IMG_9025

Once we initiate some work, it is difficult to know how time flies. In last two years I have had various roles in working with Feminist Approach to Technology (FAT), which is where I got in touch with Voices of Women Media. I started as an intern with FAT in 2013 and today, after three years I work as a program intern for a project named ‘Todo Bandishen: Break the Chains’ which is a project on early and forced marriage. Today I feel I am capable of handling media related work, this association with FAT has not only advanced my technical knowledge but also helped me know my interests and abilities.
2013 is when FAT introduced my friends and me with Pooja Pant who is the director of VOW Media; we spent almost a year with her learning a lot from her. We used our cameras with social awareness and feminist approach. I had always liked taking photos with my friends but it never to us that something as ordinary as a camera had such intricacies and technicalities.

It was an absolute pleasure to learn how a camera could be used with a feminist eye with VOW Media. I remember the first time I took my camera into my community to shoot and how everyone looked bewildered. When they enquired what I was up to, I felt confident to tell them that I was shooting a movie.
35 of us got together to make ‘Apna Haq’ happen in 2013. The movie was about a thriving issue that we live with in our society, something as simple as inadequacy of public toilets and how it affects the lives of young women. The film has been a success. To be able to show a film in my own community as a filmmaker is an experience, which gives a different kind of happiness and satisfaction. Photography and film making which is very close to my heart only got better when I got introduced to Pooja. The time spent with her in making my dreams come true passed very soon; today with FAT I teach photography and video making to the new members.

In 2015, April I got a chance to teach a video workshop all the way in Gujarat with an organisation called ‘Sahiyar’, it was only possible because of Pooja and VOW Media. It was always my dream to work with Pooja, who is just not a good teacher but also a great friend. In 2015 I got another opportunity to work with VOW Media and FAT where 28 of us got together in making a movie about early and forced marriage.

VOW Media introduced us to the technical part of film making and made us capable of bringing together feminism with it. VOW Media has helped us realise of abilities and feel confident about ourselves, I hope I take this education forward and pass on what I have learnt to other girls. I would like to thank Pooja and VOW Media for introducing us to the technical side of the world.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

16 − 9 =

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <strike> <strong>