This idea plans to mobilize, train and equip 25 youths with skills and materials for grass root social media utilization for blogging in Bangem sub division of Cameroon. It focuses on engaging youths to report on hidden electoral malpractices and cultural practices which hinder the empowerment of women and youths. Trained youths will use facebook/twitter reporting and documentaries for global sharing and call for actions.
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Bangem
Describe the specific community with whom you will be working.
As of February 2013, an hour of internet access in Bangem, Cameroon costs over $1. Within a town of over 10,000 inhabitants, there exists no radio station/pubic internet access and information can only be received not circulated since there are no journalists based in the economically marginalized growing town. This project will therefore be a pioneer attempt to connect Bangem to other parts of Cameroon and the rest of the World for global action
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
Through pictures, articles, documentaries and short videos, contents will be developed and posted online via (facebook/twitter) on deterrent cultural practices, electoral processes, environmental degradation, rights of women and youths, arts and culture. Though not all negative, these contents shared online will invite and connect the world to the marginalized communities, attract government attention and shape local attitudes
What technologies and digital tools do you plan to use in the trainings?
Describe the connections that you or your organization have already established that will contribute to the success of the project.
CCREAD – Cameroon, the applicant has an office in Bangem already, have set up a small free to the Public ICT space (4 computers), has an ICT volunteer in the Bangem office and is already working with the youths and women within the communities, and has set up youths and women into development groups from which members to be trained and equipped by this project will be selected. These added to the collaboration and networks will boost the project
How many participants do you think will be involved in your project?
The interesting thing is that we have already set up functional youth/women groups at the community levels. From each of the 25 groups, 25 dynamic young persons (15 girls and 10 boys) all college leavers will be trained and equipped on social media utilization in content production and dissemination using facebook and twitter for a start.
Besides the microgrant funding, what other resources and support are you seeking for your project to ensure its success?
Once started, this project will require that our small ICT space be expanded and more ICT equipment procured for quality content production and regular reporting. Additional volunteers to boost the local team to be set up can also be another area of future need to see the project run on a permanent basis over many years. These are the long term needs of the project.
Contact name
Hilary Ewang Ngide
Organization
Centre for Community Regeneration and Development