Subject: e-PRODDER-mail -Number 50 To: gkd97@tristram.edc.org Sender: owner-gkd97@tristram.edc.org Precedence: bulk Reply-To: gkd97@tristram.edc.org Status: R e-PRODDER-mail 9 February 1998 Number 50 Edited and compiled by David Barnard and Yzette Ferreira (further edited for this list by the Moderators) A. GENERAL DEVELOPMENT NEWS CLOCKWORK RADIO - POWER TO THE PEOPLE The recent introduction of a handful of low-tech inventions has begun to help people in some of Africa's most undeveloped areas upgrade their standards of living and improve their daily lives. The inspiration came to British Investor Trevor Baylis in 1992 as he watched a television documentary about the spread of AIDS in Africa. World Health Organisation experts explained that the epidemic could not be halted by medical means, but only by widespread health education. Baylis realised that the only practical way of transmitting information about AIDS prevention - radio - was out of the reach of the millions at risk because there is no electrical power in most of rural Africa. That night, at home in his London workshop, he assembled the makings of the first clockwork radio, a deceptively simple device that can receive FM, AM and shortwave transmissions without the need for an external power supply. The principle of the clockwork radio is relatively straightforward. A single winding coils the spring, much like cranking up an old gramophone, which pushes power through a gearing mechanism to the generator as it unwinds. This power, in turn, fuels the radio, which can run for an hour after a 25-second wind-up. Liberty Life, a leading South african insurance company, provided investment capital to bring the product to market in 1996 and BayGen, another South African firm, is now cranking out 20 000 of the radios a month from its factory in Cape Town. Endorsed by South African President Nelson Mandela, the lunch-box size radio is being snapped up by aid agencies such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Red Cross. Baylis is now working with General Electric and Apple to develop and mass produce lap-top computers that run on the clockwork principle. Should the wind-up computer prove feasible, Baylis' invention could eventually help bring the information superhighway to the dirt roads of Africa's remotest villages. (Time Magazine) ENQUIRIES: Leigh-Ann Groenink, Regional Manager - Southern and Eastern Africa, GayGen Power Group Tel: (+27) (21) 794-4888 Fax: (+27) (21) 794-4848 E-mail: jeh@iafrica.com B. CONFERENCES/WORKSHOPS/MEETINGS (Conferences marked with an asterisk (*) are appearing in e-PRODDER-mail for the first time) SOUTHERN AFRICAN CONFERENCES ADULT LEARNERS' WEEK COLLOQUIUM (*) THEME: Identifying Ways of Working Together to Lobby for Adult Learning, Strategising for Funding Adult Education and Regional and International Cooperation DATE: 5-6 March 1998 VENUE: Robben Island, SOUTH AFRICA COST: R500,00 (AETASA members), R600,00 (non-members) ENQUIRIES: Adult Learners' Week National Office Tel: (+27) (21) 689-4838 Fax: (+27) (21) 686-0182 ADULT LEARNERS' WEEK CONVENTION (*) THEME: Adult Education and Training Transformation in South Africa: Strengthening the Linkages Within and Across Sectors - the Bonds that Bind? DATE: 2-8 March 1998 VENUE: Museum Africa, Newtown, SOUTH AFRICA COST: R75,00 ENQUIRIES: Catherine or Deline Tel: (+27) (11) 782-9743 Fax: (+27) (21) 782-8265 KNOWLEDGE SOCIETIES SEMINAR (*) DATE: 13 March 1998 VENUE: Stellenbosch, SOUTH AFRICA COST: R375,00 ENQUIRIES: Fran Ritcie, Centre for Interdisciplinary Studies, University of Stellenbosch Tel: (+27) (21) 808-3708 E-mail: fmr@akad.sun.ac.za PROFESSIONAL AUDIO VIDEO AND BROADCASTING CONFERENCE AND SUPPORTING EXHIBITION (*) DATE: 17-19 February 1998 VENUE: Gallagher Estate, Midrand, SOUTH AFRICA COST: R275,00 ENQUIRIES: Sally Keeling Tel: (+27) (11) 484-4170 Fax: (+27) (11) 484-2193 1st NATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE LIBRARY AND INFORMATION ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA (LIASA) (*) DATE: 4-9 October 1998 VENUE: Durban/Bloemfontein, SOUTH AFRICA ENQUIRIES: Ellen Tise, University of the Witwatersrand Tel: (+27) (11) 716-2177 Fax: (+27) (11) 403-1421 E-mail: ellent@libris.wwl.wits.ac.za INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES AFRICAN CONNECTIVITY CONFERENCE (*) THEME: Building Awareness and Understanding of Issues, Options and Benefits which Flow from Increased Connectivity DATE: 2-4 June 1998 VENUE: Addis Ababa, ETHIOPIA ENQUIRIES: Fani Zulu, World Bank E-mail: fzulu@worldbank.org AFRICAN PUBLISHING AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS DATE: 18-20 February 1998 / 25-27 March 1998 VENUE: Nairobi, KENIA / Dakar, SENEGAL ENQUIRIES: Kelvin Smith, CODE Europe Tel: (+44) (1865) 20-2438 Fax: (+44) (1865) 20-2439 E-mail: code.europe@compuserve.com ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE ASSOCIATION OF CORRESPONDENCE SCHOOLS (AECS) (*) THEME: Creating Competitive Advantage for Distance Learning DATE: 27-29 May 1998 VENUE: London, UNITED KINGDOM ENQUIRIES: Margaret Philpot Tel: (+44) (171) 935-5391 GHANA COMPUTER LITERACY AND DISTANCE EDUCATION CONFERENCE (*) THEME: Use of Information Technology (IT) to Enhance the Economic, Social, Cultural and Educational Development of African Countries DATE: 20-22 May 1998 VENUE: Accra, GHANA ENQUIRIES: Conference Organisers E-mail: GDEP-register@ulbobo.com WWW: http://www.ulbobo.com/gdep LIBRARIES AS LEADERS IN COMMUNITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (*) DATE: 16-17 June 1998 VENUE: Victoria, BRITISH COLUMBIA ENQUIRIES: Stan Skrzeszewski, ASM Advanced Strategic Management Consultants Tel: (+519) 473-7651 Fax: (+519) 471-9945 E-mail: cubberly@onlink.net ROLE OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES IN SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT FOR THE ARAB WORLD (*) DATE: 22-23 March 1998 VENUE: Cairo, EGYPT ENQUIRIES: Conference Organisers E-mail: nahoubih@ workspace.org TECHNOLOGY-LED ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT (*) DATE: 4-5 March 1998 VENUE: Washington, DC, UNITED STATES ENQUIRIES: National Council for Urban Economic Development Tel: (+1) (202) 223-4735 Fax: (+1) (202) 223-4745 TELECOMMUNICATIONS LINKS IN LOW-INCOME AND RURAL COMMUNITIES THEME: Connecting All Americans for the 21st Century DATE: 24-27 February 1998 VENUE: Washington, DC, UNITED STATES ENQUIRIES: Trudi Renwick, Department of Commerce and Public Utility Law Project E-mail: info@pulpny.org or tjrenwick@pulpny.org WWW: http://www.pulpny.org/CAMp WEST AFRICA GLOBAL KNOWLEDGE POLICY SEMINAR DATE: 12-14 February 1998 VENUE: Accra, GHANA ENQUIRIES: Brigid O'Connor, The British Council (Lagos) Tel: (+234) (1) 269-2188/92 Fax: (+234) (1) 269-0646 E-mail: brigid.oconnor@bc-lagos.sprint.com 2nd WORLD TELECOMMUNICATION DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCE (*) DATE: 23 March - 1 April 1998 VENUE: Valletta, MALTA ENQUIRIES: Hans Pieterse, Conference Coordinator, ITU Tel: (+41) (22) 730-5094 Fax: (+41) (22) 730-5484 E-mail: wtdc-98@itu.net WWW: http://www.itu.int/wtdc-98 2nd WORLD TELECOMMUNICATION POLICY FORUM (WTPF) (*) DATE: 16-18 March 1998 VENUE: Geneva, SWITZERLAND ENQUIRIES: Maija Thynell, ITU Tel: (+41) (22) 730-5118 Fax: (+41) (22) 730-5881 E-mail: thynell@itu.net WWW: http://www7.itu.int/wtpf/8 15th INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION FOR INFORMATION PROCESSING (IFIP) WORLD COMPUTER CONGRESS (*) THEME: The Global Information Society on the Way to the Next Millennium DATE: 31 August - 4 September 1998 VENUE: Vienna, AUSTRIA ENQUIRIES: Conference Organisers Tel: (+43) (1) 512-0235 Fax: (+43) (1) 512-0235 C. EXHIBITIONS AND FAIRS CAPE COMPUTER FAIR AND BEXA DATE: 17-19 February 1998 VENUE: Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA ENQUIRIES: TML Reed Exhibitions (Pty) Ltd Tel: (+27) (11) 789-2144 Fax: (+27) (11) 789-6497 E-mail: vivs@sefin.co.za WIRED WORLD INTERNET EXHIBITION AND CONFERENCE DATE: 17-19 February 1998 VENUE: Midrand, SOUTH AFRICA ENQUIRIES: TML Reed Exhibitions (Pty) Ltd Tel: (+27) (11) 789-2144 Fax: (+27) (11) 789-6497 E-mail: vivs@sefin.co.za D. PRODDER ACTIVITIES PRODDER ADDRESS DETAIL David Barnard - Coordinator Yzette Ferreira - Development Information Officer P O Box 32410 2017 Braamfontein SOUTH AFRICA Tel: (+27) (11) 482-6150 Fax: (+27) (11) 482-4739 E-mail: DBB@zeus.hsrc.ac.za or YOF@zeus.hsrc.ac.za WWW: http://www.web.co.za/prodder/