On 30th May, 2018, STAR-Ghana organised photography training for its programme management team (PMT) members to equip them with basic photography skills to enable the programme take near professional photos that can be used for programme communication.
Photos are one of the most powerful visual tools that the programme can leverage on to develop better content and stories. Visuals are important tools for capturing the interest of the target audience. As part of the programme’s content generation plan, the PMT are key for collecting photos when they go on field visits. The approach of using PMT to collect photos provides an opportunity to capture live images and videos during field and/or monitoring visits.
To ensure that strong and compelling images are captured, a photography training workshop facilitated by Rodney Quarcoo of RQ studios was organised to enhance the PMT’s skills in taking better photos by understanding how the camera works and how to take pictures with it; understanding the basics of light and fix lighting; and post photo editing among others.
At the end of the workshop, participants had a better understanding of the various features of the camera and had creative control of the photographs and determined which lighting techniques, lens selection, aperture settings and/or exposure length to use in producing desired results.
Related projects
First in a series of regional dialogues on Election Campaign financing in Ghana held in Tamale
In August 2019, Star Ghana Foundation launched a call for proposals and awarded grants to 28 organizations across the country, all aimed at achieving transparent, credible and peaceful elections. STAR Ghana Foundation, however, acknowledges and recognizes that, beyond the individual projects, there are key critical issues that need to be tackled to promote good governance and to ensure long-term electoral credibility. One of the critical issues identified is Election Campaign Financing.
As part of STAR Ghana Foundation’s Convening, Catalysing, Coordinating and Learning (3Cs and L) approach, the Foundation in partnership with CDD-Ghana, Ghana Integrity Initiative (GII) and Elections Community of Practice and Learning (ECoPL) organised a regional (northern sector) dialogue on political party campaign finance reforms in Ghana. The event, which is the first in a series of four to be organised across the country was held on Wednesday 4th March 2020 in Tamale.
Alhaji Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, Executive Director of STAR Ghana Foundation in his address, stated that: the purpose of the event was to facilitate dialogue with Stakeholders on Election Campaign financing and build consensus on the way forward for financing election campaigns in Ghana. He urged stakeholders to come on board to address issues that prevent our efforts as a nation to strengthen our democracy. He said:
“We can’t eradicate Corruption without properly diagnosing and addressing issues that prevent efforts to strengthen our democracy: Cost and financing of political campaigns; Influencing manifestos to reduce inequality to improve quality of life and reduce insecurity nation-wide; and confronting and addressing Vigilantism. “
Professor Henry Kwesi Prempeh, the Executive Director of Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) delivered the keynote address. He encouraged citizens and the state to demand accountability from political parties on their campaign expenditure to deepen the democratic process and stability in the country.
Prof Prempeh noted that it was time for citizens to question Politicians on how their campaign finance were generated to enhance the response against corruption and end the rising tension of violence in the conduct of general elections in the country.
“Beyond the general recognition of corruption as a manifestation of Campaign financing arrangements, there is a need to equally interrogate the more fundamental systemic and socio-cultural conditions that make our democracy susceptible to the growing influence of money”. He added.
In attendance were representatives of political parties, civil society organizations, traditional authorities, religious leaders, students and the private sector, state agencies and the media.
The next in the regional events will be held on Tuesday 11th March 2020 in Kumasi. This will be followed by another regional edition in Takoradi on Wednesday 18th March 2020. Building on the recommendations from the regional dialogues, a national dialogue will be held on Tuesday 7th April 2020 in Accra to consolidate the recommendations for the way forward in addressing issues around Election campaign financing in Ghana.
STAR Ghana Foundation Monitoring and Evaluation Team in the company of CALID visits SDA Hospital in Tamale
A monitoring and evaluation team from STAR Ghana Foundation, led by the Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Manager – Frank Kwaku Amoateng, has in the company of representatives of the Centre for Active Learning and Integrated Development (CALID) and the League of Youth Associations in Tamale, have embarked on a field monitoring visit to the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Hospital in Tamale.
The visiting team was received by the Director of the SDA Hospital in Tamale – Ekao Amouzou, on Wednesday 4th March 2020 at his office. The purpose of the visit was to obtain at first hand, progressive changes that have emanated from the implementation of the CALID’s `Fighting Unapproved Charges for Health Services` project funded by STAR Ghana Foundation.
The Project initially had a special focus on 3 health facilities in the Tamale Metropolis: Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH), Tamale Central Hospital, and the Tamale West Hospitals. The SDA Hospital was later added in September 2019 to expand the project scope and replicate results and learning from the other hospitals.
The implementation of the project has succeeded in empowering citizens of the Tamale Metropolis on their rights as clients of the various hospitals. The project has also facilitated the creation of reporting platforms and channels including a mobile short messaging system (SMS) platform for citizens to report corrupt acts of hospital staff. A case in point is the creation of a customer relations desk at the Tamale Teaching Hospital to respond to customer complaints.
In October 2017, STAR Ghana launched an Anti-Corruption Call aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of citizens’ actions against corruption through the provision of among others: grants and technical support.
Stakeholders in Northern Region sensitized on the road map and code of conduct for the eradication of political vigilantism
NORSAAC in partnership with Sagani TV, and with support from STAR Ghana Foundation has sensitized key stakeholders in the Northern Region of Ghana on the vigilantism and related offenses ACT 999. The sensitization workshop, held at the Regal Hotel in Tamale on March 3, 2020 also enlightened participants on the Roadmap and Code of Conduct to end Political vigilantism for peaceful election 2020.
Alhassan Mohammed Awal, the Executive Director of NORSAAC in his welcome address expressed his gratitude to STAR Ghana Foundation for funding the event and shared the purpose of the gathering by indicating that:
“The content of the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act 2019 as well as the Roadmap and Code of Conduct to End Political Vigilantism is not well known to citizens particularly key citizens such as religious and traditional leaders who hold significant influence across political divisions. The huge influence that religious and traditional authorities hold in northern Ghana must be utilized for the operationalization of the Vigilantism and Related Offence Act 2019 as well as the Roadmap and Code. If the traditional and religious leaders demonstrate greater commitment to uphold the Vigilantism and Related Offence Act 2019 as well as the Roadmap and Code of Conduct to End Political Vigilantism, greater success will be achieved in that direction. This will undoubtedly contribute to peaceful elections in December 2020.”
Frank Amoateng, Senior M&E Manager of STAR-Ghana Foundation, speaking on behalf of the Executive Director of STAR Ghana Foundation, Ibrahim-Tanko Amidu, acknowledged the efforts of NORSAAC in promoting good governance in Ghana, particularly in northern Ghana. He indicated the motivation behind the Foundation’s support to the NORSAAC project to include an effort to contribute to a peaceful and credible election 2020.
He urged the participants at the event to participate fully in the training and be good ambassadors of the knowledge and information they will acquire at the event. He said:
“it is not enough for you to be here, what is important is to learn and share. The opportunity you have to be here comes with a greater responsibility of contributing to the fight against vigilantism and for that matter a credible and peaceful election in December 2020”
The training session was facilitated by George Amoh, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Ghana National Peace Council and moderated by Abubakari Kawusada – Gender and Governance Programme Manager of NORSAAC. Participants at the event were introduced to and sensitized on the Roadmap and code of conduct to end political vigilantism, as well as the vigilantism and related offenses ACT 999.
The event, which is the first in a series, will be replicated in the four other regions of northern Ghana. It is expected that the training will contribute to Increased knowledge and actions of 32 paramount chiefs from 3 regional house of chiefs in the north, 30 CSOs, 55 religious leaders, and 72 regional political party leaders on the Vigilantism and Related Offence Act 2019 as well as the Roadmap and Code of Conduct to end political vigilantism.
The event forms part of activities to be implemented under the NORSACC election 2020 project funded by STAR Ghana Foundation. In August 2019, STAR Ghana Foundation launched a call for proposals under its Election 2020 Call to increase the effectiveness of citizens’ actions for credible, peaceful and inclusive presidential and parliamentary elections.