Equal Access International

TO CREATE POSITIVE SOCIAL CHANGE FOR MILLIONS OF UNDER-SERVED PEOPLE ACROSS THE DEVELOPING WORLD BY PROVIDING CRITICALLY NEEDED INFORMATION AND EDUCATION THROUGH INNOVATIVE MEDIA, APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY AND DIRECT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SAHEL PROGRAMS INCLUDE: VOICE FOR PEACE SH05V4P CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH 82 LOCAL RADIO STATIONS ACROSS THE FIVE COUNTRIES (CAMEROON, CHAD, BURKINA FASO, NIGER, AND MALI). V4P WORKED TO PRODUCE LOCALLY RELEVANT CVE PROGRAMS (ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS, LISTENER CALL-INS, VARIETY "MAGAZINE" SHOWS, AND INFORMATION SPOTS) THAT INVOLVE LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND RESOURCE PERSONS SPEAKING ABOUT LOCALLY IDENTIFIED DRIVERS OF EXTREMISM BEFORE A WIDE RADIO AUDIENCE. IN ADDITION TO NON-FICTION PROGRAMMING, V4P FUNDS THE PRODUCTION OF SOAP OPERAS, WHERE CHARACTERS IN A FICTIONAL SETTING DEAL WITH CVE-RELATED THEMES (CORRUPTION, BAD GOVERNANCE, COLLABORATION WITH AUTHORITIES OR EXTREMISTS, ETC.) INSPIRED BY REAL EVENTS. BURKINA FASO AND CHAD CONTINUED TO PRODUCE "RADIO GAMES," WHICH IS A TYPE OF INTERACTIVE QUIZ SHOW ABOUT THEMES PRESENTED IN SOAP OPERA EPISODES. THE GAMES ARE AN ENTERTAINING AND LESS THREATENING WAY TO INVITE LISTENERS TO DISCUSS CVE TOPICS IN PUBLIC, GIVEN THE SENSITIVE SECURITY ENVIRONMENTS IN WHICH THE STATIONS OFTEN BROADCAST. TOWARDS THE END OF 2021, CAMEROON EXPANDED ITS MEDIA PRESENCE TO INCLUDE TELEVISION) WHICH WERE AIRED ON SIX CHANNELS COVERING THE ENTIRE COUNTRY. IN 2021, CAMEROON THIS YEAR ESTABLISHED 8 NEW MEDIA CENTERS, ATTACHED TO PARTNER RADIO STATIONS, WHICH ENABLE THE RADIO ECOSYSTEMS TO CREATE NEW CONTENT THAT FIGHTS FAKE NEWS RELATED TO COVID-19. IN 2021 V4P DEVELOPED AN INNOVATIVE TRAINING COURSE ON CVE SUSTAINABILITY AS PART OF ITS RADIO STRATEGY AND HELD 11 TRAINING SESSIONS (FOR 13 STATIONS).

COAST IVORY PROGRAM INCLUDE: ACCOUNTABILITY FOR DEVELOPMENT A4D (CI06): A4D ORGANIZED 128 MOBILE ACCOUNTABILITY CLINICS AS INFORMATION/FEEDBACK DESKS RUN BY YOUTH AND WOMEN FROM A4D-SUPPORTED CSOS. THE CLINICS WERE SET UP TO GIVE CITIZENS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS ANY GRIEVANCES THEY HAD ABOUT PUBLIC SERVICES OR THEIR COMMUNITIES IN GENERAL. THE CLINICS MOVED FROM LOCALE TO LOCALE DURING KEY PUBLIC GATHERINGS, INCLUDING MARKET DAYS AND OTHER REGULAR EVENTS. A4D WORKED TO STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS TO ADVOCATE WITH AUTHORITIES ON BEHALF OF THEIR COMMUNITIES. IN 2021, THE PROJECT'S INITIATIVE ENABLED KONG CSOS TO CONDUCT ADVOCACY WITH THE TOWN LEADERSHIPS REGARDING THE COMPLETION OF THE CONSTRUCTION OF THREE TEACHERS' HOUSING UNITS. AS A RESULT OF THE CSO'S ACTIONS, THE COUNCIL HIRED A CONTRACTOR TO SURVEY AND CONTINUE THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE HOUSING UNITS. IN FEBRUARY 2021, A4D BROUGHT TOGETHER 60 PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGERS FROM REGIONAL AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS REPRESENTING HEALTH AND EDUCATION SECTORS, AS WELL AS REPRESENTATIVES FROM CENTRALIZED ENTITIES SUCH AS THE PREFECTURES AND SUB-PREFECTURES FOR A WORKSHOP FOCUSED ON: SERVICE DELIVERY CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES, LOCAL DEVELOPMENT, COMMUNITY RELATIONS, AND EFFORTS TO COMBAT CORRUPTION SURROUNDING THE DELIVERY OF PUBLIC SERVICES. IN JULY 2021, 95 DECENTRALIZED LOCAL AUTHORITIES AT VARIOUS LEVELS WERE TRAINED ON SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY TOOLS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE CITIZEN PARTICIPATION, SUCH AS PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING.

COAST IVORY PROGRAM INCLUDE: RESILIENCE FOR PEACE (CI-07)RESILIENCE FOR PEACE (R4P) PROJECT DESIGNED AND INITIATED ACTIVITIES WITH LOCAL STAKEHOLDERS TO BOLSTER LOCAL GOVERNANCE, SUPPORT NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, AND EXTEND THE AVAILABILITY OF CREDIBLE, OBJECTIVE INFORMATION THROUGH THE R4P MEDIA ECOSYSTEM APPROACH. MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR INCLUDE: COMPLETION OF SIX STUDIES ON SOCIO-ECONOMIC DYNAMICS LINKED TO COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AGAINST VIOLENT EXTREMISM, INCLUDING POLITICAL ECONOMY ANALYSES, A PERCEPTION SURVEY, AND COMMUNICATIONS ANALYSIS; PRESENCE IN ALL SIX REGIONS AND IN 8 OUT OF 10 DEPARTMENTS AT THE NORTHERN BORDER AREA WITH A DIVERSE TEAM COMPRISING ALL SOCIO-CULTURAL GROUPS; WORKING WITH NINE STATE-SPONSORED CIVIL-MILITARY CELLS (CCMS) IN THE BORDER AREA TO IMPROVE THE INCLUSIVITY AND GEOGRAPHICAL REACH OF CIVIL-MILITARY INITIATIVES; ESTABLISHING A COMMUNITY-ANCHORED COMMUNICATION ECOSYSTEM, INCLUDING 12 LOCAL RADIO STATIONS, 145 SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS AND A DOZEN CUSTOMARY TEA CLUBS ("GRINS") THAT GENERATE POSITIVE NARRATIVES AROUND COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AGAINST VIOLENT EXTREMISM; WOMEN AND YOUTH IN EACH OF THE SIX REGIONS HAVE ORGANIZED THEMSELVES INTO STRUCTURED, VOLUNTARY GROUPS TO DRIVE COLLECTIVE ACTION AROUND SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES AND TO STRENGTHEN SOCIAL COHESION.

OTHER PROGRAMS INCLUDE: AFGHANISTAN, NEPAL, PAKISTANAF83- ON JULY 29, 2021, ALL 96 CENTRALLY PRODUCED RADIO EPISODES (48 IN DARI AND 48 IN PASHTO) PRODUCED BY EAI'S IN-HOUSE PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT AND 60 PROVINCIAL-LEVEL EPISODES PRODUCED AND BROADCASTED THROUGH EAI'S NETWORK OF LOCAL RADIO STATIONS IN THE SIX TARGETED PROVINCES WITH ADDITIONAL VOLUNTARY REBROADCASTING OF EPISODES. TWO CSOS CASCADE TRAININGS WERE CONDUCTED WITHIN THE UROZGAN PROVINCE FOR TWO SESSIONS AND CONSISTED OF 40 PARTICIPANTS (20 MALE AND 20 FEMALE), INCLUDING CSOS MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY ELDERS. 316 COMMUNITY LDAG SESSIONS WERE HELD WITH 3,391 PARTICIPANTS, INCLUDING 1,966 MALE AND 1,425 FEMALE PARTICIPANTS.AF85 - UNDER THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY FOR AWARENESS RAISING IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19 PROJECT, EAI IN CLOSE COORDINATION WITH AFGHAN CHILDREN READ (ACR) AND THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION (MOE), APPLIED THE EXPERIENCES AND LESSONS LEARNT FROM THE FIRST PHASE OF PROJECT TO ENSURE CONTINUED SUPPORT TO THE EDUCATION SECTOR IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CURRENT COVID-19 PANDEMIC. AF87- EAI WORKED WITH SESAME WORKSHOP'S PARTNER SAVE THE CHILDREN AFGHANISTAN TO CREATE A PACKAGE OF ADAPTED AND NEW SW OWNED AND CONTROLLED BAGHCH-E-SIMSIM MATERIALS FOCUSED ON EMOTIONAL WELLBEING FOR DISTRIBUTION TO SAVE THE CHILDREN'S CHILD-FRIENDLY SPACES IN AFGHANISTAN. EAI SUPPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT AND BAGHCH-E-SIMSIM PRINT AND AUDIO MULTIMEDIA MATERIALS. EAI'S ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE: CREATED AND EDITED TEXT (3) PRINT STORYBOOKS UTILIZING CONTENT PROVIDED BY SW, THEN DESIGNED AND CREATED THE LAYOUT AND ILLUSTRATIONS FOR (3) PRINT STORYBOOKS ONE (1) PRINT BOARD-GAME; DESIGNED AND CREATED THE LAYOUT OF ONE (1) FACILITATOR GUIDE UTILIZING CONTENT PROVIDED BY SW, SUBSEQUENTLY TRANSLATING THE GUIDES INTO DARI AND PASHTO; SELECTED, EDITED, AND PACKAGED FIFTEEN (15) EXISTING BAGHCH-E-SIMSIM RADIO EPISODES IN A FORMAT AS REQUESTED BY SAVE THE CHILDREN AFGHANISTAN NG12, 16 - EAI REINFORCED THE EFFORTS OF THE NIGERIAN DEMOCRATIC ADMINISTRATION IN FIGHTING CORRUPTION BY DESIGNING ALL ACTIVITIES IN SUPPORT OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ONGOING EFFORTS AND POLICY ON CORRUPTION, THE ROLE OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN SUPPORTING GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO FIGHT CORRUPTION, AND THE ROLE OF INDIVIDUALS IN SPEAKING UP AND TAKING ACTION AGAINST CORRUPT PRACTICES. IN 2021, EAI FOCUSED AND ENSURED THAT ANTI-CORRUPTION LEADERS AND ADVOCATES RECEIVED GREATER SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT, AND THAT DUTY BEARERS MAKE GOOD ON THEIR COMMITMENTS AND CAMPAIGN PROMISES TO ACHIEVE MEASURABLE CHANGE. 39 EPISODES (SEASON 2, 3 AND 4) OF 90 DAYS (KWANA CASA'IN) DRAMA SERIES PRODUCED AND AIRED ON AREWA24 TELEVISION CHANNEL. 52 EPISODES OF DADIN KOWA INCORPORATING ANTI-CORRUPTION THEMES PRODUCED AND AIRED ON AREWA24 TELEVISION CHANNEL.NG21 - LEADERSHIP, EMPOWERMENT, AND ADVOCACY (LEAD) TRAINING OF TRAINERS (TOT) 12 WOMEN LEADERS, THREE EACH FROM KANO, KADUNA, PLATEAU, AND BENUE STATES, WERE BROUGHT TOGETHER FOR A LEAD TOT ON THE 14TH AND 15TH OF APRIL 2021 IN ABUJA. THE TRAINING WAS FACILITATED BY A WOMEN, PEACE, AND SECURITY EXPERT, WITH SUPPORT OF EAI STAFF. A KEY PART OF THE TRAINING WAS TO BRING WOMEN TOGETHER TO NETWORK AND USE THEIR EXPERTISE AND KNOWHOW TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF ACTION PLANS AND STEP-DOWN TRAININGS WITH MORE WOMEN AT THE STATE LEVEL. TWO ADDITIONAL YOUTH TECH CAMPS WERE CONDUCTED IN KADUNA AND PLATEAU STATES BETWEEN 12TH TO 16TH APRIL AND 3RD TO 7TH MAY 2021 RESPECTIVELY. THE THEMES DISCUSSED CENTERED ON WHOSE ROLE/RESPONSIBILITY IT IS TO PROVIDE SECURITY IN OUR COMMUNITIES, WOMEN, AND YOUTH ROLES IN SECURITY ISSUES, AS WELL AS SOCIAL COHESION AND THE NEED TO LIVE IN PEACE WITH ONE ANOTHER.NP34 - DURING THE REPORTING PERIOD, THE FOCUS WAS ON THE COMPLETION OF THE BASELINE DATA COLLECTION AND THE LAUNCH OF THE INTERVENTION. EAI PARTNERED WITH A LOCALLY BASED QUALIFIED RESEARCH FIRM TO SUPPORT WITH THE DATA COLLECTION, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED FROM SEPTEMBER 18-OCTOBER 11, 2021. A MONITORING VISIT FROM NEPAL HEALTH RESEARCH COUNCIL (NHRC) TEAM WAS ALSO CONDUCTED DURING THE DATA COLLECTION WHO VISITED WARD NO 4 OF HUPSEKOT RURAL MUNICIPALITY. THE BIG CHANGE CURRICULUM WAS FULLY DIGITIZED INTO AN INTERACTIVE APP AND THE INTERVENTION WAS LAUNCHED IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE BASELINE DATA COLLECTION. PH02 - FROM THE ONLINE COLLABORATIVE DESIGN WORKSHOP HELD IN FEBRUARY 2021, KEY MESSAGES WERE DRAWN AND SERVED AS GUIDE IN THE DESIGN OF BOTH OFFLINE (TRADITIONAL) AND ONLINE IEC (INFORMATION, COMMUNICATION AND EDUCATION) CAMPAIGNS AND IDENTIFIED KEY MESSAGES THAT SERVED AS A GUIDE IN DESIGNING THE ONE-HOUR RADIO MAGAZINE TALK SHOW FOR 2021.KE05-IN KENYA, EAI PRODUCED 16 ORIGINAL 30-MINUTE PRE-RECORDED EPISODES OF A RADIO PROGRAM NAMED WAJIBIKA SALIMIKA AND FIVE LIVE SHOWS OF 60 MINUTES EACH AIMED AT HOUSEHOLDS, PARTICULARLY YOUTH AT RISK OF RECRUITMENT AND RADICALIZATION BY VEOS. IN TANZANIA, THE PRODUCER FORMATTED THE RADIO PROGRAM INTO THEMES BASED ON INFORMATION COLLECTED WHEREBY ISSUES RAISED WERE PUT INTO DIFFERENT TOPICS UNDER THE CATEGORIZED THEMES. THE RADIO SHOWS DID NOT DIRECTLY TALK ABOUT VIOLENT EXTREMISM (BASED ON THE SENSITIVITY OF THE TOPIC, THE GOVERNMENT OF TANZANIA DOES NOT ALLOW SUCH DISCUSSIONS) BUT SOUGHT TO EDUCATE AND CREATE AWARENESS ON ISSUES THAT BRING CONFLICT AND HOW VEOS TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE ISSUES. SH06 - THE SAHEL COLLABORATION AND COMMUNICATION (SCC) PROJECT PRODUCED AND WORKED WITH THE NATIONAL RADIO IN NIGER (LA VOIX DU SAHEL) TO BROADCAST A SERIES OF REGIONAL RADIO PROGRAMS ON COMMUNITY RESILIENCE IN THE REGIONS OF MARADI AND ZINDER. ADDITIONALLY, EAI COLLABORATED WITH COMMUNITY RADIO STATIONS TO PRODUCE AND AIR A SERIES LOCAL RADIO PROGRAMS ACROSS THE INTERVENTION ZONES. THE PROGRAMS OFFERED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR DIALOGUE AND EXCHANGE BETWEEN FIELD TEAMS, LOCAL GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVES, UNIVERSITIES, AND OTHER DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS. THE BROADCASTS HELPED ADVANCE SCC'S GOAL OF PUBLICIZING AND COMMUNICATING USAID'S RESILIENCE INTERVENTIONS IN NIGER AND BURKINA FASO.TD04 - THE SWISS AGENCY FOR DEVELOPMENT AND COOPERATION (SDC)-FUNDED AMPLIFYING ALTERNATIVE NARRATIVES TO PREVENT VIOLENT EXTREMISM IN CHAD PROJECT CONCLUDED ALL OF ITS ACTIVITIES AND OPERATIONS. TD04 ACTIVITIES WERE STRUCTURED TO AUGMENT AND AMPLIFY THOSE OF EAI'S VOICES FOR PEACE (V4P) PROJECT. TOGETHER, THESE TWO PROJECTS CONTRACTED AN EXTERNAL EVALUATOR IN 2021 TO CONDUCT A CONCISE EVALUATION OF PROGRAMMATIC ACTIVITIES IN WEST AFRICA. THE PURPOSE OF THE EVALUATION WAS TO ASSESS AND EVALUATE THE RELATIVE OUTCOMES AND IMPACTS OF V4P'S RADIO PROGRAMMING IN COMMUNITIES AFFECTED BY OR SUSCEPTIBLE TO CONFLICT, EXTREMISM, OR INTER-COMMUNAL VIOLENCE DURING THE DURATION OF IMPLEMENTATION.