal Training For Widows

 Widows’ empowerment is one of the components undertaken by ICAK. The Kamba community has cultural practices that discriminate and violates the rights of women and mostly pronounced among the widows. The saying “women are to be seen never to be heard” is a common practice in many clans among the Kamba community. It is for this Reason that ICAK has taken an initiative to empower widows to be able to advocate for their rights. By June 2012, 100 widows had empowered.

Gender Training

Gender training is one of the key components undertaken by ICAK to empower communities. In Ikalaasa Location Gender disparity is one of the leading causes of underdevelopment. Men are culturally regarded as the supreme gender and women regarded as the inferior gender. This is culturally accepted by both genders in Ikalaasa Location. The gender disparity has been entrenched in many community activities. For instance, in the division of labor there are some tasks for men and others for women. When it comes to leadership women were not allowed to lead men. In property ownership women are only allowed to own chicken and kitchen utensils. The factors of production (land, capital, labor and management) were in the control of men. After gender training there are more women village elders in Ikalaasa than men.

Youth Empowerment

ICAK has empowered more than 160 youths in 8 youth groups In Ikalaasa Location.

Social Economic and Political empowerment

 ICAK has established a three level people institution in Ikalaasa Community through self-help Groups at the base level, Cluster level association in the middle level and Federation at the upper level. The groups meet weekly and contribute weekly savings and give loan to the members at an interest of 10%. Currently there are 65 self Help groups(SHG), 4 Cluster Level associations(CLA) and 1 federation in Ikalaasa Location. At the SHG level all the individual/household needs are catered for. The CLA deals with the communal challenges while the federation does the coordination.



ICA-Benin


During 2012, following activities have been undertaken by ICA Benin:

Right to water and sanitation

Started in 2009 with the support of two international NGOs (Both ENDS and Waterlex) we are actually implementing a pilot project funded by Both ENDS (Netherland).
This project aims to sensitize NGOs and communities on right to water and sanitation issues.
At least 70 NGOs and 25 communities have been involved in the first step of this project. A sensitization manual has been printed as training material.
Some international NGOs like Protos and HELVETAS are interested to work with us on this issue.

Women’s access to land

Since April 2009, our organization is working with rural communities of the region of Donga (North of Benin) in land access’ facilitation for women.
Eight communities of the districts of Djougou, Ouaké and Copargo are benefiting from these initiatives.
This project is funded by the Huairou Commission. It has been possible with the help of Mr Richard Alton of ICA USA. 


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