About Abhivyakti

Mission

Abhivyakti Media for Development is located in Nashik, northern Maharashtra, India. Presently, we are involved in promoting diverse media forms and messages, originating from different sources. Our vision is to create multiple exchange nodes, so that a plural media environment emerges. We feel this is necessary to strengthen dialogue and involve/evolve various learning communities in regaining control of their lives.  Transforming the role of the community worker and opening up a variety of spaces for local dialogues, expressions and relationships is vital to this process. 

We work with grassroots groups and try to enhance their effectiveness as community workers by (1) focussing on their roles as communicators and (2) exploring possible uses of media to generate community learning.

Abhivyakti seeks to strengthen media and communication resources for promoting people-centred developmental actions, mainly in communities in Maharashtra. Abhivyakti views people-centered development as a process in which people can fulfill their basic political, social, economic and cultural aspirations, by deciding for themselves the type of society they want to live in, irrespective of their social identity. This is a major shift away from the mainstream concept of development, where 'BIG' assumes significance (big dams for example) and people are left in the lurch, never considered worthy enough to decide for themselves and their communities.

In order to do the above, Abhivyakti begins to promote alternative media by placing it on the menu of the receivers.  Many people are so habitualised to the images and messages of mass media that they are unaware of the existence of an alternate articulation of images and messages.  Abhivyakti Media for Development desires to bring such material to the fore. 

It has been noticed that globalization of media has resulted in a shift in the nature of programme production.  More and more programmes are being produced for a generalized audience. Target specific developmental programmes (programmes for children, women, farmers, etc.) are being underplayed. Prime time on TV gets slotted for programmes which cater to a vast viewership. This phenomenon creates an acute situation for alternative media since target and issue specificity forms the crux of its programmed structure. For ex. localised issues could be dealt with in local language. 

Given the changing scenario, we consider the need of consolidating the varied programmes in Abhivyakti. Promoting developmental communication has given us insights about our work and thrown light on future directions which we would seriously like to pursue  in the coming months. 

2. Mission

Abhivyakti is committed to the empowerment of the under- privileged and marginalised people and the development of a just and democratic society.  Abhivyakti views such development as a process in which people can fulfill their basic political, social, economic and cultural aspirations by participating and deciding for themselves the type of society they want to live in, irrespective of their social identity. Abhivyakti views this as pro-people perspective. Alternative media has an essential role to play in this process of development. 

Abhivyakti views alternative media as an aid to be used by developmental actors in the development process to initiate a dialogue to facilitate a pro-people perspective. The purpose of alternative media is to strengthen the communication and human resources of people by producing a network directed towards building a pro-people perspective through collective participation of the various actors in civil society. 

Ultimately, Abhivyakti believes that alternate media should become an integral expression of daily life, thereby, generating a pro-people consciousness for development.