Wednesday, October 20, 2010

The Report Back Meeting- 19th October

We held our final communtiy meeting on the 19th October. Where we played the soundslides and televison pieces we had made.

I bleive that it was good to go back and show them what we had made, and I am glad that we kept to our word in that regard.
A few of us thn spoke to some of the resident that attended the meeting and the general response was that they felt that we had captured the essense of their community well. I spoke to two other ladies who had hoped that there could have been answers fromt eh decision makers, and some direction given at the meeting regarding the issues that need to be dealt with.
I have said it time and again, it is really unfortunate that we could not get word from the decision makers to help in bringing solutions to the problems.

It terms of playing the facilitative role- we definitely played our part. We allowed there to be a platform where deliberation could take place, its just that the missing link in the journalist-citizen- decision-maker spectrum, was the decision- maker. Which meant that no condusive communication and action could happen.

Thus personally, I am a disheartened in that regard because I dont feel like anyone's life has been changed, those problems are still there and because the decision makers have not answered our calls (literally)!
I only hope that a change will come ultimately... to a communtiy that has been waitng and waiting for change. It's so difficult to have an optimisitic attitude when we see the same problems all over the country. I am however grateful that I could practise civic journalism, and merge this with the conventional way of reporting.


Andiswa Leve

2 comments:

  1. I really agree with you Andy, in the sense that it feels as if we didn't actually initiate any change. However, what we can be happy about is that we laid foundations for the next group of JMS3-ers who will hopefully be able to make more strides and initiate more progress in these communities.

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  2. There only way I could see us making a change is if the next groups that worked on this course strted off from where we left, doing that which we couldn't, but truth be told that will not happen. The next lot will be starting from scratch, with their own contacts and their own agendas.

    Sad but true, overall though a job well done on our part.

    Best

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