INDIA UNHEARD:
VIDEO VOLUNTEERS’ COMMUNITY NEWS SERVICE
IndiaUnheard is the first ever community news service launched by Video Volunteers. This new initiative is constituted of a network of community correspondents who are trained to tell unique stories; stories about their own communities; stories which are otherwise left untold. By feeding this community-produced content to national and international outlets, such as mainstream television channels and social networking sites, IndiaUnheard links rural communities with a truly global audience. Through bridging these worlds, IndiaUnheard empowers communities to create real change on real issues affecting their lives.
The network
IndiaUnheard is comprised of a network of 30 Community Correspondents (CCs) spread across 24 Indian states. These Community Correspondents represent India’s most marginalized perspectives, including Dalits and tribal people, as well as religious, lingual and sexual minorities. They are trained in all manner of documentation, compelling storytelling and video journalism. They are also well versed in using social media as a reporting tool. The powerful combination of these new media approaches—video journalism, SMS reporting and social media networking— allows them to engage with both the national and international audience in a truly innovative way.
Through IndiaUnheard, Video Volunteers offers the global audience a clear window into the real India. Every day, video reports on key issues such as caste, conflict, identity and education are gathered from across the country. Imagine a situation where a tribal woman reports on how displacement is affecting children’s right to education in the Northeast, or a Dalit man discusses Dalit political representation in local elections and government. Not only does India Unheard provide critical insight into these underreported perspectives, it does so on a national scale, making it the first program of its kind.
The Distribution
IndiaUnheard video reports are available online and will soon be available via major media outlets. The reports are featured on the IndiaUnheard web-series, where viewers watch videos by issue and learn how to take action. Viewers are also able to share their thoughts on the videos produced and even submit ideas for future stories. The videos are also distributed through social media sites such as Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and Blip TV. In this way, viewers can connect with individual correspondents and receive updates posted by the correspondents (using their mobile phones) from their often distant and remote locations. This enables community voices to be heard on a new, wider scale which, in turn, leads to a greater impact. Video Volunteers is currently building partnerships with nonprofits, social movements and international organizations to continue this process of leveraging content onto a global scale.
The Purpose
India is the world’s largest democracy; however, policies are often put in place without this information flowing to the poor majority. Most people don’t know their rights; one reason many laws are not enforced is because the poor are excluded from the media. Simultaneously, the government and the mainstream media cannot easily access the knowledge and perspectives of the poor; perspectives which provide a window into what is actually happening in rural India. If information flowed upwards, we could better tackle issues like rural corruption or gender inequality.
Impact
IndiaUnheard has started having direct impact on the communities in which it is made. Our videos are inspiring viewers to take action and reach out to communities to address specific problems such as lack of healthcare, livelihood opportunities and corruption in local governance. For example, one of our Community Correspondents from Manipur made a video about lack of medical facilities in a local village. A Manipuri India Unheard viewer living in Bangalore saw the film and wanted to help. Video Volunteers connected him with our Manipuri CC – Daniel. The viewer then introduced Daniel to a local NGO and together they organized the distribution of medicines in the local area. To watch more about this inspiring video, click here.
Our mission is to empower the world’s poorest citizens to participate in the community media movement so they can right the wrongs they witness and become players in the global media revolution. By providing disadvantaged communities with the journalistic, critical thinking and creative skills they need, VV’s models for financially self-sustaining, locally-owned media production teach people to articulate and share their perspectives on the issues that matter to them – on a local and a global scale.
Find out more at Video Volunteers’ organizational About page.
hello
I’m from bangalore and i happened to come across the wonderful work that u guys do.
i would like to share a work of an organisation called ‘RORS’ an NGO. who has been working extensively on the economic development of rural people since 1987.
They have come up with a newsletter called
ARIVU DEVELOPMENTAL NEWS PAPER
Towards popular governance by creating accountability of governance to the common man with a bi-monthly news letter at Chintamani taluk of Karnataka, India south – RTI
do check the video on u-tube by typing ‘arivu rors’ in google.
I came across a website http://www.youngindiaassociation.com
These guys are doing wonderful job. They want to aggregate all those people who want to bring true democracy in India. You should talk to them.
Congratulations for your good efforts…keep it up…my good wishes
Great post, i belive blog posts like this add so much value to the marketing community,i have learnt some valuable info from you. Keep it Up! Sincerely, The Social Media Trainer
Thank you so much. Please do watch our other videos and share your opinions
Congrats !! what a wonderful work you people are doing. Am sure it will have an impact on many young and educated people who want to see the change in the way we think.
I strongly believe individual(s) with a purpose and passion leveraging technology is the fulcrum to meaningful change, and not so much policy, and government..
Wishing India Unheard to be a beachhead in bringing about meaningful social change.
That said, is there something being done on civic sense, why do we throw trash everywhere? I am doubly appalled when people who have lived abroad, come back to India and do the same.. the most disgusting social scourge which needs to be worked on.
Hey, Great blog you have here. I found this post really interesting. Thanks
Dears,
you are making a super job! I’m facilitating the worldsocialforum video hub .
ciao from Italy
paco
Hi All,
Yes we do agree, the effort of India Unheard Team is not only a great job, but also a great contribution towards Indian Democracy. However, as all of you know, one of the worst practice, which is damaging democracy is non other than corruption. We are a group of journalists and Social activists fighting against corruption in India. You all are welcome to join hands.
Thanks
although it looks voluminous but poor of this country have a long way to go ……………….
Incredible work.Keep it up.I truly got inspiration through these video magazine.
I did some thing like this spreading the news with in the urban slum dwellers creating awareness through WALL NEWS organised by the community women health group members themselves.It was like COMMUNITY WALL SLATE.
How is this idea ? You like it.
I like the concept of embedding communities with cameras, only wish there are more stories revolving around the ways of lives in these various communities. Is it possible to also hear some stories which might be strange to our ears but are a way of life with another community, stories that lie in the genre of a poor couple adopting a monkey for a son and planning its wedding. Or, a young man marrying a tree in an effort to beat destiny.
People like me only think that someday I’ll also fight for society..that someday seldom comes or never comes… Many Congratulation to India unheard team.
Awesome writing style!
Great Job, I need to get in touch with your karnataka/Bangalore Team, My no : 9845143211, I am a professor of Mass communications and for networking. With Warm Regards
Raja Madhukar G Appaji
http://www.videovolunteers.org/get-involved/volunteer-with-an-iu-correspondent/
pl visit our page TRAAS KUTTE KA @ facebook
hi very interessting project. maybe we can try a similar project in germany.
Hi..after some many things Indians should be ashamed for, you guys are probably one of the reasons we still feel proud of, when we call ourselves Indians.
I would like to ask you all to spread this amazing work you are doing, also via another social media provider INSTAGRAM.
After watching something like Democracynow.org, which is a free independent investigative media, I was wandering whether I can find such free independent investigative media in India and I came across India unheard video volunteers, through facebook through Chanchal’s horrific story. These kinds of efforts are the need of the hour.
A complete humane solution may be very difficult as per Jacque Fresco through his, The Venus Project(TVP), which is a universal solution for all the chaos on the earth or The Zeitgeist Movement, which is following the TVP, is not feasible immediately.
Because the RULING corporate’s will not let it happen.
May be the political system involving people’s participatory ideology in all the government’s decision making mechanism like Aam Aadmi Party proposing actual participatory democracy and decentralization of the power, may work.
But for any change we the people and individual’s have to think and act, not only for our welbeing but for the whole world. Unless “we the people” power doesn’t recognize its power, there won’t be any change.
I really appreciate those brave hearts involving in this life risky video volunteering projects.
My hearty pranam’s to there feet’s….