The aim of the project is that the children and young women of the neighborhood Juan Rey in Bogota, Colombia produce a shortfilm on the principal challenges of a child who grows in an environment of exclusion and conflict. We want to sensitize to the community on the impact of a negative environment in the growth and development of the children. The shortfilm will realize by means of the training in audio-visual production, photography of 20 children and young inhabitants of this vulnerable community of the south of the Colombian capital.
Topical focus:
Country:
What locality or neighborhood will your project focus on?
Bogotá, D.C
Describe the specific population with whom you will be working.
The role that will play the community will be that of producers and protagonists of the history, beside providing the spaces for the training and the accomplishment of the short. At present none of the social organizations that is employed at the territory has web page and the presence of in the social networks(nets) is escaza, of equal form only 14 % the homes possess(rely on) computer and I access to Internet. Usme is one of 21 localities that integrate(repay) the territory of the city of Bogota, the capital of Colombia. We want to work with this community because about 51 % of the economically active population is unemployed. Therefore, the locality is one of the most affected, with percentages of poverty that they range between 9,1 % and 21,3 %.
Who else will be on your team to help implement the project?
Camilo Avendano, master in applied economics, Link in twitter: https://twitter.com/Kadmel778
Mateo Sabogal, master degree in developement cooperation Link in Twitter:https://twitter.com/MateoSabogal
Andrés Bodensiek. Researcher ant teacher. Cultural manager. Link in twitter: https://twitter.com/ElBoden
Diego Parra, audiovisual producer, link in Twitter: @DiegoParraC
What kinds of news, stories and other content will be created?
The project will leave, at least, five (5) shorts films that will show the reality and the dreams of a small group of kids that live in the territory where the organization works. The idea, is to show the beneficiaries the importance of knowing and using digital technology for development. The organization would treat themes as “searching and building identity” and “competition and future”.
Populus will guide kids between 14 and 18 years old in the using of audiovisual technologies as cameras, lights, scripts and photography. We are going to build stories that would help the community realize their strongest aspects to improve their economy and social life. At the end, the short films created will be shown in a public place with the participation of the community and local authorities
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.
At present our organization, after 3 years of work with the community, does part of the Social Network Vía Oriente, a stage that groups more than 7 community and cultural organizations working at Usme's zone for more than 10 years. With the support of these organizations, and the alliances that we have established in previous projects of cultural character, we expect to be able to develop the present project.
How many participants do you think will be trained in your project?
In the last years developing similar projects we have worked with groups of about 20 to 30 children and youngs. For the execution of this year we wait to rely on a similar group. The process of summons in the high schools of the zone is the way we look for the participants , and some merchants’ support with food products donate to the attendees to the workshops is one of the forms we expect to support the project during his execution.
Describe which technologies, tools, and media you will focus on when training participants.
During this project, Populus will focus its effort in audiovisual aids. It is so important because it tries to show the beneficiaries another opportunity to learn and get involve in new technologies, occupying free time they have. The organization has basic camcorders that the kids will be available to use. Also microphones, access to internet, and computers to edit the content that has been recorded.
Other organizations will be helping Populus in the execution of the frameworks. They have experience with this kind of population and creating short films with them. It makes a strong team that has all the knowledge and abilities to make a successful result.
Social networks will be used to broadcast everything that happened during the project. We will use Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Youtube
Describe the facilities where you will hold the workshops.
The facilities where we will execute the project are different. Principally two cultural centers that belong to organizations of the zone. The first place is a house of two floors with a garden and a very wide garage where it is possible to carry out the workshops. It possesses( two computers and a videoprojector. Another place is an ecological house constructed in wood, which generates his own energy. It possesses a principal wide lounge with two computers where they can give the workshops. it also has garden outdoors where it is possible to film.
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?
As we mentioned above, Populus has been working with other organizations in the territory where the project Is going to be execute. They have a deep knowledge of social problems and since their creations still fighting for the rights of population (water, dwelling, work, environment, recreation, etc). Populus has arrived to strengthen the cultural aspects of the community and is the only one that with digital technologies tries to evidence their needs and possible solutions.
This last aspect makes of Populus a very important piece for the development in the community. We try to teach what we know to do, showing the beneficiaries a way to keep claiming for their rights, leaving them strong tools of communications and creating contents. All this process is in constant monitoring.
What specific challenges do you expect to face when planning and implementing your project?
There are different challenges that we expect to face especially when implementing the project. While the project is to collaborate with children, they may not come because they are working (they can be assigned to domestic work or street work). Additionally, we can face the discouragement of children and teenagers while making the movie. But one of the main problems is that of security due to armed conflict between the residents, the city of Usme being particularly vulnerable and reflecting well the dynamics of poverty and violence in a Colombian urban area. For that reason, it is possible that some people do not want us to show the situation of vulnerability in which lies the district of Usme.
To overcome these obstacles, the first answer will be to integrate into the project children
How will you measure and evaluate the project’s impact, specifically: your primary participants, the wider regional community, or the global digital community?
To measure and evaluate the project’s impact, it is important in the first place to define the population targeted by the project. It is primarily the children and teenagers who have experienced the conflict in Usme and who are already involved in cultural projects proposed by the association which means that they have received a first training in theatre or audiovisual. To assess the impact that the project has on them, we should measure their motivation and commitment to the project. Concerning the wider regional community, which is made up of parents and residents, we wish to raise awareness about how the conflict impacts their children in terms of schooling, work, but also in terms of perceptions, fears but also joys and forward projections.
If your project were to be selected as a Rising Voices grantee, what would be the general timeline of project activities in 2014?
The project will take in executing 10 weeks. In two initial weeks there will be realized activities of summons and inscriptions. Then during 8 remaining weeks we will offer two workshops of two hours of duration each one. At the end of 8 weeks there will be realized a projection of the short one that the children and youngters have filmed and edited.
Detail a specific budget of up to $2,500 USD for operating costs.
Article:
1. Summons (accomplishment of a mural and impression(printing) of cartels): us$ 100
2. Rent of cameras) and filming equipements: US$ 400
3. pay for two filming teachers: US$ 600
4. Cost of coordinator and the director of the proyect:US$200
5. Rent of sound and inflatable screen for final screening:$ 400
6. Costs of edition: US$ 100
7. Unforeseen: US$ 200
Besides the microgrant funding, what other support can Rising Voices provide for your project to ensure its success?
Besides the microgrant funding, Rising Voices could help the organization and the project by providing spaces where the short films and its process can be seen. We want to evidence basic problems in very small locations to achieve the attention of local authorities and show the beneficiaries the importance of new technologies to overcome their problems. This helps to build a strong identity, and helps win recognition and trust between those involved in the project.
Contact name
Mateo Sabogal
Organization
Populuss Proyectos Comunitarios
