A mini-exhibition at the offices of Masifundise in Mowbray will be finally completed this month. The exhibition appears on the inside walls and depicts the histories of Masifundise and Coastal Links and the struggles of small-scale fishers for a progressive policy.
This initiative is part of a broader effort by Masifundise and Coastal Links to strengthen its communication capacity in the last eighteen months.
The inside exhibition complements a wall mural on the front facade of the double-storey Masifundise headquarters. The mural reflects life in small-scale fishing communities and has attracted much public attention. The process was spearheaded by veteran artist Garth Erasmus.
Last month, the first edition for 2014 of the quarterly newsletter Fishers Net was printed in English, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Zulu and distributed to fishing communities countrywide.
At about the same time, a brochure on the small-scale fisheries policy, produced in partnership with a Canadian agency, was completed. It contains extracts of the policy. It is a smaller version of the SSF policy Handbook that was produced earlier this year.
Masifundise, Coastal Links and a range of partners have been instrumental in the formulation of the new policy and active in promoting its adoption by government.
The MDT and CLSA Communication Unit has developed a comprehensive communication strategy for the World Forum of Fisher Peoples General Assembly, which will take place in Cape Town from 1 to 5 September. 150 delegates from South Africa and about 40 other countries are expected to attend.
There are plans to give this Weekly Update a makeover and expand its reach substantially.
The publications produced are all uploaded onto MDTs website and Facebook site.