Information and Communication Material

In 2003 it was identified that there was a great need for more general information material, both regarding LAMP as a whole, as well as for the individual Districts. More importantly, there was a need to produce material for the local communities and a need to involve the communities in the production.

After more than 10 years of existence, LAMP had many experiences worth sharing that needed to be made available in an easily accessible form. A number of short term assignments were planned in order to produce information for the different levels of stakeholders, such as villages, districts, donors and others. The goal was to produce a newsletter, a number of thematic information booklets and use that same information for the production of radio programmes.

1) LAMP Newsletter: During a consultative workshop held in Moshi in August 2003, representatives from all four LAMP districts agreed to produce a journal in both English and Kiswahili, targeting poor communities. The first LAMP journal was published in December 2003 and 6000 copies (of which 100 were in English) were distributed to grass root communities, District Councils, women and youth groups, as well as to a number of NGOs and academic institutions in the four districts of Babati, Kiteto, Simanjiro and Singida. Since then the LAMP Newsletter has been produced quarterly and was much appreciated by the communities.

The objectives of the assignment were to: To Train District staff to collect information and write articles to be submitted to the LAMP News Editor and To edit the material, collect and compile other material into a quarterly Newsletter in both Swahili and English versions

2) LAMP Booklets: It was also agreed to document a number of good examples of what has been achieved during the implementation of LAMP. The idea was to produce a number of booklets with background information and examples of successful activities in a number of topics. Seven booklets were finalised:

1. Winning Democracy through Local Empowerment: Experiences of good governance
2. Building a Future with Our Forests: Experiences of community based forestry
3. Women and Men in Common Cause: Promotion of gender equality
4. Financing the Future: Experiences of Village Community Banks
5. Winning a Living from the Soil: Experiences from farming as a business
6. Sharing Land with Wildlife: Experiences from community-based wildlife management
7. Land Rights and Villagers: Experiences from securing access to land

The objective of this assignment was To produce an informative and interesting summary of experiences from LAMP in the form of easily read, but professional and attractive booklets.

3) LAMP Radio Programmes: During the collection and production of the LAMP Newsletter and LAMP Booklets, a number of good stories were collected and it was suggested that the same material be used further as a starting point for the production of radio programmes. An agreement was reached with Radio Terrat in Simanjiro District and a number of programmes were produced and aired through the same.

The objective of the assignment was To develop good information on LAMP into radio programmes to be broadcasted through local radio stations.