Savings and Credit.
This series of five books on issues to do with savings and credit schemes has been prepared by IRED – Development Innovations and Networks in Sri Lanka. They are aimed both at those responsible for designing savings and credit schemes and those who operate them at grassroots level. The series looks at the practical experiences of groups all around the world, sometimes including examples of form design, record-keeping details and case studies. Each book has between 30 and 60 pages.
No.1 The selection of loanees
No.2 The design of savings and credit schemes
No.3 The monitoring process
No.4 Impact and support
No.5 Case studies in savings and credit
All are compiled by Ramani Jayasundere. If you do not have the money to buy the whole series, Books 2 and 3 probably contain the most practical information for new groups setting up.
Community Development Manuals
A series of excellent manuals are produced by a group called CONSEDE in Honduras. They cover a range of subjects concerning community development and are all written from a Christian viewpoint. All are very practical – giving ideas for discussion, group exercises and action. They are all available only in Spanish.
Participación Comunal para el Desarrollo Integral This is a two-part manual for facilitators of community participation in development with over 230 pages of useful information on all aspects of involving communities.
Guias de Técnicas A series of three technical guides looking at community health covering Children’s Diseases, Nutrition and Family Issues (sex education, AIDS, family planning, alcohol abuse and roles of men and women in the family). Full of ideas and questions for group discussion and activity.
Manual para Juntas Directivas A practical manual, together with a workbook – strengthening the Board of Directors, giving details of setting objectives, electing officers and their roles, conducting meetings, strengthening organisations and effective work dynamics. Don’t be put off by the title – it is full of practical exercises for all kinds of team leadership and illustrated with cartoons.
La Estrategia para el Desarrollo Integral strategies and practical advice for those involved in planning integrated development programmes. This manual costs US $10 including postage.
All of these manuals can be ordered from: CONSEDE, Apartado Postal #4339, Tegucigalpa, Honduras, Central America.
Iglesia y Misión
This is a quarterly magazine, linking Christian workers all over Latin America. It covers a wide range of articles – some on development issues, many looking at different aspects of the Christian church throughout Latin America. Subscription details from:
Kairos Community, José Mármol 1734, 1602 Florida, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Bread for the World
Bread for the World have prepared a selection of books on sustainable agriculture. A free copy of the catalogue is available in either French or English by writing to:
Bread for the World, Agricultural Desk, PO Box 10 11 42, D-7000 Stuttgart, Germany.
Child Health Dialogue
AHRTAG have produced a new newsletter which replaces Dialogue on Diarrhoea and ARI News. It is called Child Health Dialogue and contains practical information on how to tackle the main causes of child mortality – respiratory infections, diarrhoea, malaria, malnutrition and measles. It is aimed at staff in health centres, clinics and health posts. It is free of charge for readers in developing countries, £12 for individuals elsewhere. It will be produced four times a year and is available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Gujarati, Urdu, Tamil and Vietnamese.
If you would like to receive Child Health Dialogue free of charge, write, giving details of your work, to:
AHRTAG, 29-35 Farringdon Road, London, EC1M 3JB, UK.
AIDS training manuals
MAP International produce a very helpful series of AIDS manuals aimed at health trainers and church leaders to help them in educating their communities about AIDS.
Helpers for a Healing Community deals with how to counsel people who find they are HIV positive or have AIDS. English, French and KiSwahili versions.
AIDS in Your Community is a guide for community trainers involved in AIDS education programmes, giving practical guidance on how to find out the extent of the AIDS problem in their communities, resources and ideas for training activities. This is only available in English.
Facts and Feelings about AIDS helps groups discuss both men’s and women’s thoughts and concerns about AIDS. It discusses many difficult issues for Christian leaders. So far only available in English. Order from:
MAP, International, PO Box 21663, Nairobi, Kenya.
Working Effectively with Young People Edited by Joseph Veramu
This is a training manual for youth workers, leaders and facilitators. Written for youth groups in Fiji, most of the information would be valuable in any situation involving young people. With over 200 pages, it is packed with information on such subjects as good communications skills, reading, note taking and writing skills, funding proposals, adult learning, leadership skills, financial management skills together with ideas on how to establish, run and evaluate youth programmes. The book can be ordered from:
Office Supervisor, FACETT, Box 7180, PO Valelevu, Suva City, Fiji.
Bureau of Study and Research for the Promotion of Health
This centre produces a large range of materials on health and development. They produce booklets, poster sets, flip charts and slide series. All materials are tested locally and produced within Zaire. Prices may vary according to the ability of the person to pay. The centre was begun in 1966 and deliberately sited in a rural area, remote from the capital city. All materials – which cover subjects including immunisation, diarrhoea, medical emergencies, malaria, alcoholism, rabbits, fish and bee-keeping are available in French. Many are also available in Portuguese and English. Write, asking for a free catalogue, to one of these addresses:
Centre pour la Promotion de la Santé, BP 1800, Kangu-Mayombe, Zaire.
Centre pour la Promotion de la Santé, c/o Avenue Madoux 53, 1150 Bruxelles, Belgium.
Flannelgraphs for teaching health
Flannelgraphs consist of pictures on flannel which can be cut out and stuck on a rough surface such as a blanket with a display board behind it. They can be used to illustrate a story or situations and are ideal for using with sensitive subjects such as family spacing. TALC supply three sets of flannelgraphs, each of which includes large numbers of clear coloured pictures printed on flannel, with detailed instructions on different ways of using them. Though initially expensive, they will last for years and many of the illustrations can be adapted for use with teaching on other topics. Each set comes with a large background piece of flannel.
One set looks at family planning, sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS. The second set looks at nutrition and child health, and the third covers all kinds of intestinal worms, their spread, treatment and prevention. All three flannelgraphs are available from:
TALC, PO Box 49, St Albans, AL1 4AX, UK.
The Truth about AIDS by Dr Patrick Dixon
Tearfund have limited copies of this very useful book available free to people working in the area of HIV/AIDS. It contains chapters on the HIV virus, how people become infected, the moral issues involved and the response of the church. If you would like a copy (one per applicant) please write, giving details of your work, to…
Tearfund Resources Department, 100 Church Road, Teddington, TW11 8QE, UK.