PHA-Exchange> AIFO - PHM Africa International Competition

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African Dreams
Turning the Dreams in Reality for Right to Health in Africa
AIFO-PHM Africa International Competition 2004-05

Summary:

AIFO/Italy and PHM Africa invite articles in English, French, Portuguese and
Italian from activists, non-governmental organisations and grass-roots
organisations based in Africa related to experiences of innovative
approaches linked to promotion of any aspect of better health for different
community groups. Articles selected by an international jury will be part of
a book to be released and distributed at Second People's Health Assembly
(PHA-II) in Ecuador in 2005 and will also be made available on AIFO website
www.aifo.it. Three best articles will receive a cash prize of 500 Euros
each. Last date for sending entries is 15 October 2004.

It is possible that some selected partners from this initiative will be
sponsored by AIFO to participate in the PHA-II. A decision regarding this
will be taken before the end of 2004. In addition, authors of the three
prize winning entries may also be invited to an award ceremony in Italy.

Background:

After the Alma Ata Declaration on primary health care in 1978 and the
launching world-wide objective of "Health for All by the year 2000", there
were many impressive gains in terms of improvement of health status in
developing countries. However, the last 15 years have seen stagnation in
many of these gains and especially in Africa, many of these gains have been
lost.

Decrease in average life expectancy at birth, rising infant and maternal
mortality rates, stagnating or decreasing cover of basic vaccinations, cuts
in health budgets, devastation created by epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis
and malaria, lack of access to essential medicines, etc. are some aspects of
the dramatic situation in Africa.

At the same time, for many international organisations, Africa is seen as a
"lost cause", while international assistance is being diverted to other
"more productive" areas of the world. There is little knowledge and
awareness at international level about African grass-root organisations,
movements and non-governmental organisations and about their work with
communities.

The initiative of African Dreams:

AIFO is an international organisation with its headoffice in Bologna
(Italy). AIFO is an active member of People's Health Movement (PHM) and
strongly supports the People's Health Charter, a consensus document produced
in December 2000 at the first People's Health Assembly (PHA) in which more
than 1450 persons from 92 countries participated.

The initiative of African Dreams is being launched by AIFO in collaboration
with People's Health Movement Africa (PHM-Africa) to strenghthen the
participation of Africa in the second People's Health Assembly planned for
18 to 23 July 2005 in Cuenca (Ecuador).

Objectives of African Dreams Initiative:

The objective of this initiative is to give international voice and better
visibility to activists, non-governmental organisations and grass-roots
organisations involved in health care related activities. At the same time,
the initiative aims to advocate greater international support for Africa.
Finally the initiative aims to strengthen netowrking and involvement of
representatives from Africa to People's Health Movement (PHM).

Conditions and Norms of the Competition:

1.	The competition is open to all individuals and non-governmental
organisations based in any African country.
2.	There is no limit to the number of entries that an individual or an
organisation can send for the competition.
3.	Each article should be between 2000 to 4500 words. The article can
be sent to AIFO in any electronic format or by fax or by post.
4.	Articles received at AIFO office in Bologna latest by 15 October
2004 will be considered for the competition.
5.	The articles can be in any of the following languages - English,
French, Portuguese or Italian.
6.	The themes of the articles can be linked to innovative approaches
linked to community involvement, community participation, community
awareness, new strategies related to improving access to sustainable health
care, new approaches for improving awareness and care for specific
disadvantaged groups like ethnic minorities, children, women, disabled
persons, etc., new appraoches linked to specific diseases, use of creative
methods like circus or theater, activities dealing with sensitive issues
such as female genital mutilation, strengthening of local organisations,
etc.
7.	Style of writing: The articles should be targetted at general
population and thus should use simple, easy to understand language.
Accademic style with long list of references should be avoided.
8.	Criteria for selection: Innovation of approach, discussion of both
positive and negative aspects of approaches, simple technological solutions
that can be replicated easily, community-based participatory approaches and
easy readability of the articles.
9.	Decisions of the international jury will be final and can not be
contested.

Selection process: 

Confirmation about the receipt of each article will be sent along with some
PHM materials. All the articles will be first examined by an internal jury
at AIFO/Italy under the guidance of Dr. Sunil Deepak. The better articles
identified by the internal jury will be judged by an international jury
composed of Ms. Mwajuma Masaiganah (PHM, East Africa), Dr. Ravi Narayan (PHM
international coordinator) and Dr. Pam Zinkin (PHM, Europe).

Time Frame:

15 October 2004	Last date for submitting articles to AIFO/Italy
15 November 2004	Finalisation of pre-selection by AIFO/Italy internal
jury
31 December 2004	Finalisation of selection by International jury
30 January 2005	Announcement of winners
15 April 2005	Award ceremony (? In Italy - to be decided)
15 June 2005	Publication of the selected articles in a book
18-23 July 2005	Second People's Health Assembly, Cuenca, Ecuador for formal
release of the publication

How to send entries:

There is no specific format to be respected for writing the articles. On top
of the article, in one corner write "African Dreams 2004" and along with the
article remember to provide the following information:
(a)	Name of village or commune or sub-district or state etc. where the
activity was carried out
(b)	Name of the country
(c)	Full name and postal and street address of the organisation based in
Africa, responsible for the carrying out of activities reported in the
article, including telephone fax number and email address, if available.
(d)	Name and nationality of person/s writers of the article along with a
brief identity kit (education, role, experience, etc.).

Where to send entries:

Remember to write 'African Dreams' on the letter or in the subject of fax or
email.

1.	By Post: Articles can be sent by post at the following address:

Medical Support Department
AIFO
Via Borselli 4-6
401356 Bologna
Italy
2.	By fax: Articles can be sent by fax to the following AIFO fax number
in Bologna, Italy - 
                        +390-51-43.40.46

3.	By email: Articles can be sent by email to the attention of Ms.
Felicita Veluri, Medical Support Department of AIFO at the following email
addresses:
                               <felicita.veluri at aifo.it>  or <info at aifo.it>



FOR ANY QUESTIONS OR CLARIFICATIONS SEND AN EMAIL TO Dr. Sunil Deepak at:
<sunil.deepak at aifo.it>

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