We will empower vulnerable and internally displaced girls in Kampala through citizen journalism & photography training. They will explore what it means, to them, to bring their unique culture to the big city. GCN will create a blog and page on our website for girls’ stories to be told through photos and videos. The project will show the world the realities of girls’ lives and help other girls gain confidence to tell their stories with pride.
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Kampala
Describe the specific community with whom you will be working.
GCN works with girls from diverse backgrounds: some have escaped war in northern Uganda, others have been sexually abused, are teenage mothers, are HIV positive or school dropouts. These girls have no chance to speak about their lives, even within their communities. They have the unique ability to tell stories of vulnerable and internally displaced girls living in an urban metropolis. This project will bring their voices into the mainstream.
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
The girls will tell in-depth accounts of their lives using photography, video, and the written word. Their stories include accounts of wartime experiences, the challenges of HIV-positive youth or teenage mothers, and what it means to them to live in a big city. By illuminating the realities of daily life, their stories should open an international discussion on supporting vulnerable girls, particularly those who are forgotten after conflicts end.
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.
GCN will work with our current partner, Educate! – an NGO that trains girls on leadership – to implement this project. Educate! will provide technical and moral support to the girls. We will identify 2-4 volunteers to conduct writing and photography trainings for all participants. We will also build on current relationships with local leaders to encourage community collaboration to take video clips and photos in the areas where girls live.
How many participants do you think will be involved in your project?
GCN will train 8 Educate! mentors and 5 GCN staff to be trainers. GCN and Educate! will then be able to train unlimited numbers of club members – at least 150 girls. Because girls targeted for this project are already involved and active with GCN, the project will be integrated into their regular activities as club members. Our staff will follow up with clubs as well as recruit and train new members and ensure participation.
Besides the microgrant funding, what other resources and support are you seeking for your project to ensure its success?
Publicity of our website and links to our blog and youtube will be critical for us in terms of the world getting to know about the plight of the girls and our work. We appreciate any guidance on using other electronic platforms to make our project more visible. We would also be grateful for connections to other organizations that work with girls so we can exchange information and share best practices.
Contact name
Memory Bandera
Organization
Girl Child Network Uganda (GCN)