‘What is the next step in Uzbekistan’s development’ is the question the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will ask the nation’s young adults to answer, through making low-budget documentaries. With the 2015 deadline for the Global Millennium Development Goals approaching, the ‘Vocalising Uzbek Ideas’ project will let Uzbek youth explore, through digital films posted online, what lies next in their nation’s road to development.
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Tashkent
Describe the specific community with whom you will be working.
Our project targets Uzbekistan’s rural youth aged 20 to 25 years old, who despite their education, talents and ideas, often lack opportunities to voice their thoughts and bring their local development plans to fruition. While these youth have access to social networking sites, specifically through the ‘Kamalot’ youth organisation with whom our project will partner, they often cannot afford the technology needed to make an impact in online media.
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
Utilising ten inexpensive cameras and three netbooks, and with the support of three youth trainers who have been taught multimedia skills by national multimedia experts, project participants will produce filmed interviews, mini-documentaries and other media clips exploring directions for Uzbekistan’s continued development. The resulting films posted on the project’s Facebook page will be culturally and gender-sensitive, and audience-appropriate.
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.
UNDP has over previous years developed a strong working relationship with the Kamalot youth organisation, having partnered in a number of youth-driven, awareness-raising projects and initiatives, and conducted a number of previous youth training courses through this partnership. The agency also has a well-established procurement office which will be able to purchase the required digital equipment at optimum prices.
How many participants do you think will be involved in your project?
It is intended that fifteen project participants will be chosen by UNDP and Kamalot to take part in the ‘Vocalising Uzbek Ideas’ project. The participants will be selected for their interest in community development, social volunteerism and citizen media, and will be trained by three youth trainers. UNDP will organise an intensive multi-media journalism course for the two participants in order to produce the highest-standard media products.
Besides the microgrant funding, what other resources and support are you seeking for your project to ensure its success?
Should the ‘Vocalising Uzbek Ideas’ project be selected for microgrant funding, its management would greatly appreciate an opportunity to connect with similar initiatives supported by Rising Voices. This will help the project learn about previous experiences and lessons learnt within the field of citizen video journalism.
Contact name
Laylo Fotikh
Organization
The United Nations Development Programme