The Southern African Non-Governmental Organisation Network (SANGONeT) has announced Phase One of Prodder: The South African NGO and Development Directory. Previously compiled and produced by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) from 1987 to 2001, Prodder became a much sought-after reference tool on southern African development issues.
In view of SANGONeT"s increasing focus on the development of electronic information products and services, Prodder has been re-introduced as an online directory. Prodder forms part of SANGONeT"s broader information services, which aim to provide a user-friendly one-stop Internet entry point to information on SA NGOs and development organizations, including parastatals, community-based organizations, bilateral and multilateral agencies, embassies and Government bodies, each listed with contact details and program areas.
Prodder is intended to showcase the work of these organizations, to raise awareness of their activities, and to highlight the issues and challenges which they face. The new Prodder directory aims to provide all stakeholders in the SA development process with a strategic tool to enhance networking, information-sharing, governance, decision-making and the allocation of resources.
During Phase One of the project, all South African NGOs and development organizations are invited to search the Prodder directory (http://www.prodder.org.za), review and update their information, or submit new entries. Organizations without Internet access may request an input sheet from SANGONeT, which can be e-mailed or faxed.
Prodder already includes information on more than 2 500 South African NGOs and development organizations. All these entries need to be validated by the end of September.
The next version of Prodder will be launched on 24 October to coincide with World Development Information Day. During this phase the directory will be expanded to incorporate the NPO directory from the National Department of Social Development, which consists of 36 000 organizations. In future, the focus and contents of Prodder will also be expanded to cover the rest of southern Africa.