Kenya: Evaluation Report of Session Six of the ISC Second Phase

Attendance:

Monica Musau

Lagwinda Nkongoli

Margaret Muthemba

Michael Otieno

Emily Latan

Lilly Muinde

Activity One: Considering Future Activities

What issues should be prioritised?

• Educating workers on their basic rights at the workplace.
• Sensitising of workers, the community and the Government on the effects of TNCs.
• Workers must organise themselves into strong trade unions through educational programmes and the Government must ensure full protection to workers organisations and trade unions.
• International solidarity should be encouraged among workers world-wide
• The formation of lobby and pressure groups to campaign against undisciplined TNCs and laws which are pro-TNCs.

What activities can you undertake in the short-term and long-term?

Short-term:

• To plan and run local study circles on TNCs if funds are available.
• To engage in International Correspondences between workers of the same ITSs.
• The ITSs should be able to send pamphlets and newsletters concerning TNCs on request.

Long-term:

• To formulate programmes to sensitise the community, the workers and the Government on TNCs through intensive education programmes, one-day seminars and meetings.
• The training of workers on computer literacy and application of the Internet as a tool of communication and in particular the members of the ISC.
• The ISC members should consider ways of publishing newsletters and other information bulletins when adequate funds become available. They should also be trained in material development.
• Dissemination of information on TNCs all over the republic when funds are available.

• Protest letters from all ITSs.
• Consumer boycotts.
• Organise demonstrations to pressurise employers of TNCs.
• Organise International support strikes through the ITSs.

• Workers trade unions.
• Churches.
• Women's groups.
• N.G.O.s.
• Self help groups.
• Welfare associations.

• Financial resources e.g. money, donations.
• Human resources.
• Logistic materials e.g. computers, communications equipment.
• Transportation to assist mobilisation.
• Internet.
• Education materials offices.

• Members contributions.
• Fundraising.
• Donor support.
• Undertaking income-generating projects that will assist in building solidarity.

• Donating funds.
• Providing appropriate technology.
• Building international solidarity.
• Facilitate International Communications between affiliates.
• To strengthen international study circles.

EVALUATION

• Exposed us to globalisation
• Widened our understanding of TNCs
• Made us know of IFWEA and Euro-WEA
• Exposed the need for the creation of International Solidarity

• The delay of funds
• The international study circle members were not informing us adequately of their studies and the progress made
• The members of the ISC were not sending us their reports in time and their answers were not exactly according to the questions asked
• We liked the material and the information contained in the case studies

• It was valuable to gain an understanding issues, because we understand that workers everywhere shared the same problems and therefore needed International Solidarity
• Knowledge of handling local issues through understanding global issues
• Knowledge of the importance of ITSs
• The way of lobbying and pressure groups for campaign against TNCs and other employers who exploit workers

• Lack of finance for photocopying documents and other support activities e.g. transportation
• Lateness due to time factor because members had not come from places of work to the venue. Occasional absenteeism of members due largely to lack of transportation fare.

• The materials were well set this time round
• The cases were also very informative
• One problem was that we could not tell the sense of some of the questions
• The material was also systematically arranged and relevant to the topics

• The course was run very well and there was nothing to complain about because we received some reports from other study circles

• We did not get some of their reports except for a few like Britain which taught us a lot about contractual jobs and the amendment of legislation
• Other reports were not very clear as to which questions or sessions they were dealing with

• Most of the reports came after we had moved ahead with the programme we could not relate to them easily

• It is a very useful tool o communication because of the convenience of getting documentation and quickness of the system. It can also be used for simultaneous communication with different groups at the same time

• From discussions in the group through free expression
• Getting to know other members of the ISC
• Reading reports from the other ISC members
• We also understood global issues better and TNCs in particular