Stories from December, 2007
New Bloggers Use Poetry to Describe Their Communities, Feelings, Friends
The new bloggers of Rising Voices outreach projects in Colombia, Bolivia, and Bangladesh are more than just up-and-coming citizen journalists. They have also discovered the power of prose to reveal glimpses of the human emotions that bring us together and the local differences that make each of our communities unique.
Congratulations New, Rising Voices
The Rising Voices citizen media outreach initiative will start out 2008 with five new and innovative projects based in Kenya, Madagascar, Uruguay, Jamaica, and Iran.
Nari Jibon: Women bloggers and dowry problem in Bangladesh
This week we look at some brilliant articles from Nari Jibon’s women bloggers. They discuss the menace of wedding dowries, which make the lives of poor families difficult by forcing parents to consider female children as burdens. Also, one NJ participant dreams of becoming president and changing the present society to an enlightened, educated and dowry-free society.
The First Six Months of Rising Voices
As we all get ready to enter 2008, Rising Voices celebrates its first six months of existence. It is time to step back, reflect on where we've come and think about where we are going.
TBCS interns talk about the development of Sierra Leone
This week we have updates from the Think Build Change Salone (TBCS) initiative in Sierra Leone. Participants of the TBCS project post more of their experiences as interns in local non-profit organizations in Sierra Leone.
Suso, Gratitude, and Human Dignity
Every neighborhood has it's own local set of celebrities who become either famous or infamous for their talents, idiosyncrasies, and personal histories. In San Javier La Loma, a hillside working class community on the outskirts of Medellín, one of the most well-known local celebrities, "Filthy Suso", had, until recently, also been one of the most enigmatic. Thanks to the work of HiperBarrio, a citizen journalism outreach project of Rising Voices, the story of "Filthy Suso" is now known both locally and internationally.
Neigbourhood Diaries: Growing Citizen Journalists from Grassroots
This week we have the pleasure to introduce to you the fifth of the first round grantees of the Rising Voices. 'Neigbourhood Diaries' is a citizen writing program moblising young people living in ’slums’ as citizen journalists to research, write and disseminate unrecognized and authentic community narratives in local and global media.
Interview with Cristina Quisbert of Voces Bolivianas
Voces Bolivianas, a citizen media outreach project supported by Rising Voices, has trained 23 participants how to blog, post digital photos, and even shoot video. One of the most consistent and clearest voices to emerge from the group has been Cristina Quisbert of Bolivia Indígena. In this interview she describes what motivates her to share stories of her life and community online and how the content of her blog has evolved over the first few months.
