Quote of the week
There is nothing divine about morality; it is a purely human affair. If people are good only because they fear punishment, and hope for reward, then we are a sorry lot indeed. What the individual can do is to give a fine example, and to have the courage to uphold ethical values .. in a society of cynics.
-Albert Einstein .
Comment of the week
With increasing competition for resources, perhaps NGOs will eventually be judged by the communities they work with not only by what they do ‘for and with’ the communities but also by HOW they do it – the quality issue.
- Colin Collet van Rooyen.
SN-Announce
SN-Announce is an e-mail advertising service with a readership of more than 10 000 people. Subscription to the SN-Announce service is free. For more information contact Nicolle Beeby on +27 11 403-4935 or nicolle@sangonet.org.za
Prodder Directory
Prodder is the most comprehensive directory of NGOs and development organisations in South Africa. To view the directory, click here. Order your copy of Prodder - NGOs and Development in South Africa 2008, here.
SANGOTeCH
SANGOTeCH provides software and hardware to NGOs at discounted fees in conjunction with ICT donor partners. It suppors NGOs to make the most of their ICT purchases and infrastructure. For more information about SANGOTeCH, click here.
BackaBuddy
SANGONeT supports BackaBuddy, an online fundraising website which combines the power of sport and the reach of the Internet in support of NGOs in South Africa. For more information contact David Barnard or Matthew de Gale on +27 11 403-4935 or e-mail: info@sangonet.org.za
NGO Pulse Archives
Back issues of the NGO Pulse can be accessed from this link. |
US Elections, Morality and Ethics, Health Awards
Millions of people across the world are celebrating Barack Obama’s election as president of the Unites States of America. President Kgalema Motlanthe has conveyed his and South Africa’s congratulations, adding his voice to the flood of comments and well wishes being shared in both online and offline spaces.
There have been many discussions over the past few weeks about what an Obama presidency means for Africa. In South Africa these discussions have taken place against the backdrop of a changing political landscape and a strong focus on economic policy. What does this mean for South African civil society? Should we anticipate a change in the focus and substance of aid to Africa? Will we see, as Imraan Buccus argued in last week’s edition of NGO Pulse we see a government – in South Africa and the United States – that is “by the people for the people, and not by the people for the markets?” Is it realistic to expect that a change in government will necessarily result in the kind of transformative social change that civil society organisations are striving for?
What do we need to do to ensure that whatever the political and economic climate we operate in, the values of equality, dignity and justice are upheld? In this week’s edition of NGO Pulse, Butjwana Seokoma, SANGONeT information coordinator reports on Kader Asmal’s recent address as part of the Helen Joseph Memorial Lecture. Asmal called on South Africans to “...speak out, act and ensure that our own words and deeds contribute to the rejuvenation of the values of ethics and morality that propelled many of us to wage the struggle for our country’s liberation." Click here to read the full article.
Reporting on the 2008 Mindset Health Site Awards ceremony recently held in Johannesburg, Goodman Chauke writes that the dedication and commitment of many of South Africa’s healthcare workers are what make the health care system work. Supported by the Department of Health and Sentech, Mindset Health is delivering health education across the country. Click here to read the full article.
Many NGOs provide training and capacity building as a way to achieve their objectives. Given that South African Qualification Standard Authority (SAQA) is revising the unit standards for ‘development practice’, the issue of personal certification for development practitioners is critical. While there is a wide range of opinion about whether or not to pursue certification, it is important that as a sector we understand what the implications are and ensure that the certification process reflects how we work as well as the kind of work we do. We will soon be publishing an article on the SAQA process, in the meanwhile click here to read about and participate in a survey about capacity building for community development.
As always, we invite your comments, suggestions and ideas.
Janine Moolman, editor@sangonet.org.za
New Jobs, Proposals & Events
Employment Opportunities
- The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs invites applications from suitably qualified candidates for the position of Operations and Finance Manager. The application deadline is 7 November 2008. For more information, click here.
- The Economic Governance Programme at the Institute for Democracy in South Africa seeks to employ an Economic Governance and Socio-Economic Rights Researcher. The application deadline is 14 November 2008. For more information, click here.
- The Academy for Educational Development, an international NGO working in education and training, health and nutrition, democracy and governance, and economic development, seeks to appoint a Regional Director to be based in Pretoria. The application deadline is 30 November 2008. For more information, click here.
Proposals, Grants & Awards
- The Commentary Online Journal of the University of KwaZulu-Natal IOLS-Research Unit, is calling for papers for publication in a special edition titled “AIDS in Africa: Are We Winning”. The submission deadline is 25 November 2008. For more information, click here.
- The Institute for Security Studies and Small Arms Survey invite applications for the Sarah Meek Fellowship on Arms Control and Disarmament. The submission deadline is 28 November 2008. For more information, click here.
- The Canadian International Development Agency is calling for proposals from eligible organisations to implement HIV and AIDS projects for the South Africa HIV and AIDS Response Fund. The submission deadline is 28 November 2008 at 12h00. For more information, click here.
New Events
- The e-Waste Association of South Africa (eWASA) invites participation in its one-day conference entitled “eWASA Conference” on 7 November 2008 in Midrand, Johannesburg. For more information, click here.
- AIDS Accountability International and the Human Sciences Research Council are launching the 2008 AIDS Accountability Country Scorecard on 28 November 2008 in Pretoria. RSVP on or before 7 November 2008. For more information, click here.
- The Weekender, Faculty of Humanities at the University of the Witwatersrand and Save Our SABC Coalition are hosting a public debate on “Is the SABC Becoming a State Broadcaster” on 10 November 2008 in Johannesburg. For more information, click here.
Training
- The University of the Witwatersrand’s School of Education invites applications for its Med Programme in the field of educational technology and eLearning commencing in 2009. The application deadline is 10 November 2008. For more information, click here.
- The Institute for the Advancement of Journalism is conducting a one-day course on Internal Communications on 24 November 2008 in Johannesburg. For more information, click here.
- The International NGO Training and Research Centre, a NGO working in the international development and relief sector, is conducting a three-day course on Gender Analysis and Planning from 14-16 January 2009 in London. For more information, click here.
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