Consultancy

Mediae's consultancies encompass wide-ranging themes related to media and communications in Africa.

Development organisations such as the World Bank, Farm Africa, Government Departments and NGOs have asked Mediae to assist in creating effective media and communication strategies in a range of East African countries, including Somalia, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and Sudan. They comprise the following:

Iodine Defficiency Communication Campaign, UNICEF Tanzania

Mediae has been working with UNICEF since 2009 in the devising of a national communication campaign to encourage the production and consumption of iodised salt.  Iodine defficiency is particularly acute in Tanzania and causes serious mental and physical problems amongst some Tanzanians.  The communication campaign, which will use radio, television, video, SMS and print aims to raise awareness and change behaviour surrounding iodised salt.

Treatment Literacy Advocacy DVD, Medicins Sans Frontiers Belgium

Mediae developed and delivered a 15 minute Advocacy documentary and 2 minute promo to raise funds and support for the integration of Treatment Literacy as a priority within Kenya’s national strategy for HIV/AIDS.  The DVD has been screened at national and international forums on HIV/AIDS and widely dispersed.  2008

Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Avian Flu Programme

Mediae edited and adapted a Programme for Trainers of Trainers on improved small scale poultry production as an accessible, illustrated guide for small scale farmers:  ‘How to Increase your Income from Healthy Chickens’.  2008

Farm Africa

Mediae documented the most successful projects implemented by Farm Africa under the Mandeleo Agricultural Technology Fund (MATF).  This resulted in the production of handbook, a series of short videos on six specific projects and a report/presentation for Farm.

JAM Mission - Sudan

Mediae assessed and recommended ways in which the media can be supported in both Southern and Northern Sudan in order to promote peace and development in the country.  A wide range of recommendations were made relating to the legal and regulatory media framework, training initiatives in both broadcasting and the press, support to infrastructural developments relating to the media and how best to communicate with the millions of Internally Displaced People.

CDC - HIV/TB

The company assisted CDC Kenya to develop a communications campaign relating to HIV/TB.  The company's aim was to encourage people to understand the link between HIV and TB, get themselves tested for both, treat TB which is curable and seek treatment for HIV with anti-retrovirals.  The initial consultancy input resulted in a two year project.

Integrating ICD into Tools and Procedures for Effective Development

Mediae undertook a pilot phase, in collaboration with Wolverhampton University’s Centre for International Development and Training (CIDT), of a DFID-commissioned training initiative which aimed to integrate ICD into training given by DFID to their in-country staff.  A modular, two day training course was devised which looked at both Communications for Development theory, as well as some of the more practical tools, alongside a Practical Prompts guide to ICD and development.

Participatory Forestry Management, Tanzania

Mediae assisted in the devising of a communications strategy for the National Forestry Programme in Tanzania, with particular emphasis on the Participatory Forest Management component.  This has focused on how to incorporate and collaborate with local communities in the management of Tanzania’s forest reserves, which account for 28% of the country.  The consultancy was funded by DANIDA.

Search for Common Ground, Congo

Mediae conducted a ten day training input with a team of radio producers from Congo and Burundi who were working with the NGO, Search for Common Ground.  Mediae’s radio production team from “Tembea na Majira” travelled to Bujumbura and worked with radio producers there on developing their own soap opera in Ki-Swahili, which aimed to promote peace and reconciliation in the area.

Plan to Modernise Agriculture, Uganda

Mediae developed an outline communication strategy for the Ugandan Government, with which they communicated their strategy to modernise the agricultural sector.  A major theme in this process was to encourage the transformation from subsistence to commercial farming.

The Poverty Eradication Action Plan, Uganda

Mediae worked with the Ugandan Government on the Poverty Eradication Action plan and how it can use media to communicate the main themes in the strategy.  Namely, to encourage public involvement in economic restructuring and promoting private investment in business and government accountability in spending.

Agricultural Information, Tanzania

Mediae worked with The University of Reading, NR International and the Agricultural Research Institute in Tanzania to develop and agricultural information strategy on bean production, which will reach farmers, traders and consumers through radio, print and face-to-face activities.

STD, HIV/AIDs, FGM Workshop, Somalia

Mediae designed and implemented a workshop in Somalia to develop educational material in collaboration with UNICEF.  The media developed aimed to raise awareness amongst different sectors in the community, relating to STDs and also FGM.