Speakers' biographies |
Sponsors & contributors |
Speakers
Denis Beckett (Moderator)
Denis Beckett started as an advocate, a.k.a barrister, but rapidly defected to journalism, envisaging less money but more fun. He was the owner and editor of Frontline magazine from 1979 to 1990, validating the money prediction while scooping improbable quantities of (a) awards and (b) banning orders.
In 1994, Denis re-defected to TV with Beckett's Trek, until in 2000 the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) found better uses for its airwaves. He is currently an author by instinct and a corporate hired pen/mouth/brain to pay the bills: holds up mirrors, explores tensions, bangs heads, stings rumps, tells the CEO the things the staff are tongue-tied about. Often inflicted upon audiences wanting fresh perspectives on Africa and its southern tip, he's known for telling them of greatnesses they have not (usually) contemplated. Possibly also some depths they prefer to block out.
Firoze Manji
Firoze Manji is Founder and Co-Director of Fahamu, an NGO focusing on human rights and social justice in Africa. A Kenyan, Dr Manji has worked for the International Development Research Centre, the Aga Khan Foundation, and the International Secretariat of Amnesty International. He is currently visiting fellow at Kellogg College and associate tutor in International Human Rights for the Department for Continuing Education at the University of Oxford.
He has published on health, social policy, human rights, and political sciences, and has authored a number of textbooks and interactive training manuals for NGOs and human rights organizations in Africa. He is the editor of Pambazuka News and senior editor of the Learning for Change series, published by Fahamu in association with the Department for Continuing Education at the University of Oxford. Dr Manji is a member of the editorial board of Development in Practice journal and of the steering committee of the Network for Equity in Health in Southern Africa.
Eve Gray
Eve Gray had more than 20 years publishing experience in South Africa and Europe before moving into consultancy and research. Her publishing experience covered the gamut of publishing tasks, from early experience in a printing works in Cape Town, through translation, editorial and production project management of high quality illustrated books in Belgium, to publishing directorships at Wits University Press, Juta Academic Publishing and the University of Cape Town Press in South Africa.
She has a publishing strategy consultancy company, Eve Gray & Associates, specialising in digital media and their potential for publishing in Africa. In 2006-7 she was an International Policy Fellow with the Open Society Institute (Budapest) in the Open Information Working Group, investigating open access and research publication policy in South Africa. She is now an Honorary Research Associate in the Centre for Educational Technology where she works on a number of projects for the IDRC, the Shuttleworth Foundation that explore the potential for electronic media and open access to provide new opportunities for scholarly and academic publishing in southern Africa.
Mike Schramn
Mike Schramm is the publishing manager at the National Inquiry Services Centre (NISC) in Grahamstown where he plans and oversees all their scholarly journal and book publishing business. He joined the company at the start of 2008, coming with a background in schoolbook publishing, first in the NGO sector and then as publishing manager with commercial publishing houses (Juta and Nasou Via Africa). Before publishing he worked in academia for over 15 years as a researcher and lecturer in Zoology at The University of Cape Town and at Walter Sisulu University.
NISC is a major publisher of information databases for Africa, based in Grahamstown. Realising a need in Africa for indigenous information and a local service, National Inquiry Services Centre (NISC SA) opened in Grahamstown in May 1995. NISC SA provides local and global information for Africa, about Africa and by Africans. With a commitment to African research and the use of powerful, user-friendly technology, NISC SA launches African publishing and research into the world arena.
Since late 2005, NISC has been partnering with African Journals OnLine (AJOL), a Non Profit Section 21 Company, also based in Grahamstown, South Africa. AJOL enhances access to the research output of Africa providing a collection of academic journals and journal articles published in Africa. AJOL hosts over 300 journals from 24 countries and there are currently more than 30 000 article abstracts available on the website. Free access to the abstracts and Tables of Contents is provided and full text hosting online is coming soon. AJOL was launched in 1988 by the International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INASP) in the United Kingdom. AJOL became an independent Non Profit Organisation and moved to Africa in 2005. AJOL outsources its software development to NISC and rents office space in the same building, allowing useful exchange and fruitful interaction.
Dick Ng’ambi
Dick Ng’ambi is a leading researcher in mobile learning for developing world contexts. He has designed and developed mobile learning tools ideal for resource constrained environments. He has pioneered projects in higher educations such as mobile learning and educational uses of podcasting in developing world context. He currently works for the Centre for Educational Technology at the University of Cape Town. He is a principal investigator on a mobile learning project funded by the Andrew Mellon Foundation. He holds a bachelors degree in mathematics, a master’s degree in computer science, and a Ph.D. in Information Systems. Dr Ng’ambi has published over 40 articles in journals and at peer-reviewed conferences.
The Centre for Educational Technology (CET) at the University of Cape Town supports the use of educational technology for teaching and learning and works in partnership with the university community. It enables and promotes and investigates the integration of learning technologies in teaching and learning at the University of Cape Town and in higher education. CET exists to realise the principles expressed in the University of Cape Town’s Educational Technology Policy. Its work is organised both vertically and horizontally through four areas of work: curriculum development, learning technologies, staff development, and research.
Shehnilla Mohamed
Shehnilla Mohamed is a Zimbabwean. She began her career as a journalist in 1982 working for the state controlled daily newspaper, The Herald. Since then she has worked with Agence France Presse (AFP) and as Editor of Africa Information Afrique (AIA), a regional feature service committed to development-oriented journalism.
Shehnilla spent seven years in the United Arab Emirates where she worked as Bureau Chief for the Northern Emirates of the Gulf News. She returned to Zimbabwe in 1996 where she worked as the Editor with the Environment Resource Centre and as a media trainer for the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) and Global Network (Germany). She also held the posts of Europe and Middle East Editor with Inter Press Services (IPS) and IPS Africa Editor, and also worked as Administrative Editor with the Southern African Broadcasting Association (SABANEWS).
In 2001 the situation in Zimbabwe forced her to relocate to South Africa with her two young sons, where she continued working as a media trainer with IRIN and with the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism (IAJ).
She joined Oxfam GB in 2002 and is still with them, now as Country Director of its South Africa Programme.
South Africa is resource-rich country with huge political potential both internally and externally, but due to various factors it has high levels of poverty and huge inequalities, which have been exacerbated by HIV and AIDS.
Oxfam GB has been working in South Africa for just over 50 years and in that time has gathered experience on how change happens. It was clear that change in South Africa would not come about as a result of direct poverty alleviation but would require changes at the policy level, hence an evidence- based advocacy and campaigns programme was set up. The programme addresses poverty in South Africa, the role of South Africa - negative or positive - on poverty in the region, and South Africa's influence as a regional, continental and global leader in poverty reduction.
The main direction of the programme is tackling inequality by specific work on focus areas, including: HIV and AIDS; Gender Based Violence and the link to HIV and AIDS; effective and accountable systems of health delivery; new approaches to managing investment for job creation and distribution of the benefits of growth; and South Africa's role as a regional and global leader in poverty reduction.
The work is mainly done with and through advocacy and campaigning partners, but there is a small programme on the ground in the Free State Province and one in Gauteng Province, supporting partners working on HIV and AIDS, Gender Based Violence and the delivery of essential health services.
Contributing Organisations
African Books Collective (ABC)
African Books Collective (ABC) comprises 114 independent African publishers from 19 African countries. Its mission statement is: "African Books Collective, founded, owned and governed by African publishers, seeks to strengthen indigenous African publishing through collective action and to increase the visibility and accessibility of the wealth of African scholarship and culture".
ABC markets and distributes African-published books worldwide. The strategy is largely commercial, to achieve the cultural aims. Some 1,500 titles are stocked, largely virtually through Print-on-Demand; and selected titles are stocked with a wholesale partner. Michigan State University Press is ABC's partner for distribution in North America. ABC is pursuing a self-sufficient commercial strategy; and support from funding agencies is applied for development and capacity building in African publishing. The titles are largely English language - scholarly titles, literature, and children's books. ABC's list includes many of Africa's top scholars and writers.
www.africanbookscollective.com/
African Publishers Network (APNET)
Established in 1992, the African Publishers Network (APNET) is a pan-African, non-profit network with a secretariat in Accra, Ghana. APNET brings together national publishers' associations (from 46 member countries) and publishing communities to strengthen indigenous publishing throughout Africa.
APNET's vision is the transformation of African peoples through books, and its mission is to strengthen African publishing through networking, training, trade promotion, and advocacy, in partnership with other stakeholders, to fully meet Africa's need for quality, relevant books.
In its Strategic Plan 2006 - 2009, APNET will utilize its membership network, its website, and the African Publishing Review (APR) to become the hub for information exchange. This is intended to become the nerve centre of African publishing. APNET's overall objective is to ensure that the development of indigenous publishing proceeds smoothly, both materially and structurally. To achieve this, APNET will also offer training, Intellectual Property workshops, trade promotions, and will plan and organise book publishing related events and conferences.
www.freewebs.com/africanpublishers/
Book Aid International
We are a UK-registered charity, established in 1954 in response to the huge demand for books and journals overseas, where education is the route out of poverty. Book Aid International:
- Sends over half a million books and journals each year to partners in 17 countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and Palestine
- Works with local partners to ensure resources go where they are needed most
- Supports the local book chain through African book purchase schemes
- Builds local capacity, strengthening the books and information sector in sub-Saharan Africa
- Campaigns for change, to ensure government commitment to the development of libraries and literate environments
We send books in the subjects our partners request - 80% are donated by the UK book trade, so the quality is as new. Our partners include libraries, schools, colleges, refugee camps, hospitals, prisons, and community centres.
Fahamu
Fahamu (the word Fahamu means ‘understanding’ or ‘consciousness’ in Kiswahili) has a vision of the world where people organise to emancipate themselves from all forms of oppression, recognise their social responsibilities, respect each other’s differences, and realise their full potential. Fahamu supports the struggle for human rights and social justice in Africa by:
- Supporting social justice advocacy through the innovative use of information and communication technologies
- Stimulating debate, discussion and analysis
- Distributing news and information
- Developing training materials and running distance-learning courses
Fahamu focuses primarily on Africa, although we work with others to support the global movement for human rights and social justice.
Fahamu comprises a small core of highly skilled and experienced staff based in Oxford (UK), Cape Town (South Africa) and in Nairobi (Kenya). They also have a network of Associates located in Africa, UK and elsewhere. Fahamu also works with a wide range of international partners. Their work is made possible through the commitment of volunteers and interns and through generous support of funders and by individual donations.
International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is one of the world's leading institutions in the generation and application of new knowledge to meet the challenges facing developing countries. IDRC funds applied research by researchers from developing countries on the problems they identify as crucial to their communities. IDRC builds local capacity in developing countries to undertake research and create innovations, believing that people from developing countries must take the lead in producing and applying knowledge for the benefit of their own communities. IDRC also fosters alliances and knowledge sharing between scientific, academic, and development communities in Canada and developing countries.
IDRC's headquarters are in Ottawa, Canada, with regional offices in Cairo, Dakar, Nairobi, New Delhi, Montevideo, and Singapore. IDRC publications are available free online and are distributed internationally in book form and on CD-Rom. For more information, write to IDRC at info@idrc.ca or visit our website, www.idrc.ca
Oxfam GB
Oxfam GB is an international development and relief organisation, one of thirteen members of Oxfam International. Oxfam works with others to overcome poverty and suffering... with partners, with volunteers, with supporters and staff of many nationalities - part of a global movement to build a just and safer world.
Oxfam publishes materials for development policy, practice and research, to support its advocacy and campaigning work, to share good practice, and to contribute to debates on development and humanitarian issues. It also co-publishes with other agencies and with commercial partners.
Oxfam Publishing produces books, journals and online policy and research resources to support Oxfam's work. All its output is listed at its website www.oxfam.org.uk/publications and all recent materials are freely available online as pdf files. Books and journals are also available in hard copy through traditional publishing channels.
Practical Action Publishing
Practical Action Publishing is a not-for-profit publishing company working in alignment with the international development work pursued by the Practical Action group. Since 1974 we have published and distributed books and journals of relevance to the work of development practitioners worldwide.
www.practicalactionpublishing.org
The Nordic Africa Institute
The Nordic Africa Institute in Uppsala, Sweden, is a research, documentation, and information centre on modern Africa. The Institute is tasked to undertake and encourage studies on contemporary African or Africa-related issues by scholars in mainly the Nordic and African countries. The multi-disciplinary focus of its research agenda addresses topical issues within the social sciences. With its research activities pursuing close interaction between Nordic and African scholars, the Institute seeks to enhance international collaboration and aims to contribute towards and stimulate academic as well as informed public debate.
The World Bank
The World Bank is a vital source of financial and technical assistance to developing countries around the world. It is not a bank in the common sense. It is made up of two unique development institutions owned by 185 member countries: the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the International Development Association (IDA). Each institution plays a different but supportive role in the Bank's mission of global poverty reduction and the improvement of living standards.
The IBRD focuses on middle income and creditworthy poor countries, while IDA focuses on the poorest countries in the world. Together they provide low-interest loans, interest-free credit and grants to developing countries for education, health, infrastructure, communications and many other purposes.
Shehnilla Mohamed is a Zimbabwean. She began her career as a journalist in 1982 working for the state controlled daily newspaper, The Herald. Since then she has worked with Agence France Presse (AFP) and as Editor of Africa Information Afrique (AIA), a regional feature service committed to development-oriented journalism.
Shehnilla spent seven years in the United Arab Emirates where she worked as Bureau Chief for the Northern Emirates of the Gulf News. She returned to Zimbabwe in 1996 where she worked as the Editor with the Environment Resource Centre and as a media trainer for the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) and Global Network (Germany). She also held the posts of Europe and Middle East Editor with Inter Press Services (IPS) and IPS Africa Editor, and also worked as Administrative Editor with the Southern African Broadcasting Association (SABANEWS).
In 2001 the situation in Zimbabwe forced her to relocate to South Africa with her two young sons, where she continued working as a media trainer with IRIN and with the Institute for the Advancement of Journalism (IAJ).
She joined Oxfam GB in 2002 and is still with them, now as Country Director of its South Africa Programme.
South Africa is resource-rich country with huge political potential both internally and externally, but due to various factors it has high levels of poverty and huge inequalities, which have been exacerbated by HIV and AIDS.
Oxfam GB has been working in South Africa for just over 50 years and in that time has gathered experience on how change happens. It was clear that change in South Africa would not come about as a result of direct poverty alleviation but would require changes at the policy level, hence an evidence- based advocacy and campaigns programme was set up. The programme addresses poverty in South Africa, the role of South Africa - negative or positive - on poverty in the region, and South Africa's influence as a regional, continental and global leader in poverty reduction.
The main direction of the programme is tackling inequality by specific work on focus areas, including: HIV and AIDS; Gender Based Violence and the link to HIV and AIDS; effective and accountable systems of health delivery; new approaches to managing investment for job creation and distribution of the benefits of growth; and South Africa's role as a regional and global leader in poverty reduction.
The work is mainly done with and through advocacy and campaigning partners, but there is a small programme on the ground in the Free State Province and one in Gauteng Province, supporting partners working on HIV and AIDS, Gender Based Violence and the delivery of essential health services.