Voicing the concerns of post tsunami rehabilitation

South Asian tsunami caused widespread destruction and loss of lives and livelihood in the coastal areas of Tamilnadu and Pondichery last winter. OneWorld South Asia and Plan International brought its integrated media training to the east coast region of the Indian Peninsula to train children and youth on using various media to voice their community’s concerns. Training programmes organised at four locations are attended by the children and youth from Cuddalore, Sirkazhi, Nagapattinam, Teni and Villupuram districts of Tamilnadu and Karaikal district of Pondichery. Training organised at Sirkazhi, Karaikal, G. Kallupatti village in Teni district and Chettikuppam village in Villupuram district are attended by more than five hundred children and youth from the age group of 10-18 years. Participants were short listed in a pre training workshop organised with the help of local coordinating organisations. Selected participants were divided in five groups for five different media training based on their aptitude and interest. Three day media training on Computer and Internet, Radio, Print, Comics, Photography and Villupattu (traditional media of Tamil Nadu) exposed them on a range of media. Computer group is familiarised with the computer hardware and assembling and various software used. This is useful for the participants as these inputs put them at ease with the machine. Practical training on Word, Excel and Power point gives starting skills for the participants. They are also trained on typing in Tamil language. After practicing office package and getting familiar with file and folder arrangements they enter the world of Internet. After giving simple inputs on Internet Browser and Search Engine they start using internet for searching for various documents and images. On third day participants are introduced to web based communications. First they learn using emails and then managing community websites, concept of knowledge centres and the roles that the knowledge workers could play. Community Communication tool Open eNRICH was introduced to the budding knowledge workers. Radio group was introduced to the concept of Radio as a communication tool. left They learnt voice modulation techniques and various formats used for the radio programme production. Participants worked on scripts and performed the recording. Later they go to the studio to record their voices. A radio programme in magazine format is produced towards the end of the programme. Session on photography gives an idea of development of imaging from Pin Hole Camera to specialised camera used for various purposes. The concept of frame and light helps learners to keep focus on the issues covered by a social photographer. On their field visit they captured various issues of social significance. They also learn how photography could be used to highlight social problems. Comics group learn how to draw comic strips and how comics could be used for advocacy purposes and for awareness generation. Villupattu is popular folk medium in Tamilnadu where narrator of the story uses an bow (Villu – Bow in Tamil) like instrument to produce music while he / she is telling story in it’s unique presentation style. Participants of this session learn how to use Villupattu for spreading awareness in the communities on social issues. These training programmes are aimed at Building Communication Oppourtunities among the grassroots communities. The idea is to promote use of various media in the communities so that they could use these media to voice their concerns and share their knowledge. Convergence of all efforts shall establish the knowledge centres in every community so that there is a horizontal and vertical flow of the knowledge from and within communities. These trainings were also covered by local radio Karaikal FM. An exclusive coverage of fifteen minutes duration was broadcasted. Children also had an oppourtunity to report live on this training to a meeting organised to observe Public Service Broadcasting Day at New Delhi. After this intensive training selected participants from each media group represented their communities in a planning workshop to chalk out a media campaign using all five media on tsunami related issues on the first anniversary of the destructive tsunami waves. Listen to the Radio Karaikal's coverage of the training programme

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