Mondo activities July-August 2016

PUBLIC QUIZ AT VILJANDI MUSIC FESTIVAL

From 28^th to the 31^st of July Mondo was active at one of the biggest music festivals in Estonia – Viljandi Folk Festival. Among other activities it was possible for the festivalgoers to take a Media4Development quiz about women’s rights and development issues. Every day at noon we drew a random name from the lot of the quiz takers and that person received a handicraft basket from Ghana as an award.

Quiz prizes at Viljandi Folk Festival.

OPINION FESTIVAL

August is the month of the Opinion Festival in Estonia. This year Mondo was represented with several topics and we shared the Development Cooperation themed stage with the Estonian Roundtable for Development on Friday. We had the joy of kicking the day off with a idea/coffee morning “What can I do for a better world?”, where people had the chance to mingle with people who have changed the world to the better through their professional life. We had three “thought circles” with Kalle Aasamäe (designer who worked with local women in Shianda, Kenya), Piet Boerefijn (head of the Estonian Food Bank) and Kristina Mänd (Mondo’s expert on sustainable consumption) and everyone in the audience had the chance to switch their circle after 10 minutes or if they wanted, stay where they started off. Towards the end of the day another discussion was led by Mondo, this time on the topic of motherhood across the globe.

Discussion circles at Opinion Festival.

LET'S LOOK EACH OTHER IN THE EYE!

Right after Opinion Festival, we held a Media4Development guerilla action “Let’s look each other in the eye!” in Kunstihoone that was inspired by Amnesty International’s “Look Beyond Borders” campaign. We invited strangers to look each other in the eye for four minutes without saying anything, to see that we are all equal. The introduction to the action:

What happens when you sit down opposite a stranger?

You look into each other's eyes. In silence.

What do you see?
Who do you see? 

Everyone will have a chance to take a seat opposite a person they have never met before and look into each other's eyes for 4 minutes in silence. Let the volunteers know if you would like to participate.

Looking in the eye will give you a chance to think about the person sitting in front of you without any stereotypes, without preconceptions and without the need to dominate the conversation. Treating each other as carte blanche will make a better world possible. Only this way we can see each other as equal partners to fight inequality and change the world.

A video documenting the action:

UGANDA STUDY TRIP

Last year’s photo competition winner Laura Toomlaid had a chance to choose an award trip to Uganda or Ghana. In the spring we met and discussed and it seemed the best option to travel to Uganda. It also gave Mondo a chance to offer a study trip for two young journalists who took part of the spring 2016 training in Helsinki – Madle Timm and Rait Roop. Madle is a freelance journalist who recently graduated and works part-time for the agricultural newspaper Maaleht. Rait is a freelance who writes mostly about sports. During the summer we met with the three to discuss their interests to see what would be the best itinerary that would suit all of them. We also talked briefly about Uganda – it’s history, geography, people and what to expect.

In the beginning of August–beginning of September, the Uganda study trip took place. This was our itinerary:

24.08. Arrival, night in Entebbe

25.08. Visit to Nile Basin Initiatives to learn about environmental and social effects of the pollution in Lake Victoria and hydropower production on the Nile. Lunch and drive to Kampala. Afternoon visit to Sports Outreach chess program in Katwe slum, interviews with coach Robert Katende.

Chess coach Robert Katende. Photo: Laura Toomlaid.

Chess class in Katwe slum. Photo: Laura Toomlaid.

26.08. Visit to Watoto Wasoka football program in Bakuli slum. Meeting and interviews with the leaders of the program, Francis Mugoya, coach Patrick Sonko, and the kids. Football match. Evening program at Ndere Centre.

Patrick and Francis explaining Watoto Wasoka's history. Photo: Laura Toomlaid.

Coach Patrick preparing kids for the match. Photo: Laura Toomlaid.

27.08. Visit to the tailoring shop of Kampala Disabled Initiatives in Namugoona. Talking with the women about issues of people with disabilities. Visit to the Uganda National Mosque (Gaddafi Mosque) and Watoto Church; evening poetry show in the centre.

Kampala view from the National Mosque Minaret. Photo: Laura Toomlaid.

28.08. Visit to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, learning about the re-introduction of southern white rhinos in Uganda. Evening arrival to Murchison Falls National Park.

29.08. Murchison Falls National Park. Conservation and future oil drilling issues.

30.08. Returning to Kampala.

31.08. Visiting Owino Market and a walk around downtown; visiting Hindu temples.

Downtown Kampala. Photo: Laura Toomlaid.

01.09. Visiting the Baha’i temple, flight back.