KCteam

Health & Development Networks (HDN) Key Correspondents (KCs) are citizen journalists writing about health and development issues, particularly about HIV/AIDS and TB. KCs come from around the globe. HDN in Chiang Mai, Thailand, facilitates the team with the aim of developing and supporting their reporting skills, while KCs write about issues at the grassroots level. Learn more...

Hello Key Correspondents!

Health & Development Networks (HDN) is looking for KCs to ‘Speak Your World’ about Children and HIV from the XVII International AIDS Conference (IAC 2008) being held in Mexico City from 3 to 8 August.

HDN will be working on the project ‘Seen and heard: children affected by HIV & AIDS’ during the IAC this year.

We are looking for KCs with strong English writing skills and experience and knowledge of the impact of HIV and AIDS on children to work on this project. KCs will be conducting issue-based reporting in the lead up to, during and after the IAC 2008.

Through this collaboration with Irish Aid, Bernard van Leer Foundation (BvLF) and the Joint Learning Initiative on Children and HIV/AIDS (JLICA), HDN will be able to support one (1) KC from each of these countries: Cambodia, India (Manipur), Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, to attend IAC 2008.

Your attendance at the IAC 2008 will help build the global knowledge base about children and HIV as well as contribute to critical dialogue about this issue. Your articles and stories will be disseminated online via www.healthdev.net, shared with other media outlets and may be utilized in key advocacy publications in the coming year and beyond.

If you are interested in this opportunity please submit the following to by 27 May 2008:

• An expression of interest and relevant experience (not more than two pages in length) submitted to Amber Phalen, Communications Manager via email amber@hdnet.org with “IAC 2008 Submission” in the subject line
• An article submitted on www.healthdev.net about the three most important issues or challenges in your country around children and HIV (not more than two pages in length) If you are chosen to attend, in addition to meeting thousands of people working in HIV and AIDS from all around the world, as a KC you will also have the opportunity to interview prominent individuals who are working to improve the lives of children affected by HIV and AIDS.

KCs attending IAC 2008 through this opportunity will also be expected to:

• Complete a pre-conference assignment (1200 words), which will contribute to an online discussion on children and HIV (20 June);
• Attend a pre-conference briefing (2 August), daily morning briefings during the conference (3-8 August) and post-conference debrief on the last day of the conference;
• Submit one article on children and HIVper day of the conference; and
• Complete one post-conference article to reflect on your experience and on the issue of children and HIV (700-1000 words) (29 August).

We will notify everyone about the status of their application by 4 June 2008. We look forward to hearing from you and best of luck to all who apply.


Best wishes,

Amber Phalen
Communications Manager

Labels: 2008, announcement, HDN, IAC, Mexico, Opportunity

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The Key Correspondent (KC) Team is a global network of country-based writers, specialized in HIV- and TB-related issues, capturing and documenting the local realities of those dealing and living with HIV and TB on a daily basis.

Today the KC Team is active in more than 50 countries with a strong representation in Asia and Africa. KCs come from diverse backgrounds such as nursing, counseling, epidemiology, programme coordination and management, policy and strategic planning, journalism and teaching.

Collecting, consolidating and widely publishing high quality articles featuring local perspectives are key to an effective response to HIV and TB. Those working on the ground, affected by the two epidemics, know best what the realities and issues are. Using local content in this way, to stimulate dialogue, bring national partners together and hold policy-makers accountable for their commitments, is an important element in empowering civil society.

As well as contributing at a country level to partnership platforms, the KC Team also supports the work of international alliances on HIV and TB, partnering with organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Stop TB Partnership and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

KCs benefit from their involvement with the programme in a number of ways. In the course of their assignments they are often given media access to conferences and events and unique opportunities to work with strategic partners.

KC articles are widely published through a network of eForums and HealthDev.net-based Groups, as well as other on-line and print media networks, reaching broad national and international audiences.

Labels: about, civil society, HDN, KC, KCs, Key Correspondent, partnership platforms, Stop TB Partnership, Team, WHO

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