Shome Nath Bhawani
D.B.M.S. Kadma High School
Video Advocacy “A Strong Innovative Tool for Social Change”
Trends of Social Networking sites & Application of Information Technology
She hated the look of pity and sympathy in everyone’s eyes. She didn’t want to be looked upon as a handicapped person and wanted to live a normal life. She took on one challenge at a time and defeated every challenge she faced on her way. Hers is a story of courage, passion and dedication and how nothing can come in the way of a strong mind.
After completing my lecture for the BCA students of first year I returned to the Lab cum the staff room for the BCA department of the college to relax for few minutes and go back to the next class of the day. I saw two girls coming behind me. Out of which one of the girl was supporting the other. The other girl needed a support because she was unable to walk properly. The girls entered the room and approached the table where I was resting. They were willing to speak out something but hesitant to do so. I asked them to sit on the chairs arranged on the other side of the table, so that I can talk to them properly. After a few minutes of silence the handicapped girl said “I can’t continue my study further because I will not be able to pay the fees for the next year admission. I have drained all the money in the first year admission of BCA that I had earned from taking tuition’s of small children’s.” In my mind I thought the financial position of the child may not be so strong because she has lost the earning member of the family recently and maybe within few months everything will come to its original shape.
Before I could decide action plan for her I asked her to narrate the story in details. “My heart sank when she said “My parents left me to my grandmother’s house because I was not a normal child with two strong legs as others” and she continued her childhood story with full of tears in her eyes. I could not listen to her whole story properly because I was thinking deeply what to speak once she stops her story. An improper decision can kill all her aspiration of life or put her in a big depression and a right decision can kill her negative thinking and gear her to take the challenges and overcome them more easily and sportingly.
Before she can end her story, I asked her to write the horrified childhood story in a paper and give an application to the University for the Concession of fees for the challenged child. As per the instruction, she submitted a letter along with the sad childhood story to me. I sent the letter to the University through proper channel with the childhood story as a document. After reading the submitted document following facts was revealed which was really hard to understand as an Indian Citizen?
• School not giving a child an opportunity to study because the child is handicapped physically.
• Parents leaving the challenged child to develop improperly when the child needs more mental, physical, financial and social care and support from them.
Some Hard Facts:
• In keeping with the spirit of the Article 21A of the Constitution guaranteeing education as a fundamental right and Section 26 of the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995, free and compulsory education has to be provided to all children with disabilities up to the minimum age of 18 years.
• Three percent reservation for persons with disabilities in admission to higher educational institutions shall be enforced. Universities, colleges and professional institutions will be provided financial support to establish Disability Center to take care of educational needs of students with disabilities.
Then why the Universities take so much time to give the financial help. Do Universities have the benchmark through which they can judge whether the student is really handicapped or not. The statistics are collected every year but how many of them really get the benefit as guaranteed by our Constitution. In this case I am waiting eagerly for the reply of the letter, financial support does not matter anymore as she is no more a student of this University
The Almighty pondered around her when her parents ignored. Teachers of the college loved this bright, intelligent child and wanted that she should continue her further studies. A teacher of the Botany Department of the college gave the information about the Bhanumathi Neelakantan Awards.
The prestigious award, constituted by the brothers of noted social worker Bhanumathi Neelakantan,recognises distinguished women who fight numerous odds to fulfil their aspirations. She got selected for 19th Bhanumathi Neelakantan Awards at DBMS English School. She got a cash prize of Rs 10,000, a memento and a certificate as a mark of honour. The financial help from the DBMS management helped her to fill the fee for the second year.
She completed her BCA as one of the Ranker in her college.
Some Hard Facts:
Kolhan University is running BCA/B.SC(IT) and BBA for last 6 years. But till now no department has a permanent faculty. Of and when Contract Renewal and appointment of Contractual teacher takes place. Some gets selected and some does not. On what criteria the staffs are selected or rejected is very difficult to say. This not only affects the staff but also students of the department and ignites frustration.
“Frustration Drives people to Find Creative Solutions to Unexpected Problem” “Video for Change” i.e., use of video as an approach to support social movements, document rights violations, raise awareness and share knowledge on social media to fight the menace.
I am talking about “Video advocacy” which is one of the most effective tactics that can be used in change-inspiring movements. The reason for this is the extended reach that films can have and how they are able to appeal to emotion more effectively than a published article or any other method of information dissemination.
Basic Requirements for a Video Advocate
1. Handheld video camera that includes
a. Microphone input jack for external microphone
b. Ability to record in high-definition
c. Ability to zoom and stabilize the image while shooting
2. Professional-quality shotgun microphone: Be sure to also purchase a microphone cord with a mini-plug to attach the mike to the video camera.
3. Microphone bracket mount: To secure your microphone to your camera
4. Data storage: SDHC cards or similar
5. Tripod/monopod
6. Camera bag
Processes involved in Video Advocacy
1. Determine the objectives : When developing the objectives of video advocacy, ask the following questions:
a. How will the video strategy contribute to the program's overall goals?
b. What resources do we have? Are there natural opportunities to influence the video?
c. What educational objectives might be addressed through the video?
d. What action-oriented and policy objectives could be addressed?
2. Frame the issue :
The frame is the perspective from which the story is told. The importance of framing the story cannot be overstated. It largely defines the boundaries of public discussion about an issue. Elements in the frame are perceived as legitimate; those outside the frame are marginalized.
A video campaign must frame for both access and content:
• Framing for access means shaping the story to get the attention of journalists. Often it means staging an event or offering an alternative perspective on current news.
• Framing for content means describing the story in terms of the policy issues. Ideally, you want to develop a story that concludes naturally with the proposal you seek to advance.
3. Target the audience: Any video advocacy campaign must target a particular audience. Depending on the objectives, one must want to reach the general public, or to route the message to policy makers, individuals, health providers or community leaders. The target audience influences not only the message but also the channels one choose to convey it.
4. Set the Marketing strategy: Marketing plays an important role in the promotion of the video. Putting the video on youtube gathers a huge market. Small social network also adds lots of viewers. Try to include the voices of people who are personally affected by an issue or policy. As one pursue a range of strategies, make sure that all the participants in the mission initiative deliver a unified, consistent message to journalists as well as policy makers and the community.
5. Review the renovation: A review of minutes from governing bodies or policy-making boards may reveal whether community leaders and decision-makers are viewing the issues in a new light or beginning to consider new policies. A more formal evaluation might include interviews with leaders you are trying to reach, to see whether their view or level of commitment for the change is what you thought of.
How video advocacy can change the life of Video Advocate
During the second year of BCA she was trying to put the story in a short film so that many people can have the accessibility.
The story was selected for making a short film by one of the upcoming producer Mr. Pankaj Kumar Sharma and Director Mr. Amit Kumar of Jamshedpur.
Within six months the film was completed by the hard work of the producer and the director and all its crew members. It was really a tough time for them because making a film needs lots of finance for hiring the different type of professionals along with their instruments and most of the professional were outsiders. After taking the individual shots the film was sent to Mumbai for audio mixing. The film was launched at Michel John Auditorium.
Within a day she became popular and nearly all the newspaper covered her story. Some of the paper coverage are as follows
I was blessed by God to get her as a student of mine. As a teacher I have taught her as the other students of the College. She has proved that a strong determination and will is far more important than a strong body. She has learned nicely how to fight the challenges and how to overcome them with strong mind. Sometimes it makes me think whether “This was the biggest gift” that I have got in my life or it is yet to come.
After making the film and completing the three year graduation from Graduate School and College for Women she decided to build a Career in Mass Media. She sat in the entrance examination of IIMM and cracked it. She is now in International Institute of Mass Media [IIMM] which was set up in 1999 by a group of professionals who had set out to achieve excellence in mass media education and training. The aim was to create an institution that would fill up the gaps in the mass media education sector, which was an urgent requirement of the times. Few passouts are attached with NDTV, IBN7, Zee TV, The Times of India, Hindustan Times, Dainik Jagaran, Amar Ujala, Hindustan, etc.
In January 2017 she completed her second short film as a director at IIMM ,New Delhi. The name of the film is “A Gift to Life”.
