We will mobilise the indigenous people, off and online, promote our and rights under the UNDRIP, self-determination development with cultural identity. Use social media like to advocate and assert for our rights, promote & protect our culture, land & resources, manipulated/encroached by dominant cultures and the State – raising our voices to be heard. Organize public rally & online campaigns to implement the Right to Information Act. Make attractive banners/slogans to protest to the government demanding full access to information under the Act. Create platform for internet users.
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Churachandpur
Describe the specific population with whom you will be working.
The idea comes from the indigenous youths. Indigenous youths in India have little access to the internet but are gaining momentum. Most of them have access to mobile phones but not necessarily the internet. Online presence of indigenous people is very low, majority of the people who use the internet are the youths mostly through social media. Majority of them are not aware of the correct use and laws/policies of the internet. I want to work with these communities to promote correct use of the internet/social media and help them promote their rights in an effective and transparent manner. The majority use social media mainly Facebook as means for communication, discussion, sharing ideas, pictures, etc.
Who else will be on your team to help implement the project?
My Team will include Mr Casey Songate, Computer and Software operator at www.facebook.com/caseysongate and online community news channel VIRTHLI at www.facebook.com/VIRTHLI and our organization Facebook page at www.facebook.com/biblehillyouthclub Our blog http://biblehillyouthclub.wordpress.com
Other team members are: Mr LRS Puruolte, Camera, editing, etc @lrspuruolte
Miss Jennifer Hmar, Online and offline Community Animator. @jennifermihriemate
Miss Naomi L Hmar, Youth Coordinator, www.facebook.com/miminaomi
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
Our vision for the content is our rich cultural heritage, songs, dances and performing arts to promote our rich culture and traditions for others to see learn and share. On determining our rights, we will create write ups, slogans and banners on how our rights, land and resources are being manipulated by the dominant culture and the State, destruction to the environment and the people. Our rights as envisaged by the UNDRIP and UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights. We will upload videos and pictures of our lands, interviews with officials and community leaders on the issues. We will develop website and blogs; provide links in social media to advocate for self-empowerment or determination development and enhance our online and offline presence.
What technologies and digital tools do you plan to use in the trainings?
Describe the connections that you or your organization have already established or plan to establish that will contribute to the success of the project.
We will create linkages with other indigenous people organizations in other countries like Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Taiwan and Indonesia. Asia Indigenous People Pact at www.aipp.org The Tebtebba Foundation, Philippines at www.tebtebba.org Youth Caucasus of Taiwan at www.youthcaucasus.org and bigger Indigenous People agency like the UN Permanent Forum Indigenous Issues at www.unpfii.org We also have our networking friends from Europe like the “Me-You-Us” Ja-Ty-My (Poland) PWP Social Cooperatives at www.ja-ty-my.org and www.wsparciespoleczne.pl
Specifically with the micro-grants, we will create partnership with the PWP Social Cooperatives, Poland and the AIPP, Thailand. At community level we will establish partnership with SINLENG NEWS www.facebook.com/sinlengnews.
How many participants do you think will be trained in your project?
We will reach out to over 10, 000 indigenous people (youths and young women) through our Facebook page and another 5, 000 with direct link to our website and blogs – online training. Once we promote our online presence through Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Yahoo Groups and Google+ we will also use Mobile phones to connect them with the project through GupShup. At minimum, we expect 1000-2000 online presence a day of indigenous youths in Facebook alone. We will directly reach out to 200 youths at our CTPC training workshops. Regular updates and issue-based postings in GupShup and discussions through social media will ensure their regular and sustain participation.
Describe which technologies, tools, and media you will focus on when training participants.
We will use social media like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Yahoo and Google+, Blogs and Websites. Since this is easy to sign up and free, it is the most appropriate and comfortable for poor youths to get access to free information. For those who do not know how to make a Facebook profile, we will train them in how to create a profile, invite friends, post comments. We will use the Information Communication Technology at large and make use of mobile applications, especially the GupShup for free text-message or sharing information. This software technology is most appropriate for us since it is easy to get access and easy to get familiar with. Besides, little or no cost is involved in the process, considering the small fund from Micro-grants, this will be appropriate for us.
Describe the facilities where you will hold the workshops.
We will organize the workshop and training at our Community Training & Production Centre – Tribal Enterprise office at Churachandpur where we have our 2 desk-top computers and 2 laptops. We will 3G Dial-up and USB Modems, afterward up-grade to landline BSNL Broad-Band connection. If the training and workshops participants are too many, we will include our local partner Joute Enterprise where we can refer and use four desk-top computers with landline connections. We are presently using 3G USB Modem and other Dial-Up connection, we hope to install BSNL Broad-Band Connection with the Microgrant, if we get the grant.
What is your current relationship with the community with whom you plan to work? What makes you the most appropriate individual or organization to implement this project?
I am from the community; I am working with my community since 1996. Presently leading a project “Promoting Culture, Human Rights and Socio-Economic Opportunities of the Hmars” with small grant from the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD). My works for our community development on social economy and poverty alleviation can be seen at http://biblehillyotuhclub.wordpress.com I have a long term commitment and plans to empower my community and also include other indigenous communities in India, off and online, hence this small grant application to upscale our impacts and outreach, especially online networking and to ensure transparency of our activities and programs, share it with the rest of the world.
What specific challenges do you expect to face when planning and implementing your project?
We don't have much of a problems or risk with this project except in obtaining a higher or better internet Broadband connection (Land-line) with the budget. The project, self-determination development and getting online, is a high demand program from our community and urgent needs. I don't see risks/problems, except with some “Enemies of the Internet” hacking websites and blogs. For this, we will collaborate with the Cyber Crime Security Officials to discuss and find ways and means to counter hacking of websites.
How will you measure and evaluate the project’s impact, specifically: your primary participants, the wider regional community, or the global digital community?
From our website/blog and Facebook Page, and responses we will determine our success.
Milestones/Indicators:
1. One website, one Blog and Facebook Page created in 2 months, with specific contents.
2. Permanent Broad-Band landline connection in place after 3 months; with 2 more computers
3.5,000 users joined the Safe Net We Want site in 2 months, 10, 000 in four months.
4.10 training sessions held in 4 months, 200 direct participants capacitated in basic computer skill and use of social media-internet.
5. Hmar Indigenous people rich culture and traditions uploaded and shared online.
Outcomes:
Indigenous people rights and culture respected by others.
Better and effective use of internet by indigenous youths
Right to Information Act promoted and used appropriately
If your project were to be selected as a Rising Voices grantee, what would be the general timeline of project activities in 2014?
General Timeline:
May 1, 2014: Concept Briefing and Press Conference, detailing about the project aims and objectives. Six local media involved, print and electronic media; 20 selected community leaders participated. Installation of 2 new computers at the CTPC
June – July, 2014: Training workshops on UNDRIP, ICT, Mobile and Computer applications. 200 youths directly reached out.
August, 2014: Website, Blogs and Pages created in social media including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Yahoo and GupShup; Broad-band Internet (Land-line) connection in place.
Sept., 2014: Closing of the project, Press Conference and sharing of the project activities, off and online. Project activities continue without the support of the Microgrants, linkages and partnership created.
Detail a specific budget of up to $2,500 USD for operating costs.
Proposed Budget:
Computer hardware = $ 1180
Broadband internet/ 5 Dial up 3G pack = $ 300
Training Workshops = $ 1,000
Total: $ 2, 480
Besides the microgrant funding, what other support can Rising Voices provide for your project to ensure its success?
1.Capacity building of prospective youth mentors, online.
2. Other resources or tools/computer software
3. Linkages and network of like-minded or similar projects.
Contact name
Joseph Joute
Organization
Bible Hill Youth Club – National Social Dev & Research Center