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Media Interface
This forms an important activity
incorporated in Charkha workshops and other functions to sensitise
the media on grassroots issues and build an interaction between
Media representatives and social activists
Different levels of interaction has taken place at Chattisgarh,
Uttar Pradesh and in Delhi in the course of activities and
events apart from regular touch of the Feature Service with mainstream
national and regional newspapers and magazines.
Writing Skills Workshops
Assessment and Main workshops held at Uttar Pradesh,
Chattisgarh, Rajasthan,Bihar,Uttaranchal. Media persons from
local and national media are part of resource pool and invitees
to these workshops which function as forums of interaction. This
includes persons from the print as well as electronic media with
whom social activists and aspiring writers interact, learn and build
bonds.
Traditional Media
Charkha has been able to concretize its concept of giving
a voice to traditional performing artistes through its proposal
on Bedin women, the community of performing women from parts of
UP. The Bedins who used to perform for upper caste men exist
within social dynamics widely divergent from the common social more.
Over the generations their status and situation within communities
has declined affecting all aspects of their life. The project
aims at giving a platform to the Bedin women to articulate their
concerns affecting their lives and art form to a variety of audience
in the urban and rural scenario and through the media highlight
their issues and voices.
A beginning has been made in this concept originating from the Gaavaniyar
group of performing artistes from Thar region in Rajasthan who reinvented
themselves from their identity as ‘Manganiyar’ and used
their art for spreading social messages. This has found an
echo in a group of Kashmir artistes, Hamraz & party dedicated
their performances to peace & development messages in the state
of J&K. Charkha believes that giving a voice to groups
of traditional performing artistes many of them are in a state of
decline will enable them to identify their issues, access resources
and the media and take steps to improve their own lives which could
lead to a positive effect on the particular art forms.
Charkha has remained consistent in its efforts to sustain its network
and widen its presence in the media. A variety of activities
and new explorations have been conducted with a view to strengthen
the impact and reach of Charkha features . Some processes have been
set in motion and are expected to lead to inputs into the Feature
Service. Pointers in this direction :
Rural Resource Centres
After a long process of understanding and observing the existing
NGO’s the location, needs assessment of communities and matching
it with Charkha’s concept this has been finalized. Charka has
established two rural resource centers in Uttarakhand& Chattisgarh.
Our partners in Uttrakhand is The Himalayan Study Circle based in
Pithoragarh focusing on media monitoring, creating linkages with
grassroots writers and providing Charkha a platform to share its
long term plans and immediate concerns. In Chattisgarh, our local
partner is Disha, an NGO working on multiple issues affecting the
tribal communities in Kanker district.
The Resource Centre functioning as a hub to collate existing information
related to government policies and programs, development issues
for the benefit of the community. It will also facilitate Charkha’s
initiatives in the region, through links with the community and
exploration for new writers and radio enthusiasts in the region.
These two newly established Rural Resource Centres and two earlier
Rural Resource Centres in Rajasthan & Jharkhand would be linked
with Delhi Documentation Centre.
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