AID grant agreement no. 674-0301-G-SS-2047-00 to the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs to conduct a civic education project, `Toward a national election," in support of democratic elections under the community outreach and leadership development [COLD]-funded human rights organizations [HRO] activities

NDI will work in conjunction with a number of South African organizations, including the Centre For Development Studies (CDS), the Institute for Multi-Party Democracy, and the Institute for a Democratic Alternative for South Africa. Activities will include the following. (1) NDI and CDS will conduct a public opinion survey to determine the political views of the disenfranchised public, using the survey to provide participating South African organizations with hands-on training in collecting and using survey data. (2) NDI and CDS will also expand the existing non-partisan civic education program by conducting 12 additional workshops in geographically dispersed areas (including the so-called independent states and homelands) for local activists in civic, church, political, and labor organizations on such topics as voter registration, election administration, codes of conduct for political parties, voter education, ballot secrecy, etc. Workshop participants will be trained to adapt the program to their local communities and will receive an election kit and video for future use. (3) A variety of educational materials, including a 16-page tabloid and posters on the voting process and slides shows/videos on the election process in general and as conducted in South Africa, will be developed for use both within the workshops and for broader application. Because of the current lack of access to the State broadcast system, the project will design an alternative distribution system working through churches, health clinics, trade unions, the Chamber of Mines, etc. for these materials. (4) Finally, NDI will invite small delegations of people from member organizations of the Convention for a Democratic South Africa (CODESA) to participate in its election observation programs in other countries.