The Namibia Economist

Centres to promote development

The United Nations in Namibia held a workshop with several regions in Windhoek this week, which was aimed at staff and volunteers of multi-purpose community centres.
The workshop took place on Wednesday and Thursday, and focused on equipping participants with hands-on experience in finalising the mission statements and management structures for their centres.
The main objective of the workshop was to expand the knowledge, practice and to provide access to information in multiple formats to rural communities.
The material presented at the workshop was compiled from need assessments, trainings and pilot projects at various centres.
The material serve as a guideline to centres to become catalysts for community voice and people-centred development. It further provides a wealth of choices in improving their capacity to service delivery, to provide materials in various formats to meet the needs of the respective communities, to act as a communication and information platform and to address ownership challenges as well as issues of sustainability.
Resource centres are important for making information available and encouraging people to use it, by offering a range of information services. Information services should improve access to information, not only for people who can come and visit the centre, but also for those who are based far away, or who cannot come in for other reasons.
The measurable result of this workshop / meeting is to develop an action plan for each centre.
This initiative lies in the framework of UNESCO’s contribution towards the promotion of community participation in sustainable development through community media. It also seeks the realisation of Millennium Development Goal 3 on gender equality and women empowerment focused on media related issues entitled: “setting things right towards gender equality and equity”.
The workshop was attended by representatives from centres from the Kavango, Ohangwena, Omaheke, Karas, Caprivi, Omusati and Kunene regions.

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