Appan Samachar, a small but vital initiative started by Santosh Sarang
in the heartland of rural Bihar, may well signify the beginning of a
women-led media revolution in the country!
Appan Samachar is an all-female news network in rural Bihar, which
brings to light crucial issues affecting the villages, which are
blatantly ignored by national and even regional media. Young women
riding bicycles and holding basic camera equipment go around villages
voicing their opinion against issues like child marriage, witchcraft,
and female foeticide, and in turn empower all the women they reach out
to. To run such a revolutionary news network, Appan Samachar requires
funding for equipment, and for holding workshops for aspiring female
journalists.
Young girls from villages, walking around holding camera equipment and
microphones, talking to the elders about the events in the village, is
indeed an empowering sight in rural India; where even now women do not
have an identity of their own. These girls are part of Appan Samachar,
an all female news network run in Bihar.
‘Appan Samachar’ aptly translates to ‘our News’, and it is the aim of
the girls who a part of it, to reveal incidents that happen in rural
Bihar, that are often overlooked, or ignored, by most mainstream media.
Through their brand of citizen journalism, they seek to not only raise
awareness amongst the villagers, but also try and play an important part
in changing their perceptions and opinions for the better.
“The daughters of the poor farmers and villagers have dreams and
aspirations, but there is no one to guide them”, says Santosh Sarang, a
journalist and social worker, who started Appan Samachar in the year
1997. He started this organisation in an effort to bring the girls out
from the confinement of the homes, and have their voices and opinions
heard loud in a public forum. What better way to enable this, than to
empower them to run their own broadcasting channel! The news programs
filmed by the girls are aired for the villagers at the village haat
(market), using projectors.
Khushboo, one of the oldest members of the group, is now generally seen
holding a microphone and asking the tough questions; but initially she
was very hesitant to leave her home and talk to people, for fear of
being mistreated and teased. Now, as a part of Appan Samachar, she feels
much more empowered, as her opinions are acknowledged by people who
otherwise never bothered to listen to women.
Running this small but strong ‘media revolution’ requires good-quality
equipment, like cameras, microphone, and tripod; and also funds required
to conduct training workshop for aspiring women journalists from the
villages. HopeMonkey is proud to support Mr. Sarang and the girls, and
help them pave the path to women empowerment, and possibly start a new
chapter on Indian news media!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.hopemonkey.org/project/giving-voice-young-village-girls-rural-bihar
