Development Communications combines my skills (writing, design and research) with my passion for social transformation. Therefore, for the past six years I’ve worked in communications roles for both local and international NGO’s, in urban and rural India.
PUKAR: Partners for Urban Knowledge, Action and Research
PUKAR is an independent research collective and an urban knowledge production center that provides a platform for cross disciplinary, multi-sectoral, community based research for issues related to urbanization and globalization. PUKAR aims to democratize research and broaden access to knowledge among disenfranchised or weakly institutionalized groups and to create a space from which their non traditional and non expert knowledge can contribute to local, national and global debates about their own futures. It promotes research as a right for everyone and uses it as tool for pedagogy, advocacy, intervention and transformation.
My work at PUKAR since 2010 onwards has given me the opportunity to work on various themes including: public health, youth & knowledge production and urbanization.
My role:
- Documenting PUKAR’s Youth Fellowship Programme through quarterly reports to funding agencies.
- Researching and collating content for the website and social media platforms
- Compiling 6 month project reports, quarterly newsletters, annual reports
- Designing all creatives for events, projects & programmes
- Highlighting best practices and case stories from the Youth Fellowship Programme (via social media
- platforms and an interactive website)
- Developing press releases for all campaigns and events
- Designing creatives for organizational promotion and fund-raising including brochures, bookmarks, posters, facebook dp, blog banners etc.
AKDN: Aga Khan Development Network
Focus Humanitarian Assistance (FOCUS) is an international group of agencies established in Europe, North America, South and Central Asia to complement the provision of emergency relief, principally in the developing world. It helps people in need reduce their dependence on humanitarian aid and facilitates their transition to sustainable self-reliant, long-term development. Focus Humanitarian Assistance is an affiliate of the AKDN.
From 2008 – 2010 I worked at Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN). During this time, I developed print and digital IEC material on disaster preparedness for a varied, rural, target audience. The most challenging part of this work was to break-through my ‘urbanized’ mind-set so as to develop culturally relevant material and identify local, popular forms of media for dissemination. I also documented and published over 100 case stories showcasing the project’s impact.
My Role:
- Monitoring project implementation and evaluating outreach activities as per ECHO guidelines, across 19 villages in Gujarat.
- Communicating and networking with donors, DRR partners and community members to facilitate project implementation and documentation.
- Preparing monthly updates, newsletters and project reports.
- Generating manuals on best DRR practices and case studies from project reports.
- Developing IEC material, training manuals and curriculum booklets for primary and secondary teachers and students on disaster preparedness for school safety based on project findings.
- Project proposal writing for external funding of the project’s 2nd phase (DIPECHO, USAID)
AKSHARA: A Women’s Resource Center
Akshara grew out of the contemporary Indian women’s movement in the 1980s with the campaigns against violence against women. It was established formally in 1995 as a response to the growing need for material with a gender perspective. Vision:‘To Establish a Gender Just and Violence Free Society’
I initially began my career as an information office for Akshara: A women’s resource Centre. My work comprised of researching, collating, analyzing, packaging, and disseminating gender related information. Additionally, I led a research study on sexual harassment and a subsequent city-wide campaign that ultimately led to policy changes and State initiated preventive measures. I also facilitated an online learning programme on women’s rights and feminism for gender activists called StreeNet.
My role:
- Conceptualizing, networking, fund-raising for and establishing an online course in women’s studies for activists and students at a local, national and international level.
- Facilitating six gender and ICT courses in terms of curriculum development, creating the course framework, compiling resource material, monitoring the admissions process & online interface and conducting training and capacity building workshops.
- Developing IEC and training resource material including manuals, research studies, booklets, posters, banners etc. that convey information related to gender and women’s rights.
- Conducting Gender Training workshops for trainers, activists, students and educational institutes.
- Conceptualizing and conducting gender based research projects.
- Publishing short information packages on various issues related to gender.
- Communicating and networking with donors, partners and community members including preparing brochures, monthly updates, newsletters and project reports.
- Networking with other women’s groups during the Violence Against Women (VAW) campaign
CEHAT: Centre for Enquiry Into Health and Allied Themes
CEHAT is the research centre of Anusandhan Trust. We are involved in research, training, service and advocacy on health and allied themes. Socially relevant and rigorous academic health research and health action at CEHAT is for the well-being of the disadvantaged masses, for strengthening people’s health movements and for realising right to health and health care. CEHAT acts as an interface between progressive people’s movements and academia.
arajohannes 