Poornima’s Triumph over Bonded Labour: A Story of Resilience
Poornima was liberated from bonded labour in 2014, but she immediately faced the formidable challenge of rebuilding her life. She needed to secure employment, find accommodation and obtain essential documents. With determination, she returned to her village to acquire the skills necessary for self-sufficiency. Demonstrating both courage and perseverance, Poornima and her husband set up a small tailoring business. This initiative not only sustained their family but also provided employment opportunities for other freed bonded laborers in their community. By converting her adversities into a platform for financial independence and empowerment, Poornima has exemplified how resilience can drive transformative change, offering a future filled with dignity and hope for herself and others.
A Dad Who Became a Mom
Manish, a resident of Bengaluru, Karnataka, has been raising his daughter alone since she was eight months old. To nurture her effectively, he has taken on the roles of both father and mother, overcoming numerous challenges—deciding where to leave his daughter when he goes to the office, choosing which washroom—men's or women's—to use when they are in a market area, determining the right amount of food to give her, what to say to her about periods, among other things. What truly demonstrates his resilience is his consistent willingness and cheerful attitude in doing everything necessary for his daughter’s upbringing.
SWAGATA - A Bereaved Mother’s Resolve
In January 2020, Swagata Majumdar faced the unimaginable grief of losing her twins. The grief of losing her children became overwhelming. She also realized that child loss is a significant taboo in India, leading to the isolation of bereaved mothers. Determined to challenge this stigma and support others, Swagata, along with her friends, started a support group for mothers who have lost a child. Today, Swagata has found healing and is now living with a happy family.
SWATI - Fighting Cancer with Courage
Swati, a young mother, faced immense challenges after being diagnosed with cancer, a diagnosis that changed her life forever. She spent months battling the disease, enduring painful treatments and the emotional toll of being separated from her young child. Despite the overwhelming hardships, Swati's journey through illness became a turning point, revealing her inner strength and determination. Her resilience not only helped her overcome the illness but also empowered her to take charge of her life and her child's future.
LIFE IN LAMKA | Economic Impact of Violence on Kuki - Zo Community in Manipur
Benjamin, a Kuki-Zo man and father of five in Manipur’s Churachandpur district, struggles daily to meet his family's needs amid ongoing ethnic violence. The unrest, which began over a year ago, has severely impacted the state's economy, with retail inflation soaring to 11.63% in November 2023, compared to the national average of 5.55%. The prices of essential goods have skyrocketed in this border district, which remains cut off from the commercial hub of the Meitei-dominant Imphal region, about 60 km away. All goods now come through mountainous terrain, covering a distance of over 800 km. How is Benjamin’s family – and other residents – surviving this economic crisis?
DIVYA | A Mother Finds Herself After a Crash
Divya, a single mother, encountered significant challenges following a car accident, an event that altered her life forever. She endured nearly a year of being bedridden, isolated from her son and struggling with uncooperative home nurses. Little did she know that these hardships would lead her to discover herself and take control of both her life and her son's, a fruit of her resilience.
SUBMERGED | A Result of Uttarakhand’s Development Projects
Sucheta Tomar, a farmer and housewife in Uttarakhand state's Lohari village, is one of the many residents who lost their ancestral homes due to a hydropower project by the state government. Their home submerged in flood water, Sucheta and her husband now live in a classroom of an abandoned school.
POVERTY TRAP | When Hard Work Isn’t Enough
The story of Satish Kumar, a young man who lives in a small village in Uttar Pradesh state’s Chandauli district, shows how tens of millions of people in India are trapped in the cycle of poverty, with no fault of their own. Through the story he shares in this visual, open letter, Kumar points to a critical, but unaddressed…
STRUGGLES OF TRADITIONAL FISHERMEN
Dhanushkodi is a southeast Indian coastal town abandoned during a deadly cyclone in 1964. But this ghost town awakens at dawn to the call and response songs of fishermen dragging at their fishing nets at the shore practicing the centuries-old shore seine fishing method.
This video was produced by the participants of the 'Video Literacy Workshop for Coastal Communities' alongside UNESCO, Wildlife Institute of India, Surbhi foundation and others with Newsreel Asia as a publishing and training partner.
WHY DON’T FISHERMEN USE LIFE JACKETS
Fisherman M. Lakshmi Nivash asks his fellow fishermen why they are not using life jackets while fishing. What they explain goes against the notion that fishermen don't like to use such gear.
This video was produced by the participants of the 'Video Literacy Workshop for Coastal Communities' alongside UNESCO, Wildlife Institute of India, Surbhi foundation and others with Newsreel Asia as a publishing and training partner.
SEA MEDOW STRUGGLES
Raj Kumar Rana, a Dalit Sarpanch from Nurpur Village in Punjab, has been committed to the development of his community. Despite his earnest efforts, state-level party politics have significantly hindered his progress. The Panchayati Raj system, designed to empower local communities and promote responsive governance, faces challenges when state politics intrude. In the case of Sarpanch Rana, his firm stance leads to unforeseen consequences for him and his family.
TIDING OVER POLIO AND PANDEMIC
Anthony Thina's has fought his debilitating childhood ailment of polio with a smile. So when Thina who comes from a fishing family saw his dried fish business evaporating during the pandemic, he found a solution in an unlikely space - his YouTube channel and Facebook Page.
This video was produced by the participants of the 'Video Literacy Workshop for Coastal Communities' alongside UNESCO, Wildlife Institute of India, Surbhi foundation and others with Newsreel Asia as a publishing and training partner.
SILIGURI
Host Mariya Rajan's quick visit to three hamlets near lush green tea gardens in Siliguri city and surrounding areas reveal that at least one child has gone "missing" in each of them. Was it just a coincidence, or is something changing in that region - which, being a gateway to the northeast India as well as the neighbouring countries …
SEX TRAFFICKING IN MUMBAI
Shama (name changed) and her underage daughter are brought from West Bengal state to Mumbai city by human traffickers with the promise of a job. Soon they find themselves in separate brothels. Their stories reflect what many of the more than 1,600 girls and women in Mumbai …
LONG WALK TO WATER
Series host Mariya Rajan goes for an arduous walk on the mountains of Almora district of Uttarakhand state with a local resident, Janaki Devi, who fetches water three times a day from the nearest stream that is kilometres away.
LONG WALK TO SCHOOL
Nikita Mehra treks for half an hour every day to reach the nearest road above her house in Almora district of the northern state of Uttarakhand, only to walk six more kilometres to attend school. Many other girls, however, have dropped out of school due to safety concerns.
THE UNEQUAL HALF | Gender Discrimination in Rajasthan
A young woman, Barkha (not her real name), goes through discrimination and sexual abuse at home, which, an activist says, may serve as anecdotes about what many girls and women in the north Indian state of Rajasthan experience due to a high level of gender inequality.
WHERE’S MY LOO?
Kusum and Pinki are just two of the millions of women in rural India who do not have access to a toilet. The two live in a village in the northern state of Haryana, which according to the Indian government, is open-defecation free. Local activist Sameer Bakshi?s family raises the issue.
D FOR DOWRY
Awadh Kishore and Draupadi Kumari, a couple from northern India’s Bundelkhand agricultural region, are not only unable to sustain their family financially but also need to arrange large sums of money for the marriage of their four young daughters.