Occupational Therapy Africa Regional Group (OTARG)
Biennial General Meeting
30 September 2009
Mangochi, Malawi.

1. Attendance

Committee: Alfred Ramukumba (Chairperson), Christa Meyer (Treasurer), Lisa Wegner (Secretary), Sharon Blintnell (WFOT Rep), Rosemary Crouch (Newsletter Editor), Vivyan Alers (South Africa), Botokro Rozenn (Togo, West Africa), Irene Gichioli (Kenya), Fiskani Allen Osborn Nkosi (Malawi), Eckiwe Kamanga (Zambia), Anthony Ephriam (Tanzania), Tammy Williams (Ethiopia), Hannah Kambowe (Namibia), Sarah Matovu (Uganda), Musa Mansarray (West Africa-Sierra Leone), Bertha Mbuya (Student Rep-Tanzania).
In attendance: see list at end of Minutes.

2. Welcome
The Chairperson Alfred Ramukumba welcomed everyone. He asked for the meeting to be called a Biennial general Meeting as it is held every two years.

3. Minutes of previous meeting

These are available from the OTARG Secretary (Lisa Wegner).  The Minutes were also published in the OTARG newsletter after the last conference (Zanzibar, 2007), and are available on the WFOT and OTARG websites. The Chairperson requested members to please keep the Secretary informed of any changes to their email addresses. The Minutes were proposed by Vivyan Alers and seconded by Anthony Ephraim. No further comments about the minutes were received.
Country delegates to please ensure that AGM Minutes are handed over to future country delegates. Malawi commented that it was difficult to comment on the Minutes as they had not been seen.

4. Membership

Country membership fee is $10 per year and $20 for 2 years. The Chairperson proposed a country membership form with contact details of the OT Association and the delegate. Individual membership fee is $5 per year and $10 for 2 years. Individual and country membership forms will be available on the OTARG website. The committee agreed to keep country and individual membership fees the same but this will be reviewed at the next meeting.
The Secretary has a database of members available on request.

5. Annual Report
The Chairperson presented the Annual Report.

• Database: in Zanzibar it was requested that we have a database. We have this now but member countries are not receiving communications as they are for individual. Therefore, the Secretary needs the Association’s, and the individual delegate’s, contact details and correct email addresses.
• Bank account: Christa Meyer worked on this and contacted Sharon Brintnell regarding the accounts and funds. Invoices and deposits need to be formal. Sharon suggested that we should register OTARG as a professional association or NGO, and the new Executive should explore this. It needs to be registered by a country but it does not have to be South Africa. WFOT is registered in Switzerland and the Secretariat is in Australia.

• OTARG Website: Vivyan Alers started the website together with Alfred Ramukumba and Rose Crouch. The website draft was sent to delegates for comment, and Julius accepted it. Members were requested to please comment and suggest corrections or updates (via Vivyan Alers). We have a webmaster (Jenny Cook- thank you to her) who regularly updates the website.

 

• Congress 2009: the Chairperson expressed his appreciation and acknowledged the hard work of the Congress Organizing Committee and Scientific Committee.

• The Executive is explaining how to link with Mozambique OT training.

6. Finances

Christa Meyer (Treasurer) reported that an OTARG bank account has been opened in Pretoria, South Africa as. Alfred Ramukumba and Christa Meyer are signatories. Monthly statements are filed by Christa. R5 000 was paid for maintaining the website.
R5 500 was transferred to Malawi for conference purposes leaving $7 000 (R56 000) in the account.
Christa requested the meeting to give a mandate to the Execute Committee to manage the money to its best interest. One option is to invest some money (about $5 000) in a MoneyMarket account, or invest money in an interest-bearing account (as cheque account is not interest bearing).

Motion
Chairperson and Treasurer have the authority to invest money in consultation with Executive Committee. Tammy Williams (Ethiopia) seconded the motion. The motion was carried unanimously.

Budget for congress was $8 500. The finances will be done before the end of the congress and hopefully we should be able to cover all cost of congress. All accounts will be paid by end of congress.

The Chairperson said that congress fees should be kept affordable. However, fees for congress are decided in accordance with the organizing committee. The Treasurer said that congress fees will most likely need to increase as organizing a congress is getting more expensive, and in order to generate more funds to assist countries. The Chairperson proposed that the new treasurer will propose an increase in all fees (congress fees and membership) and put the proposal to the Executive Committee. A sliding scale for country membership should be considered. Vivyan Alers proposed that we investigate the possibility of obtaining sponsorships from pharmaceutical companies and other corporate sponsors.
Julie Schurgers suggested that we proactively advertise OTARG congress to other professionals to invite them to attend the congress.

7. Newsletter

Rose Crouch (Newsletter Editor) proposed that the committee decides if the newsletter should continue as she has experienced difficulty getting contributions from countries and individual members.

Members were strongly in favour of keeping the newsletter. Rose Crouch was thanked for coordinating the newsletter.

The newsletter is a vehicle of communication that is important in terms of holding OTARG together and linking countries and members. She relies on members to submit stories for the newsletter and urged members to share what is happening in their countries to showcase occupational therapy. Students are also welcome to submit stories. There have been two newsletters – one after the last congress in Zanzibar, and another one advertising this congress in Malawi. Both went out on the OTARG and the WFOT websites. Suggestions for the newsletter (and the website) were stories about interesting projects, news, history, new developments, a discussion column, useful internet sites, questions to answer and reflect on etc. Members were encouraged to suggest themes for newsletters. Rozenn (Togu) offered to translate the newsletters into French to reach West and central Africa. She will also assist us to create a database of French-speaking countries and members. Google translator can also be used. We would also need to translate into Portuguese (Mozambique).

8. Website

Suggestions were made to create a FACEBOOK site and a Blog for OTARG. Congress paper presentations should be put onto the website as well. Photographs can also be put on but ethical issues and confidentiality need to be considered.  People should consent in writing to have their photographs appear online.
 

9. OTARG Book for Africa

Following on from the 6th OTARG conference: Jennifer Creek volunteered to be editor of the OTARG Africa book at the last conference; however, she is unable to carry on with the project.  Rose Crouch and Vivyan Alers have taken over as editors. The Crouch Trust will provide seed money of R20 000 for the book (see Motion below). All funds generated by the book will accumulate to OTARG. They are following up on authors to get inputs from occupational therapists in Africa as they need more chapters from indigenous authors. There are 11 chapters. A meeting was scheduled during the congress for authors. A cover has been designed. Alfred Ramukumba proposed that member countries consider writing a chapter with two or more authors in their country. Would like this to be an African (not a South African) textbook. One objective is that all 8 OTARG member countries contribute a chapter. Alfred reiterated there is no intention to exclude anyone and urged all interested people to contact Rose and Vivyan. The book will be promoted and sold at WFOT Congress in Chile 2010. Rose thanked Vivyan for coming on board with her.  It was suggested that the book be revised and updated regularly and that the book be published as an E-Book.

Motion
The Chairperson motioned that R20 000 seed money be made available from the Crouch Trust fund to get the book going. Lisa Wegner seconded the proposal, and unanimously carried.

10. WFOT

Sharon Brintnell (Chairperson WFOT) reported on the following:

• On the Education of Educators policy - position of WFOT at graduate level
• Minimum Standards to be reviewed soon. Will stipulate that entry level will be at Baccalaureate level.
• Need to ensure mentorship and support between South Africa and other countries to upgrade diplomas to degrees.
• 50th anniversary of contributing to WHO
• Invitation to all to attend the WFOT Congress in Santiago, Chile 2010
• Low representation of African countries at Council – this is related to funding challenges. WFOT is trying to support member countries and there will be some support available to delegates presenting papers at WFOT as part of an effort to ensure greater participation by African member countries. Julius (Uganda) is OTARG’s representative to WFOT. Vivyan Alers suggested countries try to find funding from corporate/ pharmaceutical companies to attend Council. Visas can also be a challenge. Sharon urged people to sort out their visas for Chile timeously.

11. Elections of Office Bearers

Term of office is four years with the option of standing a further two years.

Chairperson: Alfred Ramukumba has served for four years and is available for another 2 years.
Alfred was nominated by Christa Meyer. Alfred Ramukumba was elected for a further 2 years.
Vice Chair:  Brenda Ephraim.
Treasurer: Christa Meyer has served four plus two years. She is not eligible to stand.
Position vacant. Fasloen Adams was nominated by Vivyan Alers, seconded by Denise Frantzen. Elected by acclimation.
Secretary: Lisa Wegner.
Member-at-large:  vacant. Alfred Ramukumba nominated Sylvester, seconded by Rose. Elected by acclimation. He also become the WFOT link.
Student-member: vacant. Tammy nominated Winner Chimba (Tanzania), seconded by Anthony Ephraim.
Newsletter rep: Rose Crouch was unanimously reinstated.
Website:  Vivyan Alers was unanimously reinstated.

12.  6th OTARG Congress 2009

The Chairperson of the Organising Committee Sylvester (Butao) thanked the organizational committee for their hard work and the Occupational Therapy Association of Malawi (OTAM) for their support. He also thanked employer organizations and all participants at congress fur their support.

The Chairperson of the Scientific Committee (Pat de Witt) acknowledged the hard work of the committee and the good collaboration between WITS and University of Limpopo staff. She also thanked Sylvester for his support. She said it had been a good experience and thanked all people involved. The committee had kept within budget and kept costs down. She thanked Denise Frantzen for the congress logo.

13. 7th OTARG Congress 2011

Zambia and Uganda offered to host the next congress in 2011. Zambia was nominated to host the 7th OTARG Congress. Thanks to Zambia, as well as to Uganda! The three universities in the Western Cape, South Africa will collaborate around the Scientific Committee. The next congress organising committee was asked to look at transport issues from the airport to the congress venue, as well as the timing of the congress considering all religious fasts/holidays/activities.

14. Additions to Agenda- Theresa

Education Discussion- see handout given at meeting. Ideas discussed were:

• Upgrading diplomas to degrees possibly as regional training. New Executive could explore this further. It was acknowledged that something must be done and there is a need although it is a complex issue.
• Zambia – is starting OT education at the University of Zambia at degree level.
• Pat de Witt suggested a sub-committee to look at education issues and we look at a strategy.
• Sharon Brintnell proposed making groups around the priorities identified. People who want to represent their countries should give their names to Lisa Wegner or write them up on the list provided at the meeting.

In attendance:

Name		Country
Meghan Dawson		South Africa
Donnѐ Nel		South Africa
Lisa McGowan		South Africa
Clio Lawrence		South Africa
Fionna Kossmann		South Africa
Dan G Ndiga		Kenya
Sylvester Butao		Malawi
Modise Mogotsi		South Africa
Rosemary K Mbaule		Tanzania
Bertha K Mbuya		Tanzania
Kate Sherry		South Africa
Fasloen Adams		South Africa
Judith van der Veen		South Africa
Theresa Lorenzo		South Africa
Hanske Flieringa		South Africa
F.H Shimbambo		South Africa
Annah Lesunyane		South Africa
Riana Beot		South Africa
Elizabeth Taylor		Canada
Julie Schurgers		Zambia
Ros Hunt		Australia
Kathy Bowler		Malawi
AnneMarie W Hansen		USA
Kathy Gradidge		South Africa
Cathy Rice		South Africa
Leonie Farrow (Poppy)		Zanzibar & UK
Frances Hardman		UK
Emmanuel R Kisanga		Tanzania
Sr Mary Makyao		Tanzania
Anicet Lusale		Tanzania
Amina S Suleiman		Tanzania
Christina Sapali		Tanzania
Enos N Mwasake		Tanzania
Rabia K Kitigwa		Tanzania
George G Marop		Malawi
Elise Hoogenraad		Malawi
Kerry- Lyn Armstrong		South Africa
Claudia Freund		Kenya
Nafisa Abdulla		South Africa
Winner Chimba		Tanzania
Titi Titus Mwanjabe		Malawi
Denise Franzsen		South Africa
Anthony Ephraim		Tanzania
Tammy Williams		Ethiopia (SA)
Irene Gichohi		Kenya
Pat de Witt		South Africa