Due to prominence of oral traditions in the region, inter-personal communications—community-based events, high-level policy dialogue meetings, conferences, technical workshops, seminars continue to feature most in our communication efforts.
However, to create awareness, stimulate change in policies, attitudes and practices of how water is used, sustainably managed, a mix of communication tools are blended together and used in conferences and events.
Mass media: radio, publishable and brand materials, newspapers, online, Television, reports, social media among others, continue to be used to communicate ‘with,’ not to our partners in the region.
With an exception of Egypt, radio continues to take a lead in reaching out to diverse audiences in the Greater Horn of Africa and Eastern Africa region. With today’s advancing technology, nearly every citizen can access radio-mediated information through different gadgets: telephones, small-sized radio receivers, car radio, and online.
Media engagement through Press Releases, Press Conferences, Training Workshops, invitations to participate and cover GWP Eastern Africa’s events, seminars and exposure visits to the field continue to be some of the pathways for enabling our partners get access to information.
GWP Eastern Africa is aware that media coverage of events does not always guarantee interactivity and feedback. Therefore, clear established feedback mechanism such as calls-in (radio and TVs studio), Question and Answer Sessions (Q&A), training evaluation/feedback forms, Social media, among others, are constantly used to track and measure whether set objectives were achieved.
Most importantly, our communication team always ensures that right messages are communicated to the right audiences, at the right time through appropriate communication tools.
Such resonance enables us to meet audience’s information needs and interests and be responsive to concerns about water and climate change in the region.
The GWP IWRM ToolBox – a free, online database on integrated water resources management with local, national, regional and global case studies and references – is a valuable knowledge resource in capturing, organizing and sharing lessons learned.