DEVcast » English

Training the trainer

Piyoo — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 05:11:52 +0000

I am not sure if this is what I was thinking of finding, but its a training for trainer kind of video. Though at times it sounds almost like something that presents the best-case-scenario of how immunization is done. It is also a good guide to a public health graduate to know how it really should happen and what it should look like once they are done figuring out what’s really going wrong!

Power of collectives

Piyoo — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:35:15 +0000

Age old adage – united we stand, divided we fall. Meena’s friend experiences that in this episode. The power of collective has the potential to be used both for good, evil or for teaching a lesson Its not hard to use it for the evil, often all it takes is a week moment but fear not, change is easy too, just acknowledge and lose the I for the We!

Agism of the good kind

Piyoo — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 21:05:51 +0000

Any age under 18 is too young to marry for both girl and boy, not just according to law but because bodies and minds are still not ready for the additional responsibilities. However the star of the episode was clearly Mithu with matchmaking at its best

There is always something to be said for innocent love!

Give and take

Piyoo — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 20:19:54 +0000

Enough has been said about dowry and abolishing the practice. So when I watched this video I liked its simple way of communicating the message, but what struck me most was the ease with which the ‘community’ reached a consensus on it. Often that is the bigger evil! Ofcourse dowry is illegal but does that knowledge convert to practice? (Incase you are going to say, yes, let me correct you) NO.

So how do we ‘do’ a NO, even when we KNOW?

My family name

Piyoo — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:55:17 +0000

When I was born my grandmother didnt see me for my first three days. First child of her last son, a girl! How will the family name continue? But I was her favourite grandchild ‘ever’ very soon (oh thats a big status being one of 19 first cousins) ofcourse my baby brother crying ALL the time helped bolster my status.

Times have changed people say, but for a large majority they havent. They face it day in and day out, Meena and women from her community show they will change and then need to change for women.

Give me some tea

Piyoo — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:29:14 +0000

Curing with tea, well thats true for me or is it that I am conditioned to think so, since am a girl, hmmm. I wonder. But Meena doesn’t in this episode. Equal pay, equal medical care, equal opportunities for both male and female – in all aspects of life.

I like this episode, but am thinking is humiliating those traditionally in ‘positions of power’ the best way to achieve equality? Can we achieve win-win or will there always be some-lose some-win?

Listen to a … girl?

Piyoo — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 19:07:58 +0000

Its not that girls know more, but its also incorrect that girls CANNOT know anything, hence we dont need to listen to them. Meena’s curiosity and concern for her sister makes her face all odds and seek out the source of information that helps her family save her sister’s life.

I cant help but comment that Meena’s family is pretty unique, in that they are supportive of her, trust her and give her credit when due. Often most girls face these challenges more than anyother.

Making wishes come true

Piyoo — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 08:28:12 +0000

… is not a genie’s job we have to strive to do it ourselves, beginning with, wishing for the right thing. Meena and her friends join forces to make her village a healthy place. From building low cost sanitation ‘latrines’ to hygienic habits, this video makes a case for simple wishes coming true.

The HIV story

Piyoo — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 07:47:02 +0000

Isnt it amazing when you see intelligent story telling! The story of a girl brings the issue of HIV and AIDS into the vocabulary of children and introduces ’sex = making a baby process’ to children. I cant suggest how they would have done it differently, but by perpetuating a stereotype (of sex being only a reproductive and a heterosexual act), I see it tackling one part of the HIV/AIDS problem (stigma and discrimination) but lacking in others!

So I am left wondering, is playing safe better than not playing at all? (no puns intended)!!

Making choices

Piyoo — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 07:18:17 +0000

Life is all about making choices. And choices that we make often depend on the access to information and alternatives we have. Most often our information may come from sources we least expect.

Meena uses her limited resources to help out her family and in process helps her dad make the decision to let her continue being in school.