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“Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”

—Article 19 of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Video Volunteers’ programs have created great impact and have helped local communities find solutions to their specific problems. We continue to work to empower more communities to raise their voices and lead, connect and change, to not only better their lives but also to make this world a better place for all.  To this end, Video Volunteers has also created two online platforms that showcase our Community Producers’ and Community Correspondents’ videos.

CVU Films

CVU Films is an online platform where you can watch the videos produced by our Community Video Units (CVUs) across the globe.  The network distributes, promotes and supports community-produced media in the developing world. These videos are about social, economic and local issues the communities want to address within their own community.  It is a forum where the Community Producers can share their views with the world and a platform that enables them to connect with a global audience through their community videos.

The website features shortened subtitled versions of the video magazines produced by the CVUs. Visitors can read behind scenes interviews with the producers about the making of the films, read stories about impacts on the community and post questions directly to the filmmakers apart from viewing the videos.  The CVU Films platform allows the producers to reach out beyond their communities to the rest of the world and people like you, who can also contribute to positive change.

CLICK HERE to watch the videos made by the CVU producers and get to know the community issues they are voicing.

Brazil CVU Videos

Videos made by the Brazilian favela youth involved in the Video Volunteers’ video and livelihood training program (VCU.br), that took place in São Paulo, can also be found at the CVU Films site here–just sort for “VV Brazil”, if not already sorted.

Additionally, the livelihood program resulted in an exciting and innovative new venture—a video collective called Coletivo Caçamba—initiated and run by graduates of the VCU.br program.  Videos from the collective’s own website can be found, here.

IndiaUnheard

The IndiaUnheard online platform supports the Video Volunteers’ IndiaUnheard program, which is the community news service launched by Video Volunteers.  This initiative consists of a network of community correspondents who are trained to tell unique stories; stories about their own communities; stories which are otherwise left untold.

Through IndiaUnheard, Video Volunteers offers the global audience a clear window into the real India.  Every day video reports on key issues such as caste, conflict, identity and education are gathered from across the country. Imagine a situation where a tribal woman reports on how displacement is affecting children’s right to education in the Northeast, or a Dalit man discusses Dalit political representation in local elections and government. Not only does IndiaUnheard provide critical insight into these under reported perspectives, it does so on a national scale, making it the first program of its kind.

The reports are featured on the IndiaUnheard web-series, where viewers watch videos by issue and learn how to take action. Viewers are also able to share their thoughts on the videos produced and even submit ideas for future stories. The videos are also distributed through social media sites such as Facebook, Youtube, Twitter and Blip TV. In this way, viewers can connect with individual correspondents and receive updates posted by the correspondents (using their mobile phones) from their often distant and remote locations. This enables community voices to be heard on a new, wider scale which, in turn, leads to a greater impact.

CHECK OUT the Community Correspondents’ videos here on IndiaUnheard!