Advocacy - Communicating for Advocacy Project
CFA Partners
The project has four key partners, including Healthlink Worldwide. They are;
• The Health Action Information Network (HAIN), The Philippines
• Cambodia Health Education Media Service (CHEMS), Cambodia
• Social Assistance and Rehabilitation of Physically Vulnerable (SARPV),
Bangladesh
The southern-based organisations are highly regarded for their work in health and disability development. They provide practical support for marginalised communities and raise awareness of the issues affecting vulnerable community groups.
Health and Information Network (HAIN)
HAIN was established in 1985 to serve the information
and research needs of community-based health programs in the
Philippines. These programmes were established as an alternative health
system for marginalised rural and urban communities. Through the years,
HAIN’s
work has expanded to include training and education activities.
HAIN has a wealth of experience of working with development organisations and
groups across a range of issues as well as with media practitioners,
government officials and donor agencies in promoting health and development.
They produce the Health Alert newsletter, where each edition tackles a different
health issue.
Cambodia Health Education Media Service (CHEMS), Cambodia
CHEMS was established in 1998 to address
the lack of accessible health information in Cambodia. Their
main focus is reproductive health for young people and they are well known
for their radio broadcasting. Two of their most successful programmes
include an interactive radio programme, "Especially for you, young people",
where young people can phone or write in for advice on sexual and reproductive
health issues. The second, a radio
soap opera “Lotus
on a Muddy Lake”, also deals with health and social issues affecting
young people. Topics such as family planning, HIV and AIDS, marriage,
puberty, and sex are explored through the lives of the soap's characters.
The radio programming is complemented by a bi-monthly column in one of Cambodia's most popular youth magazines and by regular TV and Radio campaigns, which reinforce the messages being broadcast.
CHEMS also runs training and produces community theatre activities in rural areas. By involving local communities, who perform the shows, they have proven to be a popular method of providing health information; some theatre groups have been asked by the authorities to play at local festivals and events.
Social Assistance and Rehabilitation of Physically Vulnerable (SARPV),
Bangladesh
In 1988, after witnessing the effects of the tornado that devastated much
of Bangladesh, Shahidul Haque carried out a study to examine the correlation
between the disaster and the causes of disability. Shahidul felt that little
was being done to address the problems the disaster had caused and in response
he set up SARPV.
In 1991 another tornado hit Bangladesh. This time Shahidul went out to Chakaria in the Cox’s Bazaar District. Here he supported people affected by the disaster. After six months he decided to leave his full-time job as the Senior Principal Officer in a bank to dedicate himself to the work of SARPV.
From the beginning SARPV has been an advocacy organisation, not only for people with disabilities but also to make others aware of disability issues. The work of SARPV includes;
- Community based rehabilitation programmes for disabled people - firmly based on the social model of disability,
- Support and awareness of rickets in children - a long-running programme which SARPV have brought to Bangladesh, India and Pakistan
- A school for disabled and non-disabled people - based in Dhaka the school was set up in 1995 and now has over 140 pupils
- A resource library - Disability Information and Services Centre (DISC) that produced the first-ever Bangla resources on disability
- Campaigns for stipends for students with disabilities and employment opportunities for people with disabilities