Media and Activists Learn How to Work Together to Bring About Change for Communities

30 representatives from different African, European and Central American countries met in Vienna between 22th and 24th June to attend an international media training, organised by the Vienna women organisation “Solidarity Among Women”. TRIALOG supported the participation of 3 representatives from EU13 countries.
The training has been delivered by Seidy Salas Viquez from Costa Rica and Valerie N. Msoka from Tanzania. The main focus was on how the media can be used to improve the situation of women and strengthen women’s rights, and what the role of alternative media and social media is.

First, S. Viquez introduced the term „edutainment” and shared her knowledge of power of fiction. “Because life is full with drama, humanity tells stories, with lessons, meanings, and questions”, she points out. What can we achieve with radio plays? Instead of a theoretical training participants had the opportunity to become producers and actors. In very limited time four teams produced 4 different but all emotionally moving radio dramas, based on real issues and supplemented by explanatory facts.

Participant Irina Veleva from Bulgaria who has a background from press, but now is involved in CSO, said: “The practical training on how to produce a radio drama was more than exiting I believe for all of us. We were shown and guided through all the stages of an artist’s work – defining an idea, constructing a story, building a scenario being mindful of the target audience and recording the drama. All that happened in the course of one day and with the help of the microphone. This was an exemplary case of empowerment lesson”. She also added that the training was extremely beneficial for her as it acquainted with honest and passionate people from all over the world and walks of life quite different from her.

Valerie N. Msoka from the Tanzania Media Women’s Association talked on the role of media in social change: “The media training was a great opportunity for the meeting of two sides that need to work together. This is because the common denominator for the media and CSOs activists is public. The media is accountable to the public for providing information and civil society organisations - for rising issues. Therefore, COSs cannot attain much without embracing the power of media in order to bring change. Engaging the media in CSOs activities strengthens a mutual relationship which has the positive effect of shaping issues for the benefit of society.”

For more information, you can download the programme.

Link for the radio dramas.
If you are interested, you can join the Facebook group.

Photos:
(-) Women organisation “Solidarity Among Women” invited 30 women to share their experiences in Vienna
(-) In the shoes of an actor: recording “Story of Zinga”
(-) Sucsessful finish

Information provided by Anita Kehre, Latvian Platform for development cooperation - LAPAS