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Background
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Plan and Budget
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Anticipated Changes
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Documentation
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pilot location |
information needs |
objectives |
Background and Context
Balangir
is a district in Orissa, Eastern India, with 14 blocks (1792 villages). The
population is unstable due to migration but numbers around 1.3 million, over
90% of which is rural and living below the poverty line. Literacy is under 40%
and for women only 21%.
The population is stratified by a strict caste system with higher castes, scheduled castes (untouchables or Dalits) scheduled tribes and other backward classes. Although this stratification is pervasive in social and economic relationships, wealth and education do not necessarily reflect social status. For example, the Dumal have among the lowest economic status but enjoy higher social status than one of the wealthiest castes, the Kulitas (see matrix below).
Gandas are the most deprived in terms of access to resources and in many villages constitute the main vulnerable population. Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes form 22% and 15% of the population respectively. The matrix below shows access to resources (land, food, livestock, loans, production, valuables and employees) enjoyed by five social groups:
Poverty in Balangir is due in large part to recurring droughts
and floods, which are increasing in frequency. Decrease in forest cover has
contributed to the cycle of soil erosion, drought and poverty. However, fundamentally
it is poor governance - the lack of participation of poor people in decision-making,
corruption and lack of access to relevant information - that feeds this cycle.
Land distribution is highly unequal, and landless agricultural workers are most
affected by drought, forced to borrow money and migrate to work. Furthermore,
despite large amounts of aid coming into Orissa from central government, corruption
and mismanagement means that little of this reaches the intended targets - the
poor.
Key development priorities of poor people in Balangir:
Access to information is considered a major need underlying all specific areas of concern, as poverty of reliable and timely information becomes an iron wall between the poorest people and assertion of their rights. During initial discussions and meetings with the ICT team and Reflect facilitators, the following priorities were identified (see sample graphics below):
ActionAid supports a network of 19 local organisations called Collective Action for Drought Mitigation in Balangir (CADMB) or Samuhik Marudi Pratikar Udyam (SMPU) in vernacular, which work in 344 villages for people's planning and organisation using Reflect.
112 villages in 13 blocks are involved in the pilot of the Reflect ICTs Project, through 17 partner organisations. The remaining 232 villages will be brought into the project by tagging neighbouring villages to the main Reflect pilot villages through meetings, collective planning on specific issues, public hearings of radio programmes etc.
The ICT Project team, supported by colleagues in ActionAid Balangir, is responsible and accountable for management, implementation and impact of the ICT pilot project. However, the 17 partner organisations in the CADMB network are expected to conduct the actual implementation of the project, supported by the Block Coordinators (to be recruited) who will act as conveners of the Cluster Level Resource Centre.
The ICT Team will manage the project until December 2005 after
which the entire onus of management and evaluation will be taken up by the DRC,
CRC and CIRC supported by a Facilitators' network consisting of all 160 village
level facilitators. The main responsibility of the network would be to create
conducive platforms for regular sharing and exchange of ideas and documentation
of information, knowledge and experiments of innovation and creativity at local
level. These zones will occasionally communicate and collaborate for collective
action and shared learning.
Social make-up of Reflect groups involved:
Compiled
information from micro-level plans show, and the process of setting up Reflect
in Balangir ensured, that it is the poorest and most vulnerable people who participate
in Reflect circles. These include landless and homeless people (migrant workers,
marginal farmers, casual labourers), orphans, child labourers and children of
migrant workers, widows and disabled people.
Of nearly 5000 total participants in the area, 42% are women.
The majority are Hindu and kosal speakers.
Existing
communication practices of poor and marginalised people in Balangir:
A
study conducted by the ICT team among participating Reflect circles showed the
main sources of information for Reflect participants to be primarily their facilitators,
followed by radio, television, newspapers and telephones, and people including
their local elected representatives, politicians and professionals (health workers,
agricultural workers and teachers). While general caste have strong rapport
with such people and as such can access information about government schemes
and subsidies, the scheduled castes and tribes have nearly none. Gender analysis
of results showed that some sources, such as health and child development workers,
dealt more with women than men.
There are many important sources of information of which Reflect participants are unaware or unable to access. Radio is a very popular medium for the poor and in particular for migrant workers, while the television and telephone remain largely tools for rich and educated elite. Only 1% of Reflect participants would be able to afford a black and white television set, and then only by mortgaging land. However, where youth or women's groups are functioning effectively with a TV set, poor people are more able to access relevant programmes. Literacy is a big barrier for poor people to access newspapers and other published materials.
The matrix (below) shows how poorer people miss out on information through weaker relationships with key people and lack of access to technologies. This emphasises the role of the facilitator and that relationship in terms of gaining access to reliable and timely information. For this reason, strategic actions are planned to enhance the capacity of facilitators in this information provider role.
. . . . . 
Information
resources / communication media available in Balangir
Under the prevailing circumstances, it is really difficult to think about establishing
community radio stations, or telecentres or to launch local language websites.
No telecentre projects, either Government or private sector, exist in the district. Only a few partner organisations with their offices in towns have computers and of those only one or two have Internet facilities. The United Nations' Development Program's (UNDP) Information Technology Kiosks do not cater to any of the villages covered by Reflect. Despite the limited extent of the UNDP Kiosks, their centre-based approach and above all the computerised system of information dissemination, all of which make them less accessible to the non-literate and poor villagers in Balangir, efforts are being made to tie up with them as one means of information dissemination.
In order to establish a community radio station, the policies of the Government of India are so rigid and complex that it consumes a lot of energy, resources and time. There is only one FM radio station in Balangir. Other than that, the nearest centre for FM radio and television stations is Sambalpur, 35 kilometres away. The ICT team is in process of collaborating with these, as well as the local FM station.
Gram-Sat is installed in nearly all villages, but for Reflect
participants to use it to pledge their demands directly to the District Collector
requires a policy decision. This has already become an advocacy agenda within
the Communications System. Will-Phone is available for use by Reflect participants
in most villages to contact concerned authorities and elected representatives.
Key information
needs identified by target groups:
In an initial assessment of information needs of Reflect participants, carried
out by the ICT team and facilitators, it was found that needs varied in different
areas, depending on the issues affecting people's lives and livelihoods. What
follows is a synthesis:
Migration: information on migrants' rights, care of children left behind, relevant laws (compensation, minimum wage, workplace) and reporting of violations, insurance policies and legal support.
Drought: information on government policy regarding agriculture and crop insurance, marketing and storage facilities, information on sustainable agriculture, traditional land and water management.
Food security: information on government social security schemes eligibility and application for them, food policy at micro and macro levels, different offices and agencies and sources of food.
Land rights: information on local land status, legal land rights and procedures for application, laws on encroachment, government provision of land and land settlement policy.
Governance: Good governance is the axis linking all the problems mentioned above. Information is required on panchayati raj institutions - their scope, roles of members and rules and regulations - as well as other local government bodies and the rights applying to participants.
Dalit rights: Legal provisions and status of Dalit, benefits and schemes on food security, rule of law for Dalits
Women's issues: Legal rights of women, wage rates for women labourers, health care and provisions for children and pregnant women, family related violation cases.
Reflect participants will continue throughout the pilot to routinely identify emerging information needs to be met through the communications system.
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. . . 
The system will operate at three distinct but interlinked levels:
District level: this is the ICT team and AA colleagues for management and accountability for the pilot project, as well as being key resource persons at district level, and the District Resource Centre (DRC) for monitoring, support and provision/ communication of information. Partner organisations will take responsibility for the successful application of the communications system in their circles and initiate processes for replication in other circles in their operational area.
Block level: Cluster Resource Centres will cater to information needs of participants, relaying information requests and provision between DRC and CIRCs and generating demand for information support from government agencies. They will also undertake monitoring visits to circles and report to DRC, sustain local cultural teams and organise performances as necessary. Block Coordinators paid and recruited under the ICT project will coordinate these.
Village level: Both Village Drought Action Committees (local Reflect and planning bodies) and Circle Level Information and Resource Centres (CIRCs) will operate with Reflect circles to identify and communicate participants' information needs, enable access to relevant information and facilitate communication with different actors and to create space for organised Reflect participants to push their agendas in local decision making fora.
CIRCs will also be the points of access, control, security, storage and monitoring of use of equipment purchased. Through partnerships, they will also be responsible for outreach to non-pilot circles/ villages. Facilitators will become village resource persons, building on their existing role as information provider for the poor, and as such expand the benefits of the system to circles in other blocks through training and orientation.
Other: Other actors and mechanisms, such as zonal facilitators forums, cultural teams, trainers and technical resource persons will also be part of the system as and when necessary. Participants, facilitators and organisers of the remaining 232 Reflect circles, other villagers in the pilot villages, CBOs, elected people's representatives (particularly women), information projects of other networks and agencies, and broader AA India will also be part of this system either as observers, audience for learning or secondary users/ beneficiaries of the information provided.
Information flow: Information and communication will
flow through this structure, participants will identify their emerging information
needs through analysis done at circle level, and these will be either met locally
through the CIRC materials, or communicated to the CRC and from there if necessary
to the DRC to get the relevant materials. Equally, the voices of participants
will be fed through this same system to ensure that they are heard at the relevant
points. Block level cultural teams will also be used to ensure that perspectives
and information are shared between villages through performance.
Activities and equipment in the communications system:
District level:
The DRC will collect information to meet the information needs expressed by Reflect groups from a variety of sources, from government departments at state and district level, public sector and technical institutions, individual experts, organisations, media (including internet), other regions of ActionAid, networks, resource organisations and the National Informatics Centre of the Government.
The media used to present information which has been found and where necessary translated or repackaged will be decided in close collaboration with the end users (Reflect participants). It is only the recipients who are the final authorities to choose the medium according to their convenience and suitability. Electronic media, such as video, audio and television will be factored into the system, with the production and showing of videos and cassettes to document processes, learning and outcomes for replication, sharing and larger advocacy. However, due to lack of electricity in villages, this equipment will be centralised at district resource centre and lent or moved to village or block level when requested.
Central to the communication system will be the existing quarterly newsletter 'Lok Ukia' which is edited by a team composed from partner organisations. Each edition of the newsletter covers a particular issue in depth, with news items, information on policies and schemes, structures and accountability, case studies from Reflect and answers to queries and questions from Reflect participants.
Preparation of video and audiocassettes will be based on subjects and content chosen by Reflect participants. A number of potential subjects have already come out from the initial needs assessments, and been fed into a DRC database. New subjects will continue to arise out of the Reflect process. Mr Biren Das, a renowned television producer in Orissa, has been following the process and will be making video documentaries and short films relating to the issues identified by Reflect participants in different blocks. Padmalaya Mishtra, Reflect ICTs Assistant, will also be documenting the process of the project by video throughout. By the end of the project duration it is expected that at least one group in each block would be able to do video documentation on their own.
The ICT team and management will prepare audiocassettes based on scripts and lyrics developed by local talents, in local dialect and based on local needs. The process will involve local artists as well as Reflect participants and facilitators.
A weekly radio programme will be put out reflecting the information needs identified by participants. Collaboration with the local FM station allows recording and broadcast of programmes including debate, dialogue, songs and dramas related to the lives and livelihoods and activities of Reflect participants. Local officials and experts, along with actors in this communications system, will be invited to take part in panels to disseminate information relating to the needs of participants or to answer questions.
A central cultural team will be established and managed from DRC to perform throughout the area.
Block Level:
Cluster Resource Centres will be equipped with relevant printed materials, including posters, leaflets and newsletters. They will also manage the block level cultural teams. All necessary equipment and packages will be stored at block level for timely circulation among Reflect groups, for which the Block Coordinator will be accountable. The CRC base will be either in its own building, where available, or within a local partner organisations' office.
The Block Coordinator will collect, translate and package information from their Block according to needs identified by Participants.
Circle Level:
Each circle will set up a Circle level Information and Resource centre to be equipped with a radio set, newspaper subscription, documentation materials and other relevant printed information. Reflect participants will choose a common place for storage of materials, equally accessible to all. If necessary this may involve renting a room, the costs for which will be born by the management committee from funds within VDAC, or mobilised through other sources such as Panchayat. The CIRC Management Committee will ensure that the materials are in the control of Reflect participants, even though available to the wider community.
Communication between levels will be through a mixture of
meetings, visits, telephones and where available computers. The primary channel
for passing information from and to circles will be a weekly block-wide facilitators'
meeting, which will be facilitated by Block Coordinators. Here the Coordinator
will be able to collect information needs of Reflect participants for necessary
action. People working at all levels will be expected to make regular visits
to Reflect circles, there will also be regular meetings of the DRC, CRCs and
CIRCs of which reports will be circulated. CADMB partners meet monthly for review
and reflection, as will CLCs.
Training will also be provided for members of resource centres at all levels
on facilitation, implementation and management of the pilot programme.
The channels for communicating information back to Reflect participants will include: traditional folk media, audio-visual shows, radio broadcasts, television programmes, will-phone, mobile information centres, leaflets, posters, newsletter and newspapers. Although there are issues of literacy and exclusion with some of the printed media, these are still expected to be used. This is because there is a parallel effort within the programme to improve functional literacy skills among non-literate participants, linking with the District Literacy Mission (ZSS).
One new staff member will be located in each of the thirteen
blocks. Their major roles and responsibilities will be:
Recruitment will be done, prioritising applications from local
people, through interview by February 2004.
Management
structure
The communications system will be managed by different people at different levels,
but the ultimate responsibility and accountability will be with the ICT team
in AA Balangir Field Office. The 13 new staff will support and erport to the
ICT team through the DRC. The utmost priority of the management group will be
to involve the target community in taking ownership of this system, so there
will be management bodies at different levels for smooth management and maximum
interface:
Village level: A nine-member committee comprising of the following representatives will manage the CIRC, made up of:
These members will be accountable to Reflect circle directly
and will sit once a month convened by the Facilitator, to deliberate and discuss
management of the circle and communications system. Their main responsibilities
will be:
Block level: A 9-member committee will be established to ensure proper management of the communication system, designated as Cluster Resource Centre (CRC), and made up of:
Block Resource Coordinator
Project Coordinator of partner organisation
1 Group organiser (Responsible for Reflect process)
1 local PRI member
1 Block official
1 representative from among Facilitators
3 CLC members
All these members will be accountable to the Cluster Level Committee (CLC) and Reflect participants directly. This body will have following responsibilities:
Collection, translation, dissemination and storage of information
at block level as well as researching on new sources and forms of information.
Coordinate block level 'Reflect and ICT' programmes in collaboration with partner
and people's organizations, which includes capacity building and strengthening
of these organisations.
Ensure communication and coordination between DRC and CIRCs.
Ensure regular and effective functioning of pilot Reflect circles.
Networking and collaboration with other agencies, institutions and organisations
operating in the block.
Planning and management of local cultural team for information dissemination
in pilot area.
District level
A 12 member management committee has already been set up for management of the
District Resource Centre (DRC), made up of:
3 ICT team members
4 Representatives from Group Organisers
4 Project Coordinators from partner organisations
1 representative from People's organisation.
Though these representatives are accountable directly to the CRCs and SMPU, they will also be accountable indirectly to the CIRCs. The committee's responsibilities are as follows:
Partner organizations
Conduct implementation of the project in 112 pilot villages. The ICT team and colleagues will visit partners regularly to assess their work, attitudes, motivation, concept clarity and functioning of Reflect circles. Necessary training and facilitation will be provided or Reflect circles reallocated.
ActionAid Bhubaneshwar Region will support the project with management, technical and logistic support and monitoring as well as linking to wider processes.
The International Coordination Unit under IEU will provide
conceptual support to the team and facilitate exchange of experience and learning
between pilot projects
Logistical
details
Equipment will be placed at all 3 levels i.e. district, block and village levels.
The equipment needed by DRC will be placed in the office of ActionAid at Balangir,
which is a rented one, and a separate room will be promoted as the Resource
Centre for this communications system. The equipment will be accessible to all
as it is a focal point for the entire CADMB project and most meetings and trainings
are held in the AAI office itself.
The equipment provided to CRCs will be placed in the CLC offices, which are in place in all clusters. A few blocks already have CLC offices, which are functioning like resource centres of those clusters. Since these offices are located at central places in the cluster of each partner organisation, the Reflect participants and CIRC management committee members can access the equipment easily. The Block Resource Coordinator will be responsible for maintenance of the system at block level with help of CRC managing committee.
Members of CRCs will arrange circle level equipment for CIRCs
of their Block. The Reflect participants will choose a common place for CIRC
and for the equipment so that it is easily accessible to them as well as to
the wider community. This common place might be a community hall or a rented
house (the CIRC management committee will generate funds for rent from the community
funds). This would ensure gradual ownership of Reflect participants over the
acquired information and its management would be in their hands. This would
be the process for establishment of village 'communications system'.
Anticipated changes and benefits
Reflect participants will access and control the information and enhance their own capacity for effective participation in local decision-making.
The ultimate goal is to organise and sensitise poorest for
assertion of their basic rights and participation, contribution to decision-making
and local development.
The list of expectations of Reflect participants is too long to reproduce in full here, but the graphic below shows the expectations mapped by Tentuli Khunti group. The process of grouping expectations and developing indicators was done in Reflect circles with DRC and ICT team members.
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Who else is expected to benefit from the implementations
of the communications system and how?
Facilitators will be the second line beneficiaries of the system as they will
be directly implementing it. Members of the different level resource centres
and committees will benefit through increased capacity to implement and facilitate.
Others in the area will also benefit from greater access to information through
resource centres, people and cultural performances.
How will these benefits be measured?
Anticipated problems or obstacles
The ICT team observed some problems within circle level as follows:
Literacy: According to the present status of Reflect participants the literacy rate is very low and they are not showing interest in Literacy. Hence the Animators might take more time to motivate the participants for imparting the literacy and numeracy skills. Facilitators will impart writing & reading skill through PRA graphics. The Animators will map the basic skills of participants in Speaking, Reading, Listening and Understanding abilities on a weekly basis to monitor the progress of participants' skills on resolving their problems and issues. The following graphic of development priorities identified by Timapalli circle shows this focus on literacy:
Timing: Many Reflect participants are daily wage labourers and are very tired at night. Therefore they might not be in a position to spare sufficient time to sit in circles as expected by the ICT team. Therefore, circle level assessments are being undertaken by facilitators to identify suitable time & day for participants.
Power relations: After application of this communications system those who have better access to information may act as more powerful. The major challenge here is to bridge gaps through sharing and exchange between participants. All participants will be given equal opportunity to take leadership roles according to their expertise. The responsibility of circle management will be given to each participant on a rotation basis. In this way everybody will be able to take leadership role and power dynamics mitigated.
Electronic media: The sample study observed that Reflect Participants are not acquainted with some of the electronic mediums like Computer, Gram-set, Ham-radio etc. Facilitators might take more time to mobilize the participants for adoption of these mediums by using them to collect and disseminate information from the central level and with due course of time the participants will be encouraged to use these mediums for information collection & dissemination at circle level. If ICTs such as Gram-Sat, computers or Ham-Radio are needed later in the project life, alternative funding will be sought.
Many villages have no electricity facilities and few transport links. Hence the team may face communication problem at the time of application of this new technology. The communication problem might be solved with putting proper MIS in place at different levels. Although the team in Balangir feel this problem, it is a common one in the State of Orissa and targeted and broad-based advocacy is needed at state level to remedy this.
Empowerment and collective action by the poorest may result
in retaliation from the rich and influential sections in the village. In some
of the cases, they may go to the extent of threatening the poorest and marginalized
sections to outcast them from the village and demotivating Facilitators and
Participants and may close down Reflect Circles. But if the Reflect Participants
are strongly organized and mobilized with plenty of support, the small percentage
of the rich, elite, influential population in the villages would not dare to
sabotage the process. Corruption between administrators and local government/
powerful people is a racket, which is most difficult to destroy.
The flow of information requests and provision through the three-tier system will be a cyclical process where all participants, facilitators, members of committees and centres will be a chain, dependent on each other for effective functioning. Structures already exist in the Reflect implementation whereby members of circles and VDACs meet with fellow villagers when taking decisions on common issues and problems, or approving plans to be presented to pallisabha.
Facilitators are formally accountable to the CLC as they present their monthly activity reports and plans before taking an honorarium. They are equally accountable to participants for the regular flow of information to them. The same is true of Block Coordinators, accountable to CRC and CIRCs, ICT team, DRC and circles for collection and dissemination of information.
In a positive manner, the increased access to and control over information will enable participants to better raise their voices and push their agendas with the rich in their villages and outside their communities, taking part in the political process which rules their lives. Consequently there will be a major impact on existing power relations in their communities (see diagram below).
Participants' skills and interests vary, and some will access
new skills and information more readily than others. A leadership development
strategy will ensure that each participant is given equal scope for roles and
responsibilities of the implementation phase of the pilot.
Who made the key decisions relating to this plan?
First,
this plan was discussed in different pilot Reflect circles where participants
sat with the ICT team and Facilitators for planning this system. The Facilitating
team started the discussion based on previous plans where problems were identified
and prioritised. A critical discussion and analysis on their problems and causes
was facilitated. Finally, it was observed that lack of information was mentioned
as a cause in each problem.
Linking information needs, Reflect participants chose sources of information with their capacity from which they believe to get their required information. Then they were facilitated to identify mediums through which they would prefer to get their information. With this, the Facilitating team tried to understand the existing information flow system and involved the participants in this process to analyse the situation. Then, the participants were asked to visualise the system that they preferred.
The graphics in this section show Information Flow Structures and Information Ranking at different levels done by Chikili and Ranipalli Reflect Groups:
After completion of this process at circle level, the over view of the analysis was presented before DRC and a final decision was taken on new technology that would serve the purpose of Reflect participants.
DRC Members: Decisions on recruitment of Technical staff, roles & responsibilities of DRC members, information flow system from DRC to CIRC level, distribution of responsibilities, medium of information dissemination, division of Reflect circles among DRC members for assistance to circle.
Central Drought Action Committee (CDAC): Decisions on the structure of DRC, the role & responsibilities of CDAC, monitoring & evaluation of the Pilot Programmes.
Cluster Level Committee (CLCs) & (Block Resource Centers) BRCs: Decisions on recruitment of Facilitators, partnership of Reflect circles, distribution of resource materials to Reflect circles, management of CRC, information flow system at Block level.
Village Drought Action Committee (VDACs) & (Circle level Information and Resource Centers) CIRCs: Selection of Animator and participants; Decisions on storage, maintenance & management of Reflect circle materials and information flow system at village level, decisions on management of CIRC
Pilot Reflect Circles: Identification of information needs and most conducive and accessible communications system, Decisions on management of Reflect circle, fixation of days, time and place for Reflect circle meeting, their own resources management, information flow system at circle level and tagging up adjacent Reflect Circles for their orientations and future replications of the pilot models. Planning for the long-term sustainability of the processes.
Continued role of Reflect groups:
Reflect participants are central to this pilot project and
they are the primary stakeholders of this project. The Reflect groups will act
as information resource centres where participants will sit weekly twice or
once according to their convenience. The focus of these meetings would be to:
Revisit MLPs (identifying existing problems and plan for their solution)
Identify information needs
Plan information collection processes (identify sources, select medium, consult
the wider community, coordinate with CIRC and CRC)
Execute action plans with the help of 'accessed' information
Reflect on their actions and understand their impact (skill mapping, learning,
storing, etc)
This continuous dialogue process will continue as long as the poor feel it necessary.
Reflect participants will be actively involved in management
and control of the communication systems as three representatives from Reflect
groups will be in the management body. The VDAC members are also part of the
Reflect circle as they belong to the vulnerable sections of the community. The
Reflect participants will also have a control over the CRCs, as they will be
representing the management body of CIRCs at the Block level.
The system is expected to continue, as evidenced in the impact
indicators developed by participants, and will be taken forward by people's
organisations strengthened and capacitated through this pilot process. Leaders
created through the leadership programme in each village will carry on Reflect
processes. Throughout the pilot circles are receiving support to develop their
own material and resources including infrastructure to continue running the
system and they will enjoy the library and equipment built up through the pilot
lifetime. Funds will be found from different agencies, including DFID, although
the priority would be given to self-sustaining processes, perhaps through a
village fund base, in line with all ActionAid's work in the area. The three-tier
system will continue to operate after the project lifetime.
Documentation and Sharing Learning
Relationships formed during the planning process:
At village level this fits in closely with wider Reflect processes, including Micro-Level Planning so relationships with all sectors of community were well established as with other departments in ActionAid. Strong relationships have been developed with peripheral organisations in respective villages or blocks and improvement in relationships at conceptual and implementation levels with partners.
Main audience for the learning and outcomes of this project:
The main audience for the learning and outcomes of this pilot are:
Political leaders: They are decision makers in all development activities in the State. Reports, magazines, newsletters, memorandum on information needs and development priorities will be sent to the leaders of concerned departments. They will also be mobilized through lobby and advocacy through media, local political leaders and people's forum for setting up proper information flow systems.
PRI leaders: They are local panchayat leaders who mainly manage and control information flow systems in various development activities at the grassroots. Through various advocacy strategies they will be influenced for channelising information flow and making them accessible to all.
Administration: Administration is the key to all development activities in rural areas. Being the biggest implementing authority, it has the responsibility to monitor information dissemination processes. Hence it will be sensitized through local radio programmes, meetings, interface, newsletters, memorandums and paper cuttings, etc.
National level quasi-judicial bodies and commissions: These bodies and commissions are responsible for keeping checks and balance on the local administration and State and Central Governments through regular reviews and evaluations of Government systems and mechanisms. It is these bodies and commissions, which will be influenced in favour of the people's agenda for assertion of fundamental rights. They will be reached through sending reports to concern departments. They will be motivated through lobby and advocacy at different fora, television channels, radio programmes and meetings. Filing PIL in court of law will influence them.
Other Social Organizations: Civil society organizations across the district and State will be kept in the advocacy loop through seminars, workshops, collective studies, using mail to send letters etc.
A new networking and communications plan is being worked
on early 2004 to include policy advocacy at national and state level around
IT and development.
Methods and media:
Sharing mechanisms:
Workshops, Meetings and Interfaces:
Facilitators, Group organizers and Coordinators will share their experiences
and learning during the application of this communication system. This will
enable the facilitators to enhance their capacity and confidence to move forward.
Quarterly workshops of facilitators will provide a space for sharing knowledge
and experiences, and supporting each others work. There will be a presentation
of Reflect processes from different pilot locations for a common understanding.
An annual workshop at central level will bring together a few participants from each pilot circle to share their own experiences, learning, successful stories and processes through drama, street plays, dance, songs and interactions. Members from CDAC, BRCs/CRCs, CLCs, VDACs and DRC will observe. The Reflect participants will be able to get an opportunity for sharing their process and able to visualize their own achievements. This workshop will build a close relation between people's organizations and the Reflect participants and they could help each other for larger advocacy for the assertion of rights.
Public meetings will be organized at Panchayat level to share perspectives of Reflect process and build awareness of PRI members on the empowerment process through Audio-Visual medium.
The ICT team has planned to organize workshops to share reflect learning and outcomes with external actors, including Govt. Officials, Project partners, Intellectuals, Lawyers, PRI members, Educationists, Journalists and Politicians. This will build both confidence and motivation of participants and awareness and buy-in from external actors who may get involved in replication of the model. The indirect actors will also be able to identify the lacks of the present communications system at their levels.
The ICT team has also plan to share the processes & outcomes of this pilot programme beyond the pilot locations by conducting meetings with a network of AA partners of Western Orissa. This meeting will enable the other partners to have clarity on this pilot programme. It also will give scope to make the others' views on this empowerment process & to replicate this model on their respective operational areas.
Exposure Visits:
Reflect participants will visit other Reflect circles in other blocks and even
other areas to enhance their ability to share their views at different levels
and know new issues, information, skills and communication systems. Facilitators
will also visit different Reflect project areas for sharing experiences and
build facilitation skills. Facilitators will get the opportunity to build their
networks with other Reflect practitioners beyond their pilot locations for larger
advocacy.
Audio & Video:
During the need assessment study by the facilitators, it was analyzed that most
of the Reflect participants preferred to use Audio & Video systems as relevant
medium for effective communications. Therefore, the ICT team tried to explore
these mediums for effective sharing of this process. The team has planned to
arrange a mobile video van, which will cover each circle of the pilot area.
The mobile video system will allow the audience to be the eyewitness of many
success stories, information, experiences of Reflect participants and methodologies
of different pilot areas. This will give the opportunities to the villagers
to develop their understanding on new skills & new technologies for literacy
and empowerment. Audiocassettes will be used for recording versions, songs and
testimonials of the Reflect participants to be shared at circle, BRC/CRC and
DRC levels.
Traditional Mediums: (Dance, Songs, Drama, Street
plays etc)
The ICT team has planned to use this medium for sharing the success stories
of different Reflect circles. The cultural team will move each block and will
stage the drama & street plays to share the documentation appropriately.
Since most of the participants are non-literate, the traditional medium will
be applied to share the experiences properly. The cultural team also will stage
cultural programmes in different workshops and meetings to circulate message
in a wider context.
Newsletters, Leaflets and other Print Materials:
Keeping this in the mind the ICT team has intended to use the print mediums
for ensuring the sharing process. It has been planned to circulate quarterly
newsletter through which Learning, Information, Experiences and success stories
will be shared in a wider context. A quarterly newsletter namely "LOK UKIA"
has been circulated on a regular basis, which reaches to all Reflect circles,
Govt. officials, Block and Panchayat. That will enable the direct actors and
indirect actors to share their experiences and knowledge properly. The indirect
actors will be able to know about this new technology and new literacy skills.