Development through Grassroots Journalism

Access to information is one of the basic human rights in this 21st century. Information enriches lives, and lack of it can diminish dignity.  

 To achieve development that is practical and lasting, we have to ensure community people’s right to information. 

Information can play a vital role to help children grow into active citizens. Besides, to facilitate a participatory and sustainable development promoting the grassroots, a forum is needed where children, community people and local civil society can have their voices heard. 

Community Journalist Groups is one of the platforms that hopes to fight against poverty with the power of information. 

Goal: 

Eradication of Poverty and Social Change through Grassroots Journalism 

Objectives: 

• To establish human rights through journalism in the grassroots.
• To build awareness and achieve development through ensuring access to information.
• To establish meaningful contact between the poor & the marginalised and the people’s representatives, local government administration and policy makers in order to eradicate poverty and establish justice.
• To ensure people’s participation in ActionAid Bangladesh’s activities.
• To build children and the general mass as active citizens

Already a 15-member Community Journalist Group (CJG) is formed in each of the 31 development areas of ActionAid Bangladesh in Jan 2010. Farah Kabir, Country Director, is the Chairperson of Editorial Board and Chief Patron of CJG and Mahbub Hasan, Manager-Sponsorship, is the Founder and Central Editor of CJG. ActionAid Bangladesh successfully networked with the members of CJG at the grassroots, built their capacity on basic journalism and IT skills. ActionAid Australia conducted training on blogging in Bangladesh with young journalists who are getting ready to blog with policy makers and their supporters. Almost all of the Groups have published Grassroots Newsletter featuring their stories – the challenges they face everyday and the achievements that keep them going. 

Please listen to the interview of Ms. Sharna of ActionAid Australia taken by Radio Australia at http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/connectasia/stories/201006/s2930630.htm on CJG.

We need your solidarity and support to promote the activities of these promising journalists and fight against poverty and injustice. Please contact at: Bangladesh.Sponsorship@actionaid.org