Community and Social Media: ICTs for MDGs
OneWorld South Asia’s core interventions in the use of ICTs for MDGs lie in enhancing communication opportunities at the grassroots through community and social media.
People’s Radio for Development
The highly affordable, accessible and powerful medium of radio has been strategically employed to amplify grassroots voices and turn passive listeners into active creators of content.
OneWorld South Asia’s multi-dimensional community oriented radio programme Ek Duniya Ek Awaaz achieved a milestone in August 2007 with the broadcast of its 100th episode on a popular mainstream channel. The programme incorporates capacity building workshops for Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in the use of audio tools as a means for social and economic empowerment, and for networking and content sharing.
The Grassroots Broadcasters’ Network and a vibrant community of radio listeners are a positive result of our work. The new web-based Audio Content Exchange Bank is now available online at http://edaa.in.
There are plans for similar initiatives with partners in Nepal and Sri Lanka. In Nepal, the programme Ek Sansaar Ek Awaaz in now poised to mature into a full-fledged ICT-based Community Radio Station.
Digital Documentation
OneWorld South Asia’s audio and video documentation of partner initiatives has enhanced the coverage and visibility of people’s voices and campaigns.
Advocacy Centres
These rural information hubs work on the principle of Open Knowledge Network (OKN), an open knowledge platform initiated by OneWorld. Using an innovative open source knowledge exchange tool called Open eNRICH, these centres facilitate the creation, collation and exchange of local content in local language even in areas with limited internet connectivity.
These centres also encourage the effective integration of online and offline, traditional and new media for advocacy on issues of local concern.
