Success
stories of Development Communication in Asia
Sis
Patricia Michelle Mathias fsp
Abstract: This
paper highlights Success Stories of Media- integrated initiatives in
Development Communication. In order to clearly chart through the main topic,
the paper provides a summarised, historical journey of the concept of
Development and the usage of media for the same followed by actual narratives
from people across continents wherein Mass mediated technology was used as an
important tool to empower people and contribute to Development initiatives.
1. Introduction
The word, ‘Development’
today basically highlights an empowerment of people, a community and the entire
society at large to contribute to their own growth and a better living in union
with nature and the cosmos at large. Development Communication is an important
subject in the field of Communication that highlights the role played by
Communication and Communication tools in the role of providing information and
knowledge that leads to the socio-political and economic development of
individuals, communities and the nation at large. A journey through the history
leads us to an understanding of how Mass Media has been a constant tool in
implementing the numerous initiatives despite the tumultuous terrain of
learning through experiences.
2. Historical Perspective of Development
Communication
‘Development
Communication’ over the years has metamorphosised from a dominating paradigm
into a participatory paradigm. Historically, the initial stages of Development
Communication focused on the one-way, ‘monologic’ tradition of
Sender-Message-Channel-Receiver wherein, communication was seen as a persuasive
stance to develop habits and practices that cater to modernization and
adaptation to innovations.
Hernández-Ramos, and Wilbur
Schramm (1989) state that post World War II, the U.S emerged as a massive
politically and economically established power. However, the rise of the Soviet
Union and the spread of Communism unnerved the U.S. In an attempt at dealing
with this issue, the U.S. guided by the leadership of U S president, Harry S
Truman decided on a program called the Marshall plan that provided an
economical assistance to Europe. This program of aid was implemented through
multilateral organisations including those like the United Nations and the
International Bank for reconstruction and development. This development
focussed on Industrial development brought about through economic investments,
procurement of raw materials, facilitating transportation and training of
personnel to cater to the Industrial needs. Aid was subsequently provided for
Public Education, Health care, Population Control and Media as a ‘persuasive’
communication tool (Hernández-Ramos, and Schramm,1989).
However, scholars from the 70’s,
disapproved of these development initiatives. They opined that this
initial tendency wherein Development was seen as a means to overcome
traditional practices and adapt to modernization, industrialization and an
economic boom only led to countries with poor economies becoming poorer and depending
on countries with rich economies. This awareness led to a
paradigm change that included a development approach which shifted from being
‘an economically and mechanically aided development by rich donor countries to
dependent countries to a development that empowered the dependent countries and
its citizens to grow, transform and be empowered to participate in their own
development.
This changed concept of
development was spear-headed by ‘Paulo Friere’ who used adult literacy
campaigns to conscientize poor farmers in the North eastern part of Brazil and
empowered the landless peasants to demand for their rights for freedom from
oppressive conditions and for a better living. Thus, leading to the birth of a participatory
model wherein, the people of the place were conscientized and contributed
equally to their own development. Communication here was used positively and
the tools included both the traditional means as well the news forms of
technology.
Development was thus seen
as a concept not to be imposed onto people, rather, an initiative wherein
people participated in the process of their empowerment and growth through
education, information, awareness of their rights and provisions provided
within the precincts of the country and its governance. It was then defined in a
healthier perspective that enabled the growth of human beings in their
entirety, including their political, socio-economic situation and the environment.
Communication now was not just persuasive and a one
way means to use media to adapt to innovations, rather communication was a
means to understand the actual situation, probe the real needs, become aware of
one’s rights as citizens and contribute to one’s growth hand in hand with
collaboration at varied levels between authorities, experts and the recipients.
Therefore, “Development communication in the words of Nora Quebral (2006) is the
art and science of human communication related to a society's planned
transformation from the state of poverty to a dynamic socio-economic growth
that leads to a greater equality and the larger unfolding of individual
potentials.
Focussing on Nedia, Royal
Colle (2002) also defines Development Communication as the planned and
systematic use of communication through interpersonal channels, audio-visual
and mass media. Colle highlights the importance on the collects and exchanging
information, mobilising people for development actions, assisting the people
through the process of problem-solving during misunderstandings and the
application of the Communication technology “to training and extension
programs, particularly at the grassroots level, in order to improve their
quality and impact” (Colle, R. 2002).
Mass Media technology is
thus one among the many tools of Communication that has been employed to reach
out to the people instantaneously.
3. Mass Media and Development Communication- The
Success Stories
Mass media includes
varied means of tools in Communication. These include both the Traditional
forms of Media, Print Media, Electronic Media and now the ‘Digital media’.
While, the yester years, saw a massive influence of traditional media such as
street theatre, varied theatrical and dance forms, hoardings, booklets and
posters; Community Radios, Participatory Videos and Television series; Today,
New Media including Smartphone Apps, Social Media Apps, OTT apps like YouTube
and likewise, have transformed the arena of Digital communication with their quick
means to reach out at any given time and space.
3.1 Apps That Turn into A Boon for Struggling
Farmers
A research Survey by Mckinsey
revealed that a large number of Farmers in Brazil used digital technology for
gathering information. Other studies also reveal that farmers use technologies
to obtain information on the activities of the farm, farm management, purchase
and sales of inputs and production, mapping land use and prediction of climatic
risks (Mckinsey & Company, 2020; Colussi, 2020)
Maria Vasconcelos, the
daughter of a farmer, educated in a university along with her friends Raphael
and Thales, experimented with sensors that could measure rain and gradually
developed a technology that can be digitally accessed on a smartphone measure
soil moisture and temperature in the soil. The experiment was very successful
on her own fathers’ field. Being in a village, she then contacted all her
father’s friends who were farmers and those who adapted this technology
benefitted so much that they further turned into role models and encouraged
other to adopt this technology. The farmers benefitted, while Maria and her
team turned into entrepreneurs (Be Brasil, 2021). This could be considered as
an ideal development for community members.
3.2 A Phone Call That Turns into A Voice for The
Voiceless
The Gondi tribe is an indigenous
tribe belonging to the forests of Chhattisgarh in central India who had been
ignored for long. Shubhranshu Choudhary, a journalist quit his job at the BBC
world service and took help from Microsoft to build an app to highlight the
news and information of the Gondi people. He thus laid the foundation of the CGnet
Swara- an online voice-based portal which allows people to report a local news
just by making a phone call. For this, he trained the people from the local
community to deliver the audio-news reports.
Reported stories follow a
process of moderation by the CGnet Swara team for authenticity purposes. For
instance, when Mahesh Saket, a resident of Rewa district called to report about
the only single handpump in the village that had gone dysfunctional, CGnet
audience made multiple calls to the authorities, leading to the pump getting
repaired in just 10 days. (Singh, 2017)
In another interesting
story, a member from the tribe in the hills called the ‘Pahari Korwa’ of
Raigarh district called to report about deaths of two pregnant women as they
couldn’t reach the hospital on time due to lack of good roads and also
mentioned the number of the collector in his message. The collector was surprised to receive a call
from New Jersey to ask what was done about the same. Today, the village has
transformed and the villagers now also have a school in this area (Singh,
2017). Initiatives such as these form the crux of Development.
3.3 Participatory Videos (PV) for Social Change
The concept of the
Participatory video began initially to highlight the plight of the people by
making a video of theirs and then garnering the attention of the authorities
and the civil society as well as the people around by showcasing the video.
Unlike Documentary videos that sometimes capture stories to showcase them to
the world, a participatory Video is made to garner attention to a community and
the issues faced by them. R. Arun Kumar and P.Govindaraju (2011) state that “as
a catalyst PV works as a catalyst for groups to develop the power to interact
and influence those bodies and institutions with power over. Video breaks the
illiteracy barrier and facilitates the access to the institutional and
political framework. The objectives of participatory video are to facilitate
empowerment, community self-sufficiency, and communication.” While initially it
used to be video films, today, YouTube, the OTT platform provides space, ease,
economic feasibility and convenience to easily upload videos and reach out seeking help or bring attention
to their concerns.
One of the most prominent
and popular examples of participatory communication is the example of Donald
Snowden who teamed up with filmmaker Colin Low to make 27 short films
documenting the life and the struggles faced by the fishing community of the
Fogo Island, Newfoundland, Canada. The video made by them in a collaborative
effort with the people of the community led to many measures being taken to
solve the community issues.
3.4 ICTs lead to transformation for a good cause
Samkha Village in the
Lampang Province of Thailand in its earlier days, had lot of issues, logging
led to forest damage which further caused drought and lack of drinking water in
summer, followed by flash floods that damaged the paddy fields, which is the
primary source of food and income for the people there. Forest fires caused by
the villagers while hunting lead to further harm. A teacher, ‘Srinaun
Wongtrakul’ and her six students who attended a workshop funded by local and
international organizations on community learning initiatives, changed the
scenario. It was a learner- oriented programme and gradually with the help of
Information and communication technologies, and many reports that went back and
forth, the village saw many projects being implemented like check dams,
firebreaks, credit unions and information and technology centres to cater to
this simple village. Here too a Mobile GAP assessment system was used and
children from the Samkhya village’ elementary school were also trained to use “computers
and tablets for data inputting and certification application purposes”. The
crop production began faring well and water levels too were restored. The
parents also depended on their children for data entries, the children grew in
confidence. (FAO, 2015)
3.5 Community Radio- a beacon in the dark
Gurgaon Ki Awaaz is a
community Radio venture that began in 2008 initiated by the NGO ‘The Restoring
Force’. The radio plays folk songs of the people of that locality. They reach
out to the people of this community in such a way, that the Community Radio
station has turned into a mediator between the Government officials and the
village. People call the Community Radio for help even for matters such as Bad
roads. The Radio teamed up with the internationally acclaimed Sesame group to
teach children of migrant workers values and hygiene. The Radio station trains
and employs people belonging to the community. Community Learning Programmes
like the ‘Chahat Chowk’ focussing on sexual and reproductive health, ‘We The
People Abhiyaan’ ‘a 13-part series on the Preamble to the Indian Constitution
involving lawyers and social activists, adolescent emotional health programs and
other programs on gender- based violence, sexual harassment and gender
identity. People call the Radio station, clarify their doubts, even chat with
them in a very friendly manner. (Gurgaon Ki Awaaz)
3.6 Folk Media- a powerful medium amidst
villagers
Dhananjay a pathologist,
while traveling back to his village for practice met with an accident. While in
the hospital many of the villagers visited him, highlighting the worsening
water crisis and deteriorating land conditions in his village.
In his attempt to do
something for the people of his village. He visited other villages to find out
techniques of the Watershed Management Programme. Dhananjay
stated that he took the help of kirtankars (a community of spiritual
storytellers who use dance and songs to convey a message) and tamasha artists (folk
dancers and artists) to convey the message and create awareness. They held over
150- 200 events around the village and even visited schools, public events and
households with a small television to showcase the importance of the
environmental conservation. Videos were made as the results bore fruit and
water conversation began. This attracted publicity towards the village and many
youngsters joined the cause. The video having been shown on television also
brought the attention of the Government and Trust Bodies who granted funds for
the project. The Farmers who could
barely grow one crop and had started migrating away, today are able to produce
multiple crops (Nitnaware, 2021). These are many instances wherein media
initiatives have turned into beacons in the dark.
4. Conclusion
Success Stories are many.
However, it is to be remembered that Media alone cannot lead to development. It
is team work and the use of proper communication tools. And Media is an undeniably
important tool today that aids development initiatives. In a world that is
bound by technology, media networking can work wonders across the world today,
especially amidst people who are in dire need.
It is inevitable that we
use vivid Means of Communication to adapt behaviours and attitudes that lead to
a Development that is holistic and involves both the development of Humankind
in union with Nature.
REFERENCES
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