Summary
HCI/CRs (HCI/CR) provide a broad range of management, media and information technology services to NGOs and commercial organizations. These include:
• Organizing and conducting workshops
• Research and production of documentary video productions
• Consulting related to use of media in high impact pro-development productions
• Production of pro-development videos and films
• Acquisition, assistance and maintenance of electronic equipment such as computers, laser printers and copiers
• Creating and implementing mediated campaigns dealing with health, sanitation, environment and other development issues. For example, HCI/CR has:
• Researched, written and produced several cultural and health videos for television and integrated distribution across Africa
• Provided documentary video footage and procurement of video equipment for local NGOs.
• Organization of a major communications consultation in Harare, Zimbabwe
• Establishment of an effective computer consultancy in systems design, procurement and maintenance
• Analysis of office space requirements and implementation of a more effective use of space through standardization of office sizes and open space planning for a local NGO including staff assessment, grading and salary policies for key staff
• Establishment of an income generation publishing support group at a parastatal teacher training college
Specialist Knowledge
HCI/CR is uniquely equipped to assist NGOs in:
Workshops
HCI/CR staff has a broad experience in the organization and conducting of workshops in a variety of media and management topics.
Client: Kenya Teachers Training College
HCI/CR staff organized, designed and taught desktop publishing and graphic design to their staff in a series of two intensive workshops. This included evaluation of students as to suitability to be included as a support worker
Client: Sudan Literature Centre
HCI/CR organized a three month training program for development writers from Sudan. This program included training sessions in publication management, developmental communications, editing, photography and technical production. The program included practical attachments for each student at local companies and NGOs
Client: Central Tanganika Press
HCI/CR provided a dedicated trainer for a two week publishing workshop in CTPs offices in Dodoma
Client: FOCCAM
HCI/CR organized a writer and editor workshop for 20 development writers in Kenya. HCI/CR organized the venue, designed the curriculum, appointed resource personnel and paid all expenses on a fixed fee basis. HCI/CR also organized a major consultation in Zimbabwe for this client to include venue, program, budgets etc., after which FOCCAM staff stepped in
Client: Methodist Church in Zimbabwe
HCI/CR organized a development writer’s workshop in Gweru. Input included curriculum design, preparation of training aids and other resource materials.
Client: Coptic Social Service Organization, Egypt
Conducted a two week long writer and video workshop in Cairo. This workshop taught development workers key skills in development education and communications. Workshop was taught in English with Arabic simultaneous translation
Client: Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania
Conducted a series of video training courses for development workers in Arusha, Tanzania
Client: India Communications Institute
Designed curriculum, identified specialists, taught several communications and development components and managed this month long workshop in Bangalore, India
Designed curriculum, taught and managed a development communications workshop in South India of 55 development workers from across India
Client: Telecine International
Designed a project pre and post test program to evaluate the impact of an educational children’s TV project in Cairo, Egypt. This evaluation involved overall design, interviewer training materials, interviewer forms design, and supervision and analysis of data
Media
HCI/CR has broad experience in the visual media. Since its inception, HCI/CR has:
• Researched and produced A Healthy Step, an eight minute broadcast quality video originally for integrated distribution on mobile cinema vans in Kenya. Because of the cancellation of the project by the donor, the film has been used in free distribution to television stations in Kenya, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Swaziland. A Healthy Step deals with a woman who is forced by economic circumstances to move to a lower class neighborhood in a peri-urban area. She complains bitterly about all the trash and garbage the residents leave around, but doesn’t do anything about it until a health worker urges her to organize the women to clean up the area. The concept of “Good Health Starts with you!” is communicated in drama, song and quality production values
• Researched, wrote and produced a 40 minute film titled Sabina’s Encounter (SE). SE is the first of a series of African films dealing with cultural issues like barrenness, inter-tribal marriage, aids, sex outside of marriage, etc. SE has been shown on television across Africa to wide acclaim. The second script for the series was in production on the topic of AIDS but the project was cancelled.
. Professionally produced documentary video footage for several NGOs in Kenya. This includes shooting in refugee camps and local footage of a street children awareness campaign around Nairobi
• Documentary video in German & English of a local NGO
• Researched and produced two feature length films in Tamil for television on in South India. One film deals with cooperative marketing and uses an indirect communication approach. It is currently in video distribution in over 5,000 video parlors in India
• Co-created and co-wrote an integrated program for an entertainment oriented children’s TV series for eventual distribution in the Middle East. Pre- and post testing programmers were also prepared by Henrich.
. Produced a documentary slide sound production on a development project in Babati, Tanzania. This was eventually transferred to video for distribution in churches in the USA.
Proposal Preparation
Client: Telecine International
Researched and wrote a proposal to produce a series of educational TV programs in Egypt. Thus far, this project has received nearly US$1.2 million in equipment, cash and services. This project included an income generation component which is quite successful. Involvement also included research and development of educational objectives, preparation of marketing materials and liaison with donor agencies in Europe, USA and the Middle East
Client: HELP International
Provided major research and input on a proposal to attract USAID funding for this TV project. Although submitted to the USAID Regional Office, this effort was withdrawn.
