Masifundise Weekly Information Update
May 14 2014.
This information sheet is published every Wednesday and distributed via our database, our website and social media. It provides information on the work of Masifundise and Coastal Links South Africa.
Fishers head to PE for Coastal Links NEC meeting
Fishers from around the country will gather in Port Elizabeth this Friday, 16 May, to finalise a Constitution for Coastal Links South Africa (CLSA).
Coastal Links, which unites about 4 000 small-scale fishers under its banner, fights for the basic rights of its members and others in fishing communities around the country. CLSA was launched as a national organisation in November 2012.
The organisation will also look at ways of ensuring greater financial self-sustainability and preparing for the implementation of the small-scale fisheries (SSF) policy.
Finally, the meeting will discuss a plan of action for 2014 and do brainstorming around the 2014 Annual General Meeting of Masifundise Development Trust and CLSA. Masifundise serves as the secretariat of CLSA.
The meeting will be attended by NEC members from the four provinces and staff of Masifundise.
Danish NGO hosts seminar with its African partners
Delegates from across the continent attended a seminar in Cape Town that was hosted by Afrika Kontakt, a Danish NGO that focuses on capacity-building and empowerment of grassroots movements.
The four day seminar – from 10 to 13 May – was attended by representatives of Masifundise and CLSA, as well as delegates from various parts of Africa, such as Swaziland, Zimbabwe and Uganda.
Masifundise field worker Hahn Goliath and members of CLSA, Christian Adams, Norton Dowries and Dawie Phillips, were in attendance.
During the week, the delegates visited Langebaan for a field trip where they engaged with local fishers on their history, achievements and challenges. More details on the field trip will be shared next week.
The seminar is AK’s annual event where they bring their partners together to discuss and evaluate programmes; partners get to know each other and also discuss what can be done by both AK and its partners to improve on the work that has already been done.
Africa Contact is a Danish NGO, formed in 1978 as South Africa Contact, by a number of political parties, trade unions and other organizations to fight colonialism. The organization initially worked to abolish apartheid in South Africa.
Africa Contact has approximately 500 members, a democratic and flat structure, an annual general meeting, an elected Executive Committee and several work groups. The project team is responsible for the daily running of the organisation, while the overall responsibility for projects and donor contracts rests with the executive committee. The active members are at the heart of the organisation, and work voluntarily and unpaid.
The organization has two main focus areas: capacity building and empowerment of African grassroots movements and political lobbying / advocacy (in Africa as well as Denmark), and campaigning. Africa Contact uses a rights based approach.
More information about the dates and details of the seminar will follow.
Click her to read about AK: http://www.sydafrika.dk/
SSF Handbook to be launched in Ocean View
A handbook that outlines details of the country’s new small-scale fisheries (SSF) policy, will be launched in Ocean View on Thursday 15 May.
About 100 people are expected to attend, including members of Coastal Links, representatives of partner organisations and individuals working in the fisheries sector.
The Handbook has been produced by Masifundise, the Institute for Poverty, Land and Agrarian Studies (PLAAS) and the research institution Too Big to Ignore (TBTI).
The handbook has been prepared for small-scale fishers in order to assist them with the understanding of the Small-Scale Fisheries Policy and facilitate the implementation process.
The handbook details many aspects of the policy such as rights allocation, co- management, skills development, community structures, and baskets of fish and gender rights.
The handbook will be uploaded on our website and social network platforms after it has been launched.
Click here to read more about PLAAS: http://www.sydafrika.dk/
Click here to read more about TBTI: http://toobigtoignore.net/