African Directory of Health Information Resource Centres - SAfAIDS

Global Directory of Health Information Resource Centres
VISION
Our health department’s goal is to equip villagers
to take charge of their own health situation and
improve health in their respective villages. We do
this by building the capacity of village health
posts (putting in place a system of village
management, doing regular inservice trainings of
village health workers, doing regular supervisory
visits, etc.) We also work with village folklore
groups to help them to formulate health
messages that they can then pass on when they
sing for their population. We are in the process
of elaborating a strategy for implementing the
Child-to-Child method for utilising children as
agents of change for health. Finally, we use the
GRAAP method of "animations" to do awareness
raising with the entire village in order to
conscienticise villagers and help them to reflect
critically on their health situation. We do all
these things to evoke a desire on the part of the
village itself to become more self-reliant in
terms of health.
INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Information collection and provision is a primary
activity of the centre.
The centre has one or more computers, and would
like to have more.
Subject areas covered: hygiene and sanitation,
nutrition, village management of health, basic
curative strategies, aids prevention.
Users of the Centre’s information: village
health workers, village children - all of whom are
marginalised and generally poor, Our own staff
Primary or community level health workers,
Ministry personnel and institutions.
We write, draw or produce our own information.
We use information from other centres and
sources within the country. We use information
from other centres and sources from outside the
country. We use local non-formal knowledge (e.g.,
local health practices and traditions). We receive
information by e-mail or from the Internet. We
receive information from CD-ROMs or by
computer diskettes.
We adapt and modify information we have received.
We translate materials from foreign languages into
our local language.
Some of our staff have received training in
information production, handling and dissemination
skills. Some of our staff have received training in
computer and Internet use. We would like to receive
training in information production, handling and
dissemination skills. We would like to receive
training in computer and Internet use.
Botswana
AIDS Action Trust (ACT)
BASIC INFORMATION
COORDINATOR: Lesang Norah Motlhabane,
Coordinator
ADDRESS: ACT 390 Independence Avenue, Private
Bag 00346, Gaborone Botswana
Tel: +267 314635 Fax: 267 314634
Code: hlw Type of centre: local NGO, communitybased
organisation
Working language(s): English, Setswana Countries
of operation: Botswana
VISION
ACT's programmes include facilitation of community
based responses ACT is a community-based
organisation involved in HIV prevention through
education and training. It provides support to
organisations and individuals involved in AIDS
projects and to mobilise public awareness on AIDS
and its consequences. Specific activities involve
support to AIDS organisations in rural areas, youth
outreach, mens outreach and women's advocacy
project. ACT is a member and acts as secretariat of
BONASO, Botswana Network of AIDS Service
Organisations.
INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY
Subject areas covered: adult education, extension
work, information exchange, networking, project
support, advocacy, resource centre.