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The International Labour Organisation, in partnership with the Ondo State Government and the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria, recently launched a programme aimed at promoting health insurance enrolment among cocoa farmers, informal workers, and vulnerable households at risk of child labour. The initiative, under the ILO’s Global Accelerator Lab project, funded by the United States Department of Labour, is among a series of awareness campaigns across 20 rural communities in Ondo State. According to a statement by ILO, 839 individuals were engaged across the 20 project communities. Ondo State is Nigeria’s largest cocoa-producing state, where many families depend on farming for their livelihood. However, poverty, limited access to healthcare, and child labour remain critical challenges. The Ondo State Contributory Health Scheme, including the “Orange Health Insurance Scheme” for informal sector workers and the “Basic Healthcare Provision Fund Programme” for vulnerable individuals, provides a unique opportunity to improve the well-being of these communities. During the four-day campaign, the ILO collaborated with the Cocoa Farmers Association of Nigeria, trade unions, community-based organisations, and the Ondo State Contributory Health Commission to deliver targeted messaging on the benefits of these health insurance schemes. Related News Ondo, Ekiti, others get new police commissioners Three cops killed in Ondo crash SWAN begs Aiyedatiwa to improve Ondo sporting facilities Community leaders, mobilisers, and healthcare officials contacted thousands of farmers and residents, providing information on enrolment procedures and healthcare benefits. The Director of the ILO Country Office for Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, Vanessa Phala, said, “Ensuring access to health insurance for vulnerable communities is a significant step towards eliminating child labour and improving livelihoods, this campaign exemplifies how collaboration between governments, workers’ representatives, and organisations like the ILO can foster real change.” The expected results of this activity include increased awareness and commitment to child labour elimination, improved capacity of cooperative societies, enhanced collaboration among stakeholders, and the development of effective strategies for elimination. Ultimately, the goal is to improve the livelihoods of cocoa farmers and their families, reducing their reliance on child labour. A beneficiary, Chief Akinola Akinwole, said, “I didn’t know my family could benefit from health insurance. Through this programme, I have learnt how to enrol and protect my children’s future. This knowledge will also help me focus on improving my farm without worrying about unexpected medical costs.” “The awareness campaigns aim to boost enrolment in health insurance schemes among community members in these areas. This initiative is expected to not only enhance access to healthcare but also reduce child labour by improving the well-being and productivity of cocoa farmers and other informal workers. By tackling systemic challenges and equipping families with social protection, the GALAB project is fostering safer, healthier, and more productive communities,” the statement added.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs' third bid to be released on bail won't be decided until next weekReturning to the office a few days a week is worth the commute, experts say What are you missing by staying home? Diane Jermyn, Special to The Globe and Mail Dec 5, 2024 1:30 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Recent studies report that fully remote work reduces productivity by 10 to 20 per cent, while hybrid work benefits companies and employees. Rob Kruyt, BIV Listen to this article 00:07:39 Nearly five years ago, most office workers in Canada went home to work. Office life as we knew it vanished in a pandemic instant. Remarkably, most of these workers didn’t skip a beat. Most people liked the flexibility and the work got done – comfortably from home. Now many employers want people to come back to the office. Some make it a requirement on set days, others let employees make their own schedules, but most have settled on some kind of hybrid in-person and remote work model. But many employees don’t want to go back, citing long commutes, traffic, crowded or inconvenient public transit, expensive parking and the impact on the environment. Plus, remote workers who moved far away just don’t see the point of coming in at all. However, recent studies, such as one led by Stanford economist Nicholas Bloom, report that fully remote work reduces productivity by 10 to 20 per cent , while hybrid work benefits companies and employees . Without an in-person requirement, employers are concerned about losing out on productivity, communication, creativity and a strong company culture. So, what works and how can employers make people feel good about commuting and coming into the office again? A clear purpose and plan Linda Duxbury, the Chancellor’s professor of management at the Sprott School of Business at Carleton University in Ottawa, says the key is to intentionally design the in-office experience, rather than just requiring people to show up without a clear purpose or plan. “One of the reasons people like coming into the office is to socialize with their colleagues – they enjoy the informality, team activities and discussions,” says Prof. Duxbury. “If employers want happier employees, then they have to manage the in-person days better than many do.” “Right now, it’s a dog’s breakfast. It can’t be just random, with people coming in and then spending all their time on video calls with co-workers who are at home. What works is requiring whole teams to come in on certain days to do activities that can’t be done remotely, maximizing collaboration, team building, coaching, mentoring, training and development.” Designing a space for connection At Universities Canada, a non-profit organization representing Canadian universities, all 108 full-time employees are required to work in-person for two days a week. Shortly after Gabriel Miller, president and chief executive officer, joined last June, the organization moved into new headquarters in downtown Ottawa, designed after surveying employees about what they wanted in their work environment. “The office has been thoughtfully designed with people in mind,” says Mr. Miller. “When you enter, there’s an open gathering space that connects to a big kitchen, where people can stop by for coffee or to eat lunch with everybody from the most senior employees to university interns.” “The office is full of green plants, which really humanizes the space and helps people feel at home. There’s a variety of work settings so people can choose what best suits their needs and a mix of meeting rooms equipped with seamless technology so it’s easy for people to access information, but also connect to people who aren’t present. What this office says to our people is that in every possible way, we want to support you being together as a team.” To minimize commuting woes, the new office is centrally located and well served by transit and includes lockers for employees who cycle to work. “We need to provide as many sustainable options as we can,” he says. “Being located in a place that our employees can get to with minimal inconvenience, whether by car, bike, bus or on foot is key. So far we’ve only allowed people to work remotely on a temporary basis, but overwhelmingly, we’ve held the line on [a minimum of two in-person days a week]. If you start chipping away at it, one person or project at a time, people would soon begin to doubt our commitment.” When people are together in the office, he stresses it’s important to have opportunities for them to connect and collaborate in ways that wouldn’t be possible to do from home. “I really believe you need to balance remote and in-person work to maintain productivity and relationships,” he says. “If you think back on your career, a lot of what we learned was the result of encounters and relationships that we built organically with the people around us. Especially for young people, in-person interactions are critical for mentorship and career development.” ‘We spaces’ Toronto-based Accenture Canada takes a “one-size-doesn’t-fit-most” approach for its 6,500 employees, according to its chief human resources officer, Suehlan Yu. A 20-year veteran of the firm, she says remote/hybrid work isn’t new to the organization, as Accenture Canada has been doing it globally for decades, collaborating with clients, teams and people working remotely. “Our focus is on levelling the playing field, so that irrespective of where people are, they’re able to participate fully and bring their best to work,” says Ms. Yu. “We really started by listening to our people, and we do that through a robust listening framework that includes surveys, fireside chats and town halls. What the majority of our people say is that flexibility – when, where and how they work – is the top enabler for the successful future of work.” Ms. Yu says there’s no policy that requires everyone to be in the office on set days. Instead, leaders and teams work together to determine the unique mix of virtual and in-person work that’s best for them, guided by client needs, individual roles and responsibilities. “In-person connection is part of everyone’s role, but we don’t believe in being on-site for the sake of being on-site,” says Ms. Yu. “We like to make that purposeful for our people.” Offices at Accenture are designed with a focus on “we spaces” – collaborative areas with technology allowing remote employees to fully participate in meetings and team activities. There’s also a focus on friendly and accommodating workspaces to suit individual and diverse needs, as well as meditation rooms, mothers’ lactation rooms and wellness rooms equipped with yoga balls and table tennis. To encourage in-person socialization, the firm hosts a quarterly event that they call “stacked events” – a full-day at the office packed with engagement activities, panel discussions and learning sessions, ending with a social event. “People get to meet leaders, network with peers and maybe find their next staffing opportunity,” says Ms. Yu. “We also have Gen AI and industry and function learning days, lunch and learns, and employee resource group events constantly happening and encouraging people to come into the office. Everything’s available virtually as well, so people can be involved wherever they are at that time.” Threat from AI One caveat remote workers might consider is that many jobs that can be done at home may also be easily done by AI. That might inspire some to put in more office time. “There’s a recent article in Harvard Business Review that says AI is coming for remote tasks first,” says Prof. Duxbury. “That’s because much of the type of work that can be done at home is the kind of thing that has sequential structure, doesn’t require a lot of creativity, discussion with other people, negotiation or to be front-facing. So perfect for AI too.” See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Human Resources & Education What is ‘unbossing’ and why are organizations doing it? Dec 4, 2024 1:30 PM Opinion: Inclusion at B.C. workplaces means seeing disability as a strength Dec 3, 2024 8:03 AM Workplace mental health programs aren't delivering the expected outcomes, experts say Dec 2, 2024 5:00 PMBREAKING: Two dead as Haiti gang attacks journalists covering hospital reopening

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Haiti’s online media association said two reporters were killed and several others were wounded in a gang attack on Tuesday on the reopening of Port-au-Prince’s biggest public hospital. Street gangs have taken over an estimated 85% of Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, and they forced the closure of the General Hospital early this year. Authorities had pledged to reopen the facility Tuesday but as journalists gathered to cover the event , suspected gang members opened fire in a vicious Christmas Eve attack. Robert Dimanche, a spokesman for the Online Media Collective, identified the dead journalists as Markenzy Nathoux and Jimmy Jean. Dimanche said an unspecified number of reporters had also been wounded in the attack, which he blamed on the Viv Ansanm coalition of gangs. Haiti’s interim president, Leslie Voltaire, said in an address to the nation that journalists and police were among the victims of the attack. He did not specify how many casualties there were, or give a breakdown for the dead or wounded. “I send my sympathies to the people who were victims, the national police and the journalists,” Voltaire said while pledging that “this crime is not going to go unpunished.” A video obtained by the Associated Press which was posted online by the reporters trapped inside the hospital seemingly showed what appeared to be two lifeless bodies of men on stretchers, their clothes bloodied. One of the men had a lanyard with a press credential around his neck. Radio Télé Métronome initially reported that seven journalists and two police officers were wounded. Police and officials did not immediately respond to calls for information on the attack. As previously stated, nearly 90 percent of the city has been overrun by the gang who in addition to the hospital attack, also went after the country's largest prisons. Johnson “Izo” André, considered Haiti’s most powerful gang leader and part of a gang known as Viv Ansanm, which that has taken control of much of Port-au-Prince, posted a video on social media claiming responsibility for the attack. The video said the gang coalition had not authorized the hospital’s reopening. This is not the first time that Haitian journalists have been targeted. In 2023, two local journalists were killed in the space of a couple of weeks — radio reporter Dumesky Kersaint was fatally shot in mid-April that year, while journalist Ricot Jean was found dead later that month. In July, former Prime Minister Garry Conille visited the Hospital of the State University of Haiti, more widely known as the General Hospital, after authorities regained control of it from gangs. The Associated Press reported that the walls of the building had been left ravaged and strewn with debris. Walls and nearby buildings were riddled with bullet holes, signaling fights between police and gangs. The hospital is across the street from the National Palace, the scene of several battles in recent months. DAILY NEWSLETTER: Sign up here to get the latest news and updates from the Mirror US straight to your inbox with our FREE newsletter.

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It may seem odd not to address the expected reversal of progress on climate and what that will mean at home and abroad, but pardon me while I take a breath. My latest thought is to simply to keep moving in a positive direction, doing whatever we can to green our culture. “People power” as individuals and as groups can help a lot. Forming a “bike bus” is one such action that could not be more positive. What more joyful way to start a school day than to caravan with friends and family on bikes! The phenomenon of bike buses started only four years ago in Spain when two teachers started biking to school with nine students. Since then, the movement has grown rapidly and 40 bus lines have been launched in and around Barcelona, and it has expanded globally. In the U.S., Portland became the first municipality to form a bike bus. Every Wednesday, more than 100 students and parents ride en masse to school. And Massachusetts now has many communities forming bike buses. Those include three bike buses in Somerville and three in Cambridge, bike buses in the Boston neighborhoods of Jamaica Plain, Roslindale and West Roxbury, and in Lexington, Melrose, Salem and Needham. Sam Balto, organizer of the Portland bike bus, stated, “I’ve always felt like something was missing in student transportation. People are craving more community-centered options for how their children get to school. With the pandemic and resulting isolation, just the joy of the bike buses sparked something in people. We’re creating that sense of community, and seeing the children thrive. I think people love a community coming together for the children.” Balto adds, “We want to demonstrate to cities and states that children biking or walking to school is the norm, not the exception. The bike bus is more than a trend; it’s a movement towards a brighter, healthier, and more connected future.” The trend has moved so quickly it has led to global annual summit meetings, starting in 2023. At the second annual summit in Frankfurt Germany, nine bike buses from different countries presented their programs. The summits are an indication that bike buses are here to stay. According to CityLab Barcelona, “The press and social media love Bike Buses; their posts often reach millions of views, and national and local TV reports are common. While some might have thought this was just a temporary trend, the initial bike buses remain strong, and new bike buses are emerging all over.” Amherst would be a perfect place for bike bus routes. How about from the Hadley Road apartment complexes through Hickory Ridge to Crocker Farm? And how about to Wildwood and Fort Riverschools pending the completion of the new elementary school? Article continues after... Cross|Word Flipart Typeshift SpellTower Really Bad Chess For those interested in starting a bike bus program, watch this great video put together by the Portland bike bus group, “Starting Your Own Bike Bus,” at youtube.com/watch?v=rKBRXcU9MYk . It recommends key steps to kick-start your own bike bus. 1. Assemble a group of interested families: Remember, the initiative doesn’t have to start big. 2. Plan your route: Carefully consider the routes from various neighborhoods to the school, ensuring that they are safe for the children. 3. Establish a schedule: The frequency could be increased as more families join the initiative. 4. Safety first: Biking safety sessions can be organized to teach children about safe biking practices. Appointing adults as ‘bike bus drivers’ who lead the pack, and ‘bike bus monitors’ who ensure safety at the rear can further enhance safety. 5. Engage local authorities: Gaining the support of local government or school authorities can go a long way in making your bike bus initiative successful. 6. Create a positive and inclusive culture: The bike bus is more than just a means of transportation — it’s an opportunity for children to make friends, build confidence, and develop a lifelong habit of physical activity. There is more and more information on the web available to help those interested in starting a bike bus. Do your research, get organized and get biking! Darcy DuMont is a former town councilor in Amherst. She can be contacted at dumint140@gmail.com.AP Trending SummaryBrief at 3:45 p.m. ESTGrowth of sports betting may be linked to financial woes, new studies find