NGO Resource Centre Newsletter July 16 - 31 2008

Welcome to the NGO Resource Centre Newsletter for July 15 - 31, 2008.

First off this week, the People's Participation Working Group (PPWG) is continuing its activities related to the implementation of Decree 151/N?-CP that was adopted in October 10, 2007 by the Prime Minister on the establishment and operation of collaborative groups, in particular in relation to the recent release of implementation guideline 04/2008/TT-BKH adopted on July 9, 2008 by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).

The PPWG, in coordination with the MPI, is organising two training workshops, one in the north and one in the south, on August 8 and August 15 respectively, and would like to invite all collaborative groups and community-based organisations (CBOs) that are members of the PPWG to register for the workshop. The objectives of the workshop include: to help collaborative groups and CBOs, which are PPWG members, understand Decree 151 and its implementation guidelines; to discuss some case studies on putting the implementation guideline into operation; and to collect information for the preparation of a handbook. For more details on the workshops and for registration, please contact: Ms Vu Thi Nga, email: [email protected] phone: 04.7711173 or 0983 889 853.

In other news, the new ICT for Development Working Group (ICT4DEV) held its first meeting this week at the NGO RC to discuss the terms of reference for the group and potential areas of future activity. Around 20 participants attended the meeting, during which the aims, objectives and approaches of ICT for development were talked about and the terms of reference revised. The group will now develop an activity plan and website and continue the process of developing collaborative projects in the future. For more information or to receive a copy of the draft terms of reference, please contact Paul Griffins at [email protected]. If you are interested in the ICT4DEV WG, please join the following mailing list: http://mailman.ngocentre.org.vn/mailman/listinfo/ict4devwg

There are two working groups coming up in July and August: the Disaster Management Working Group will be held on July 29 (time to be confirmed) at NGO Resource Centre; and the WatSan Working Group will be held on August 22 from 15:00 – 17:00 at the NGO Resource Centre.

See the Calendar section for more details.

All the best from the NGO RC Team.