🚀 go-pugleaf

A project to establish an educational media unit for:
Gram Vikas, Berhampur, Orissa, India,
a local NGO.

I am in the process of I am being posted by VSO Canada
<VSOcan@magi.com> to the Indian state of Orissa to assist
Gram Vikas, Mohuda Post, Berhampur 760 002, Ganjam District, Orissa
set up an educational media unit. I still have, as of yet, not had a
chance to talk with anyone on the ground there, so I'm doing all the
research that I can.  E-mail and the WWW has already proved to be a
mine of  information.

My VSO posting documentation says (in part) -

"Purpose of the Placement
"Gram Vikas is a well established NGO that works to empower and
organize tribal people throughout Orissa, to raise their quality of
life and level of self esteem. From its base in south Orissa it runs
programmes in Community Health, Education, Afforestation, Savings and
Credit, Income Generation, Biogas Technology, Disaster Management, and
Women Related Activities. Most of the 370 workers are field oriented,
each projects runs as a separate unit and control is decentralized."

"Gram Vikas has requested a volunteer to develop a media unit that is
capable of producing video, audio, photographic and printed materials
for all of their activities."

"As an organization, Gram Vikas is well resourced to develop a media
unit. It needs such a unit to promote its activities and develop
educational and training material. It is unable to carry through
 many of the ideas that are generated for a wide range of projects."

"It has a budget for new equipment as well as having the in-house
capacity for building a studio space and design and production
facilities...."

"Key Duties
- Coordinate the development of an audio visual unit
-Advise on the design of the unit and purchase of equipment
-Produce audio and visual material that meets the requirements of Gram
Vikas -Produce training material on the income generation projects of
Gram Vikas -Identify suitable video projects and research and write
scripts in collaboration with projects staff -Develop training
workshops to develop the media skills for Gram Vikas staff"

I have just returned from some VSO workshops in Birmingham and
preparing to go to Berhampur, Ganjam District, Orissa to take up the
project about the 4th of October.

As I said, I have, as yet had no direct contact with Gram Vikas, but
whish to prepare myself as best possible by doing as much general
research as possible.

That's why I wish to start a dialogue with local groups so that I
might learn from those who are all ready working with the people and
electronic, educational, drama &/or development media.

I have worked in Canada doing similar work with urban community
groups and with Canada's First Nations, the Inuit & the Inuvialuit
(called by the Cree, Eskimos) and always look forward
to the possibility of speaking of and sharing about the
community's access to media in Canada when possible!

I suspect that it would help meet Gram Vikas' objectives if I did
some more research on the current work in media & development in
India and would like to meet and speak with media & development
people and organizations when I pass via Delhi en route to
Berhampur. I am aiming to start the journey there in the first week of
this October.

I'd like to know about any educational media & / or community access
radio, TV &/or video organization to help Gram Vikas establish
working local  links. Please help me contact any that you might know
about.

I would not like to duplicate work already done when working together
would help more people.

Is it possible to consider working with Berhampur University at the
Bhanja Vihar campus's journalism program on such a project, for
example?

By the way, while I'm in Orissa, if I can help any other media groups
in the region by workshopping hands-on radio or TV production &/or
media literacy, I'd be pleased to do so. Please help me get in touch
with  such groups you might have contact with.

I am given to believe that establishing an email account is
possible, so most likely the email address that this message comes
from <media@ietc.ca> will be forwarded to an Indian email address
some time after early October.

So that's all for this communication from me from this part of
the world. I hope we might help each other and work together during
the two years I'll be in India and available in the region.

Thanks much for your time, thoughts & consideration & for the
responses to my previous postings on this project.

Georges
                     ------ from the digital space  of  ------
GEORGES LESSARD Award winning video artist, Tokyo & Montreal
Freelance Communications Arts, Training, Management & Mentoring
7305 Ch du Huard, Lac Pilon, Mt. Rolland, Quebec, Canada. J0R 1G0
Voice & Fax (514) 229-3666 E-MAIL media@ietc.ca

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world." (Gandhi)
"The fool wonders, the wise man asks."  (Benjamin Disraeli)

Original material c copyright 1996 George Lessard & may be quoted,
resent, reproduced, stored or forwarded provided this copyright notice
is attached. Under Canadian copyright law, copyright may not be
transferred without a specific, written agreement.
As the above original work originates in Canada, it is therefore subject
to Canadian law. Text quoted or forwarded is the property of
other copyright holder(s).