No script, Just change 

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I want to work in accelerating the process of change and transformation where there has been deep impact and there is mandate for more. Changing the “things as usual” attitude that tends to develop and help move more purposively with greater clarity of task. I have experienced that among other things, strategic communication can play this role in this journey.

First, as everyone looks for a tagline/catchy phrase, it gives an opportunity to sharpen the focus on the goal of the program in a creative process. In a program that I anchored we always talked about integration of multiple interventions at household level. It became much more real with a program goal being Lakhpati Kisan – just the change in phrase captured the thinking of the program and its focus. It helps to rally all efforts in one inspiring output. Of course, it is the beginning. Just name changing by itself doesn’t do much. In a larger environment of tokenism, what brings the ‘aha’ is the process by which you come to this clarion call. It means thinking together with attention to our shared vocabulary and the emotions behind the words. It means taking stock of where we are, where we want to go and challenges that we see in the process.

Most development sector stories are more about the larger message – the organization, the promoter, the donor, the bigger message – weaving the stories of impact at the community level to make their point. Which brings me to my second point on how communication can play a critical role in accelerating change. If you believe that people are fundamentally enterprising and willing to take charge, then communication done in a way that talks to them and their concerns can be very powerful in that translation from intent to action. Community to community sharing of experiences is a long tried and tested tool for effective extension and motivation. With film and communication products, this gets another dimension. You are not just putting a story out, you are putting forward a possibility. Communication that captures the human story – not just the technicality of the intervention – can deeply inspire and trigger action.

A canvas for this got created when a women’s federation with an inspiring history wished to capture their story. Thus came about the film – No Small Change – stories of women who stand tall. Narender, Neelanjana and I over a few sessions of brainstorming identified what was unique about their story. As happens with great work, this was a good statement about also what was sectorally very relevant. Enterprise, Housing, Vulnerability.  The shoot followed soon. In the process I realized how much it was really friendships that had helped these women – giving support to each other when they were broken, as much emotional as financial.  They built these friendships as they worked together in cluster associations and the federation.

While the full film is not on youtube as yet, here is the one made on enterprise…

It was a result of our friendship too. We hope to capture many more such stories. For us too, the journey has just begun.

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