RIU communications team scores a big win in Nigeria
11 June 2010
The RIU communication team is just back from Abuja, Nigeria. Head of communications Keith Sones explains: 'One of the RIU flagship Best Bet projects is Stamp Out Sleeping Sickness in Uganda. The lessons from this programme were captured through a major independent case study, funded by RIU. The quality of both the original work and this evidence was instrumental in the BBRSC awarding a £1m grant to transfer the learning to Nigeria's Jos Plateau. RIU decided to offer further support to map the process of out-scaling to the challenges of a new country.'
The team of Keith and Duncan Sones (Keith Sones Associates) and Nik Wood offered to go to Nigeria to facilitate the opening workshop. Working closely with the project team from Edinburgh University, the RIU team facilitated a two and a half-day planning meeting and media launch. Sones continues 'our brief for the meeting was to get everyone up to speed on the Uganda work, build a coherent team and help people to think about the roles they could play in the new programme. We did this with a series of creative exercises, panel discussions and made RIUtv summary films each day to show the progress we were making - hardly a Powerpoint presentation in sight! We were delighted to see that our efforts were appreciated. The final evaluation of the workshop resulted in an unprecedented 98.75% approval rating. More importantly this created a very firm foundation on which to build the project in Nigeria.'
Further information on the RIU capacity building work in Nigeria will appear in the Commissioned Work section of the website.
After the conference Professor M Mamman Director General of the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research wrote:
... "Please accept our deep appreciation for your contribution to the successful launching of the Community-based Interventions against Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis on Nigeria's Jos Plateau.
We have already commenced preliminary activities towards implementation of the project keeping in view the very useful tips and pieces of advise you rendered from your wealth of expertise and experience during the four-day meeting and which shall immensely contribute to the strategies of our work plan."
Chioma Amajoh, Head of Integrated Vector Management
National Malaria & Vector Control Programme, Federal Ministry of Health wrote:
..."Despite the fact that I attended the meeting only on the last day, your press conference panellists and the facilitator did such a great job that one was able to grasp the synopsis of the entire project.
Their contributions, as well as the summary of deliberations of the four-day meeting pasted on the wall of the conference room, to my mind, provided the road map and the way forward for the project, in addition to other critical information.
I wish to reiterate that integration is the way to go. Joint planning, effective coordination/ harmonization, consistent monitoring and periodic review (evaluation) are all critical. The cattle Fulanis on Jos Plateau should indeed be mobilized and be involved from the inception. They should be empowered to drive the process forward sustainability.
I believe the rapporteurs will do a great job and that the products of the meeting will be shared with us soon.
Once more, it was great meeting with you and the rest of the team members doing the great job!"
11 June 2010
The RIU communication team is just back from Abuja, Nigeria. Head of communications Keith Sones explains: 'One of the RIU flagship Best Bet projects is Stamp Out Sleeping Sickness in Uganda. The lessons from this programme were captured through a major independent case study, funded by RIU. The quality of both the original work and this evidence was instrumental in the BBRSC awarding a £1m grant to transfer the learning to Nigeria's Jos Plateau. RIU decided to offer further support to map the process of out-scaling to the challenges of a new country.'
The team of Keith and Duncan Sones (Keith Sones Associates) and Nik Wood offered to go to Nigeria to facilitate the opening workshop. Working closely with the project team from Edinburgh University, the RIU team facilitated a two and a half-day planning meeting and media launch. Sones continues 'our brief for the meeting was to get everyone up to speed on the Uganda work, build a coherent team and help people to think about the roles they could play in the new programme. We did this with a series of creative exercises, panel discussions and made RIUtv summary films each day to show the progress we were making - hardly a Powerpoint presentation in sight! We were delighted to see that our efforts were appreciated. The final evaluation of the workshop resulted in an unprecedented 98.75% approval rating. More importantly this created a very firm foundation on which to build the project in Nigeria.'
Further information on the RIU capacity building work in Nigeria will appear in the Commissioned Work section of the website.
After the conference Professor M Mamman Director General of the Nigerian Institute for Trypanosomiasis Research wrote:
... "Please accept our deep appreciation for your contribution to the successful launching of the Community-based Interventions against Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis on Nigeria's Jos Plateau.
We have already commenced preliminary activities towards implementation of the project keeping in view the very useful tips and pieces of advise you rendered from your wealth of expertise and experience during the four-day meeting and which shall immensely contribute to the strategies of our work plan."
Chioma Amajoh, Head of Integrated Vector Management
National Malaria & Vector Control Programme, Federal Ministry of Health wrote:
..."Despite the fact that I attended the meeting only on the last day, your press conference panellists and the facilitator did such a great job that one was able to grasp the synopsis of the entire project.
Their contributions, as well as the summary of deliberations of the four-day meeting pasted on the wall of the conference room, to my mind, provided the road map and the way forward for the project, in addition to other critical information.
I wish to reiterate that integration is the way to go. Joint planning, effective coordination/ harmonization, consistent monitoring and periodic review (evaluation) are all critical. The cattle Fulanis on Jos Plateau should indeed be mobilized and be involved from the inception. They should be empowered to drive the process forward sustainability.
I believe the rapporteurs will do a great job and that the products of the meeting will be shared with us soon.
Once more, it was great meeting with you and the rest of the team members doing the great job!"
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