Workshop for Africa launched

The Workshop for Africa (WfA) programme kicks off this week with eight of the 12 participants who have been accepted. Four are still in the process of getting their visas. The group comes from Botswana, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, South Sudan, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

The initial six-week training is based at Waaigras Conference Centre within the Renosterspruit Conservancy, near Pretoria and hosted by Anthony and Helen Duigan. Anthony has been the principal training coordinator for several Harambee Africa Leadership Programme initiatives held in South Africa, Ethiopia and Nigeria.

The concept of the six-week training programme was sparked off by a meeting with former Commonwealth Secretary General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku of Nigeria. In a discussion with members of Harambee in 2010. He stated that good governance was the number one priority for Africa. He defined it as 'ethical leadership' and 'equal access for all citizens to the law' and challenged the participants to build and support good governance - ethical leadership, integrity and active citizenship - in civic, business and political institutions across Africa.

Workshop for Africa participants will also visit projects in reconciliation and nation building in Orange Farm and Ventersdorp, community activists in the Eastern Cape, Cape Town and other parts of the country, as well as taking time to consult with some of the leading thinkers across the country.

Following the period in South Africa, WfA participants will spend from March until May in South Sudan at the invitation of the Vice President, Dr Riek Machar, and his wife, Angelina. The WfA team will assist in running training programmes in ethical leadership, reconciliation and nation building at universities and colleges and for youth representatives from the 10 states that make up South Sudan. Furthermore they will support the Government of South Sudan in the Programme of National Reconciliation which is being planned for April 2013.

Faculty members include Paul Craig from the UK, a development specialist with over 40 years experience, Amina Dikedi-Ajakaiye Nigeria/UK, Initiatives of Change Project Team Leader with the South Sudan Initiative, and Kiran Gandhi and his wife Nareenja from India. Kiran is a member of the International Council of Initiatives of Change and has been a human resource consultant to several companies in India and worked as Head, Human Resources at three global Indian companies and the training head of Tata Motors. Also on the faculty are Bhav Patel, an international training process and facilitation expert, Heléne Lambrechts, language specialist and trainer from Stellenbosch and Victoria Wilson of Cape Town, a specialist in presentation skills, to name but a few.

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Programme Leader Note:

We are grateful to all those who have given of their services without charge and to those who have assisted the programme financially, which includes IofC Nigeria, private individuals and two Trusts in England. Each of the participants have had to raise money for the travel expenses to come to South Africa and they are involved in this programme on a voluntary basis without remuneration.

We are close to raising the money needed for the South African training and outreach but still need to raise $75,000 for the rest of the programme.

Should you wish to contribute to this programme, you can send a cheque made out to Initiatives of Change and a note enclosed indicating that it is for the Workshop for Africa programme. Or you can make an electronic payment with reference 'Workshop for Africa' to:

Name: Initiatives of Change  
Bank: Standard Bank
Branch: Northcliff
Account No: 20 167 9671
Branch code: 006305
SWIFT Code: SBZAZAJJ

Anthony Duigan, Programme Director
Nombulelo Khanyile, Africa Coordination Group
Pieter Horn, Africa Coordination Group