Recently I have been
using Youtube videos as a way to educate and motivate the migrants in
regards to health topics such as hand washing, nutrition and
immunization. The use of media is interesting because in a way it has
been a paradox between a hurdle and a tool.
First to start off with
context, the migrants in Paro, Punjab live on government land. The
insecurity of their future looms down at them as a government
building is being constructed meters away. The construction is taking
place on land which they lived on until they were forced to move.
Their lives are an
enigma in many ways, a condition of acceptance of their status is
inherited. Their children play and spend time on the construction
site where there camp once stood. Although it’s not just the
children who spend time here, the adults from the camp could be found
here wasting time as well. As the construction takes place, in a
small brick room adjacent to the construction there is a television
hooked up to a satellite.
The children and some
of the adults could be found here. This small room with a small
television proved to be a problem at times, in particular when we
wanted to work with the children. Parting them from the television
became a bit of a chore.
This in turn became
another small hurdle in our work with the migrants, along with
communication gaps.
As time went on it was
suggested to me that some people in Naddi had found videos in Hindi,
which they use. With some simple research I managed to find videos
which were able to convey ideas in concepts that I had long wanted to
get across but couldn’t due to language gaps. When utilized the
videos proved to be quite a successful tool to overcome hurdles. Here
enters the paradox of how media and technology can be both a
hindrance and a tool. I hope we can find other ways of using
technology and media in creative, educational ways, which allows as
certain degree of independence and control.
John Vargas, Canada
Health Project Manager, Punjab
