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Burundi
Reflect and ICTS
Reflect is an approach to adult learning and social change used by over 350 organizations in more than 60 countries. More than 3000 people attend Reflect circles in Burundi to work toward the resettlement and reintegration of displaced people back to their communities, followed by a lengthier process of facilitating peace and reconciliation (including strengthening the role of women in peace building). There are now 89 Reflect circles in Ruyigi, 6 in Rutana, and a national network of 10 independent Reflect associations. Reflect participants meet to discuss their daily problems and find alternative solutions. This includes conflict management and response, micro-projects, HIV/AIDS prevention, and literacy sessions. About 2020 people meet weekly for post-literacy initiatives that include Reading Clubs. There is a national Reflect network in Burundi involving 11 institutions including the Dutch Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (DRA), the government non-formal education department, and local NGOs (such as Womens Development Centre - CDF, and Association for Promotion of Women and Children - IGAA). ActionAid-Burundi chairs this network.
Reflect and ICTs is a DFID-funded project exploring potential applications of ICTs for poor and marginalized people, linking to existing Reflect groups in Burundi, Uganda and India. During the first year, the groups are encouraged to analyse issues around their own access to and control of information relating to their livelihoods. This process includes looking at the value of information to peoples own lives, the control of information resources, existing sources of information and communication mechanisms. Through this process, planning at community level takes place, whereby choices are made about the use of a grant for technology and staff to be released in the second and third years. The resulting communications centres, or whatever materialises from the planning processes, will be monitored according to indicators and objectives set by the communities themselves.
The project began in October 2020 and is scheduled to end in October 2020.
The primary objective of the project is to encourage and facilitate the communication of poor people by providing ICTs, which are chosen by the people for their specific needs, after required capacity building. The project aims to develop a pro-poor model for ICTs in development.
Websites:
Contact:
Salvator Nkurunziza
ProgrammeSupport Manager
[email protected]
OR
Hannah Beardon
Reflect ICTs Coordinator
[email protected]
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