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World Comics-FinlandWorld Comics-India
Training of Grassroots Comics TrainersWorkshop Report, Bhopal, August 2006
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This report has been compiled by Leif Packalénand Ms. Maippi Tapanainen of World ComicsFinland. Picture credits: Maippi Tapanainen. Theworkshop was part of a cooperation project be-tween WCF and WCI, 2005-06, and funded by theFinnish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, DevelopmentCooperation Funds.
World Comics Finland, Vantaa, 2006.Copyright: WCF and WCI, 2006.
“Girls turn into strength”. Sahu, a shopkeeper, has a daughter who is going to school. Oneday Sahu has an accident and is hospitalised. He worries about his shop and his livelihood. Hisdaughter rushes to the hospital and tells her father that she can stand in the shop until he getsbetter. Sahu is pleased and hopes that everybody should educate their daughters as they can bea strength for the family. Story and art: Firoz Khan, Arushi.
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The workshop venue: Pastoral Centre,Near St. Joseph School, Asha NiketanCampus, Bhopal
Resource persons: Leif Packalén,(WCF), Ms. Maippi Tapanainen, (WCF),Sharad Sharma, (WCI) and Ms. ReetuSharma, (WCI).
Participants: 18 tutor-trainees fromWCI’s partner network in India (seeseparate list) and as a test group, 31 localNGO-activists from Bhopal (see separatelist).
Saturday, August 19
Sharad Sharma and Reetu Sharmaarrived in Bhopal and settled in at PastoralCentre. They arranged accomodation,food, equipment etc for the coming days.The original venue was abandoned due toheavy flooding in that area.
Leif Packalen and Maippi Tapanainenarrived in Delhi at 23.00, and were met byRahul Pandita and Bittoo Sondi, and takento Hotel Star near the airport.
Report from a Training of Comics Trainers workshop, held inBhopal, August 20-26, 2006
The aim of the workshop was to train comics workshop tutors, who would beable to independently run local comics workshops in their respectiveorganisations. The workshop was part of a World Comics Finland (WCF) andWorld Comics India (WCI) cooperation project, with support from the FinnishForeign Ministry NGO funding.
Comics Power! The participants and the local testgroups in the concluding group photograph.
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Sunday August 20
Leif and Maippi continued their journeywith the Deccan Air 5.55 am flight toBhopal. Sharad met them at the airport.They settled in and rested during themorning.
After lunch, there was a planning meetingwith Sharad, Reetu, Leif and Maippi. As16 of the participants had already arrived,it was decided to start the workshop withsome general sessions already onSunday.
The resource persons introducedthemselves and there was a discussion ofthe main aims of the workshop.They were seen as:
• Improve the capacities of thecomics trainers by sharing allworkshop and campaigningexperiences available at theworkshop.
• Help the participants to plan follow-up comics workshops and comicscampaigning.
• Support the different groups ingetting new opportunities to runworkshops, help with budgets,networking and administrativesupport.
A daily schedule was agreed:
8.00 Breakfast9.00 – 10.30 Session I10.30 Tea break10.45 – 13.00 Session II13.00 Lunch14.00 – 16.00 Session III16.00 Tea break16.15 – 17.00 Session IVBreak17.30 – 19.30 Presentations, videos,powerpoints, pictures and discussions19.30 Dinner
The map showed from where the participants came.
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20.00 - Presentations, cultural program,etc
The afternoon was rounded up with shortpresentations about comics campaigningfrom the participating groups fromRajasthan, Jharkhand, Mizoram, Bihar,Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
Monday, August 21
As all participants were now present, anew round of introduction of resourcepersons and participants was made.
Then followed a presentation of recentcomics campaigning in India, Rajasthan,Goa and Africa, Benin and Tanzania. Thecomics work in Lebanon was brieflyexplained too.
Leif explained the basics of campaigningtheory and advice in campaign planning.
Reetu and Maippi had an interactivesession in which the gender-focus wasexplained. The participants were advisedto take the gender-issue intoconsideration.
A session on workshop requirements washeld. The participants were divided intogroups and they had to list the six mostimportant elements for running asuccessful workshop. The suggestedelements were then discussed.
The “Training plan for running comicsworkshops” and the “Wallposter ComicsManual” were distributed to theparticipants in English and Hindi.
Tuesday, August 22
We started going through the differentsteps in the training plan. Each step wasexplained and discussed thoroughly.
Reetu Sharma, our interpreter, was ready to begin the workshop.
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Then each group was asked to make atest presentation. The lessons selectedwere:- explain the concept of grassroots comics- demonstrate how to draw humanpostures- explain the concept of readability- demonstrate a critique session
All the presentations were commentedand discussed.
Then the groups chose leaders tothemselves:group 1, John Victor (Tamil Nadu)group 2, Ms. Papia (West Bengal)group 3, Ms. Laxmi (Rajasthan)group 4, Sunder Mohan (Jharkhand)
The leaders reported to the resourcepersons about the work progress in thegroups.
The groups went through the next day’straining schedule and divided the trainingtasks between themselves. The resourcepersons went through the plans.
In the evening there was a sightseeing tripto the Lake Bhopal and the group had abuffet meal at a lakeside restaurant.
Wednesday, August 23
We had a last minute preparatory sessionbefore the test group participants came,stressing that the most important task wasto share knowledge. The rooms and thestationery were allotted to the groups. Themajority of the test group participants hadarrived by 10.30 when we started with awelcome session and an explanation ofthe World Comics movement andpurpose.
Each group had 7 – 8 participants and 4-6tutors. The tutors started their workaccording to the schedule they hadagreed on the day before. Translation wassomehow problematic in some groups asall test group participants spoke Hindi
only.
By lunchtime all groups had decided ontheir themes and were working on theirstories. The stories covered issues suchas: right to education, corruption,alcoholism, communalism, health mattersetc.
The afternoon was spent breaking up thestories into four panels and doing drawingexercises.
After the test group participants had left,the tutors and the resource persons had asession in which the day’s experienceswere discussed. Some observations:
• All the tutors tended to teach, ratherthan to divide the tasks betweenthemselves.
• Most groups had some problemswith communication andtranslations.
• The groups were requested toprepare a new task division list forthe next day.
All stories were first written down.
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When the training was finished for theday, we had two presentations aboutcomics activities, one from Sri Lanka, theother from Assam.
After dinner we looked at two videos fromGoa (workshop 2005 and campaign2006), Goa slideshows and some childrenrights animations.
Thursday, August 24
In the first session we had a meeting withthe tutors, and went through the groups’task lists. This was followed by goingthrough how to analyse visual scripts,which all groups had on their programlater that day.
The groups proceeded from where theyhad finished the previous day. No groupwas lagging behind, all were comfortablywithin the schedule.
During the day, Leif and Sharad madeshort video interviews (32 minutes) withten participants.
By the end of the day, all of theparticipants had started their work on thefinal artwork. We had a short feedbacksession with all the tutors.
In the evening Maippi and Reetuinterviewed group I and group II
separately in the Magazine Room. In theMain Hall, the Rajasthan and the Orissagroups presented the activities of theirmovements. The video “Swear by theRiver” was shown again for the benefit ofthe Madhya Pradesh participants, whohad not seen it.
After supper we showed workshop videosfrom Jharkhand, Mizoram and TamilNadu. We also viewed the interviewsmade during the day.
Friday, August 25
The day started with a session in whichthe critique procedure was repeated andwe stressed that the tutors should preparetheir critiques very well before publiclyspeaking about the participants’ comics.
By lunchtime the majority of theparticipants was either ready or in the finalstages of inking. The copies were madeduring lunch break (five copies of eachwallposter).
Then the critique sessions in the groupsstarted. After finishing them, allparticipants and the tutors were called fora feedback session. The local participantswere in general very positive to havinglearnt the new skill of making comics. Thetutors’ comments were reserved for laterin the program.
The participants got last minute guidance before the testgroups arrived.
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After thanking the local participants, therewas a group photography session, andthen the local participants left theworkshop.
The tutors gathered for a feedbacksession. We limited the feedback to thethree-day period with the localparticipants. Some problems of tutoringwere mentioned, mainly problems withtranslations.
Maippi and Reetu continued with theinterviews of groups III and IV. Sharadgave his feedback to the trainers, mainlyon allowing too much text in the comics.
After dinner the Mizoram, Jharkhand andWest Bengal teams gave presentations ontheir activities.
Saturday, August 26
Maippi and Reetu gave a summary fromthe interviews made during the previousdays. The summary is attached.
At 9.45 the whole workshop visited theadjoining school “St. Joseph’s School”We were given a group of about fortystudents ( about 14 – 16 years old). Leifand Sharad held a small presentation andthen the students gathered around thecomics tutors, who each had a wallpostercomics which they showed and explainedin detail to the students. After this therewas a short question and answer session.
Some of the students, mainly girls, saidthe liked the concept and were interestedin its success. On the other hand, somestudents, mainly boys, thought comicswere a step backwards in this hitech age.
At 11.00 we had the tutors workshop’sown feedback session. All groups hadprepared their feedback reports, whichcould be summarised as follows:
• The workshop had boosted thetutors and they felt much moreconfident to go on now in their ownlocalities. Especially the two firstdays had prepared them well forthe task of training localparticipants.
• The language and communicationproblem slowed down allprocesses.
• The coordination between thetutors and the resource personswent well, although discipline wasnot always good.
• Some participants would have likedto get more feedback on their ownperformance.
Concluding speeches were held and thecertificates were distributed.
A good number of the participants leftimmediately after lunch. The group which
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was left, had a session on workshopplanning, budgeting and reporting.
By the evening most participants had left.
Sunday, August 27
Reetu, Sharad, Leif, Maippi and Mahindaleft by JetAirways 9.40 for Delhi. The restof the day was free.
Monday, August 28
We had a meeting at WCI’s office inSharad’s home. We went throughaccounting matters, reports and otherdocumentation of the workshop.
In the afternoon we left for the ComicsCafé at motorcycle racer cum activistBittoo Sondhi’s basement showroom in
Lajpat Nagar.
We displayed a collection of comics(mainly mainstream) which had beengathered in Finland for the Comics CaféLibrary.
NDTV, a Delhi-based TV-news channel,made an interview with Sharad and Leif. Itwas aired the next day.
At 5 pm the program at the Comics Caféstarted with Leif showing videos fromBenin, Tanzania and Lebanon. A livelydiscussion followed on the grassrootscomics as a medium. There were 18people in the audience.
The main questions were about howgrassroots activists could use comics as agenuine, representative medium. Thediscussion went on until 8.30 pm.
The comics were also presented to the students of St Joseph's School in Bhopal.
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The event was seen as very successful bythe WCI activists.
Tuesday, August 29
The morning was spent preparing for thedeparture and after lunch we had a finalmeeting at WCI’s office. We went throughmoney matters, finalised the reports andparticipants’ lists and shared picture andother files. We also planned for Sharad’svisit to Finland for the forthcoming AEPFmeeting in September 3 – 6.
Concluding remarks
Both WCI and WCF were happy with theoutcome of the workshop. A new batch ofcomics workshop tutors will now beavailable for NGO-activities in differentparts of India.
The tutors were confident and ready foraction. They were very pleased withmeeting their colleagues from differentparts of the country.
The greatest challenge for WCI in thefuture will be how to give back-up supportto the numerous partner organisations inso many corners of India.
September 1, 2006
Leif Packalén
Leif spoke at the Comics Cafe in Delhi about his experiences from a comics workshop in Lebanon.
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NAME AGE SEX STATE WCI (years) WORKSHOPS
(partic/trainer)
Utpal 30 male Assam 1 1/1
Debajyoti 22 male Assam 1,5 1/1
Rahul 30 male Bihar 3 1/3
Babita Sundi 27 female Jharkand 3 months 1/1 (Bhopal)
Thomas Sundi 40 male Jharkand 9 many
Lakhindra 30 male Jharkand 4 ~30/15-20
Sunder Mohan 20 male Jharkand 6 10/5
Tawna 22 male Mizoram 6 6/3
Tlangi 21 female Mizoram 5 3/2
Kennedy 20 male Mizoram 1 3/1
E-ngi 16 female Mizoram first first
Champalal 27 male MP 7 4/4
Bansidarh 32 male Orissa first first
Nandeshu 19 male Orissa 2 3/3
Niranjan 22 male Orissa first first
Hansaram 23 male Rajasthan 1,5 2/2
Lakshmi 14 female Rajasthan 2 3/4
Manish 24 male Rajasthan 3 4/3
Mahindra 27 male Sri Lanka 2 / 2
Rushdie 22 male Sri Lanka 1 3/1
John 37 male Tamil Nadu 9 many
Papia 26 female WB 2 2/3
Bhola 35 male WB 1 1/1
Tumpa 20 female WB 1 1/1
ca 24,5 years 18 males 6 females
Table: Age, sex and origin of ToT-workshop participants
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Participants of the Bhopal workshops
Assam: (Nest)
Debajyoti Borac/o-Kanaklata BoraVillage: Gohiantekela Goan,Po-Jorhat-2Dist-Jorhat (Assam)Tel: 9854279676
Utpal Neogc/o-TonkeswarNeogPo- Bahguri/DergaonDist-Golaghat. AssamTel: 985450488/9854106765e-mail: [email protected]
Bihar: (Paridhi)
RahulNayatola, Bhikhanpur Bhagalpur,Bihar Tel:0641-2302629e-mail: [email protected]
Jharkhand: (WCI and JOHAR)
Thomas Sundi Tel:+91-9234790206Ms. Babita Sundi
Lakhindra Nayak Tel:+91-9934187456e-mail: [email protected]
Sunder Mohan Tel: +91-9234786466
Gaddi Tola, Chaibasa,West Singhbhoom, Jharkhand
Madhya Pradesh:
Champalal Kushwaha (Gran Seva Samitri)Hirenkheda, HoshangabadTel: 07570-222874
Shivnarayan Gour (Eklavya)Narmada Colony, GwaltoliHoshangabad 461001 (M.P.)Tel: 094254 [email protected]
Mangal Singh was still finalising his artwork at the closing of the workshop.
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Mizoram: (Mizoram Artists’ Society)
Raltawnkima Ralte Kawlni Chalchung (Tawna)Serchip, Dinthar vengSerchhip Dist. 796181MizoramTel: 09436146379 (PP)R K Sanghmingthanga
Ms. C.Tlangthansiami (Tlangi)
Ms. Lalengvari (Eng-i)New Serchhip, Serchhip: Mizoram
Kennedy Malsawmtluanga (Kennedy)Ramthlun veng, Serchhip, Mizoram
Orissa: (CYSD)
Nandeshu RaoNiranjan MahakudBansidhar BarikNandeshu RaoNiranjan Mahakud
CYSD/PLAN project, At/Po, Karanjia,Dist-Mayurbhanja, OrissaTel:06796- 220574, 220494e-mail: [email protected]
Rajasthan:
Manish Singh Rathore (WCI)20/459, Chopasni Housing Board,Jhodpur Mob: 0935146465,Email: [email protected]
Hansaram Solanki (Vikalp)Village post-Hathma, Teh-Ramsar,Dist-Barmer, RajasthanPin-344001Tel: 02985-272236
Ms. Lakshmi Dave (Vikalp)c/o Vikalp,near Police line, Laxmi NagarBarmer
Tamil Nadu: (WCI)
John Victor DossDrawing Master, Jelsiarts, C185,Nallayappar Street, Trinagar, 6th stop,Madurai-6, Tamil NaduTel:+91-9942036120Tel:+91-9345787606email: [email protected]
West Bengal:
Ms. Papia Pal (DAS)Development Action SocietyED-130, Rajdanga Main Road, Kolkata,Tel: 033-24415124
Ms. Tumpa Adhikari (Diksha)37 Jheel Road, Kolkata-31Tel: +91-9830248114 (O)
Bhola Nath Ghosh (Cini-Asha)63, Rai Ahamad Kidwai Road, Kolkata-6Tel: +9830012459
Sri Lanka:
Rushdie Nazeer (Oxfam)142A, Hanifa Road, Kalmunai-07 32300Sri Lanka.Mail: [email protected]: 0094716802847
Mahinda Rathnayaka (Social Welfare Mandram)85/1 Main Street,Norwood, Sri Lanka.Tel: 0094512223815Mail: [email protected]
Resource persons:
Finland: (World Comics Finland)
Leif PackalenVanamontie 4 E 156 01350 Vantaa Finland, Tel: +358-40-5318235e-mail: [email protected]
Ms. Maippi TapanainenHämeentie 32 b 63, 00530 HelsinkiFinland, hone: +358-400-570028e-mail: [email protected]
India: (World Comics India)
Sharad SharmaB-20-S, Delhi Police Apartments,Mayur Vihar, Phase-1, Delhi-91Ph:+91-9811702925email:[email protected]:www.worldcomicsindia.com
Ms. Reetu Sharmae-mail: [email protected]
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“Misusing trust and devotion”. A holy man told the villagers that one of the goddesses in thetemple was sipping milk. The villagers brought milk to the goddess and were happy until theyfound out they had been cheated. The holy man had collected the milk and other offerings forhimself. He was chased out of the village. The villagers were upset of having been fooled. Storyand art: Pradeep Dangi, MCRPVV.
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Bhopal Comics workshops, Test Group participants:
1 Sangeeta Patidar Samavesh 07271-2751732 Karan Rathor Jan Saha Sansthan Devas 07272-4080903 Niharika Jha Journalism Student 099282068824 Sanat Kumar Tiwari Samarthan, Ajamgarh 07730-2782515 Rajesh Kumar Patel “ “ “6 Gyan Chand Barkhane Jivodaya, Itarsi7 Sachin Kumar “ “8 Bagas Lal Ueke 07572-2722059 Sankar Bhusera10. Sahamet Sangsthan , Kasela 07572-27220511. Anil Pandey Dainik Bhaskar, Reporter 0 982914528112. Rajesh Muni Sudhar Sangstha, Bhopal 0992645370913. Prakash Malviaya14. Hiran Khera, Hoshangabad, Bhopal 07570-22296915 Pushpam Kumar M.C.R.D.,University, Bhopal16 Dharmendra Tripathy Makhan Lal Chaturbedi17 Sandip Dangi M.C.R.P.V.V, Bhopal18 Sonu Verma Arushi, Bhopal 07555-27463719 Mangal Singh “20 Firoz Khan “21 Vibha Rathor Samarthan22 Kapil Raj NIWCYS, Shahpur, Baitul23 Deepak Rathor Samarthan24 Pratibha Rathor Samarthan25 Savitri Pandam Adivasi Sanrachna Sansthan26 Mohan Yadav “ “27 Sunita Ketwas “ “28 Kunvar Singh Pradeepan, Baitul29 Manju Mali Bachpan30 Pannalal Masani “ “
Group number three training their testgroup.
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Interviews with participants of the Training of Trainers-workshop inBhopal, August 2006.
The participants were chosen from different NGOs in the cooperation network of World ComicsIndia. The interviews were conducted by Ms. Maippi Tapanainen and Ms. Reetu Sharma, both
resource persons at the workshop.
Mr. V. John Victor Doss, 37, (WCI)Tamil Nadu
Issues:John has made comics about numerousdifferent issues.
Distribution:John has made wallposters and booklets; hiscomics have been published in localnewspapers and magazines. He has alsoworked with hand puppets.
Feedback:John has got mostly positive feedback.Especially people in villages have showedstrong emotions when they have seen hiscomics. However, he tells that cooperation isbetter and easier with small NGOs than biggerones.
Future:Earlier John worked in a Plan International‘sproject. After the tsunami in 2004 he lost hisjob because the project was cancelled.Promises to open it later have not
materialised. John plans to establish his owncommunication & information centre in 2007.
Problems:John said that it is a big problem that trainedgirls leave comics after getting married. Hethinks that the best age to train people to dograssroot comics is between 14 and 20,because then people can on the one handfocus better on making comics and on theother hand they can use what they havelearned when they mature. Young people havealso an ability to understand comics betterthan older ones.
New ideas:John would like to work with drop-outstudents, children with mental disorders, casteproblems, girls’ education, etc. He would liketo work as a consultant for NGOs, traintrainers and publish comics.
Mr. Rahul, 30, (Paridhi)Bihar
Issues:Deforestation, pollution, slum dwellers -especially children, sanitation, this year
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especially Ganges dolphins.
Distribution:Wallposters.
Feedback:Rahul works with slum dwellers and villagers.The response he has got from the slums hasbeen very good. Because most of the peopleare illiterate, comics are a very important wayof communication. Comics have helpedpeople to speak openly about different issues.They have also made people proud of theposters they themselves or their children havedrawn.Slum girls have had an exhibition aboutgender sensitive issues and inter-castemarriages.In the villages people are used to differentkind of posters. One-panel posters are themost popular ones and people also like two-panel posters (firs panel: question, secondpanel: answer.)In addition to comics, radio is a helpful tool tospread information, and Rahul has also maderadio programmes.
Future:Rahul will continue to use comics also in thefuture.
Problems:One-panel wallposters are more accepted andpeople are used to reading professionalcomics. However, four-panel wallposters arenow getting more accepted. Only the parentsare interested in their children’s comics, otherpeople not very much. Some people wouldprefer coloured posters.
New ideas:Rahul said that this kind of workshop giveshim energy. He now plans a workshop againsta government policy which results infishermen’s displacement.
Thomas Sundi, 40, (Johar andWCI)Jharkhand
Issues:Corruption. Witch-hunt, drug abuse, violenceagainst women, displacement and re-settlement, development policy, education,and, social development.
Distribution:Wallposters, strips, booklets, also newspapercomics.
Feedback:Thomas prefers to work with NGOs ratherthan with children. The NGOs have theirspecial issues and after the workshops theyget many posters which handle the sametopic. This type of work is very popular in oneof the districts of Jharkand.Thomas has helped other cartoonists to gettheir work published, which is also a notableeffort.The comics have resulted in social changesand they have been a good medium forawareness. Information comics have guidedfor example displaced people to find help.
Future:Cartoons and comics are part of Thomas’ life.He is very optimistic even though in thebeginning of WCI he could not believe in thiskind of success.
Detail from Pushpam Kumar’s story “Life Giver”, see p. 32.
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Problems:No problems, he gets a lot of support.
New ideas:Thomas has a plan to make a book togetherwith Lakhindra and Sundar Mohan. He intendsalso to spread comics as much as possible.
Ms. Babita Sundi, 27, (JOHAR andWCI)Jharkhand
Issues:Corruption.
Distribution:Wallposter.
FeedbackBhopal course has deepened Bapita’s selfanalysis and given her technical skills, such askeeping in focus.
Future:Bapita continues work with comics.
Problems:Bapita gets a lot of support because it is teamwork.
Mr. Mahindra Rathnayaka, 27,(Social Welfare, Mandram)Sri Lanka
Issues:Violence against women.
Distribution:Wallposters.
Feedback:When an NGO was looking for a trainer theychose Mahindra. He has got a lot of goodfeedback especially from women.
Future:Comics training is very popular. 35 NGOs aregoing to train 100 people to use comics.
Problems:No problems, wallposters are working well.
Detail from Pushpam Kumar’s story “Life Giver”, see p. 32.
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Mr. Bansidhar Barik, 32, (CYSD)Orissa
Issues:Bansidhar works with questions like socialstigma and education. He has not usedcomics before.
Distribution:Wallposter (Bhopal).
Feedback:Bansidhar has not yet had any feedback.
Future:Bansidhar has participated in many kinds ofworkshops during the ten years he hasworked with NGOs and children. He plans totell about comics to children and NGO-peopleand he is also going to inform local journalistsand other media about grassroot comics. Afterthe Bhopal workshop Bansidhar is going tobegin a campaign to get people to vote. Hewill use for example rallies and postcards.
Problems:None.
New ideas:Bansidhar will possibly use comics in his job.
Ms. Papia Pal, 26, (DAS)West Bengal
Issues:AIDS, illiteracy, child marriage, sanitation.
Distribution:Wallposters.
Feedback:Positive. Papia is a teacher and children liketo draw comics and their parents like to look atthem.
Future:Papia plans to organize workshops. Shebelieves that comics are the best method toinform children 7 – 10 years old.
Problems:Smaller children (4 – 7 years) cannot draw.Positive feedback helps.
New ideas:Papia will work in rural areas with many kindsof problems, e.g. illiteracy and alcohol abuse.She helps dropouts to come back to school. Inher view grassroot comics is the best mediumfor her target groups.
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Mr. Raltawnkima Ralte KawlniChalchung “Tawna”, 22, (MizoramArtists’ Society)Mizoram
Issues:Water, environmental awareness, shiftcultivation, development, corruption.
Distribution:Wallposters, cartoons and other artistic work,mostly unpublished.
Feedback:In Mizoram, people are interested in art andeverybody likes wallposter comics. People useto copy Tawna’s comics and he has advisedthem to make also their own comics. Some ofhis comics have influenced some people a lot.
Future:After returning to Mizoram, Tawna willorganize more workshops.
Problems:Tawna said that he has limited influence onthe organizing of comics workshops inMizoram. He would like to work with NGOs butusually the participants are students.Mizo people sometimes complain about the
quality of wallposters as they would like to seemore artistic posters. To work alone withouteducation is sometimes very hard. There is noart school in Mizoram and there is no way tobecome a professional artist.
New ideas:Tawna hopes that WCI and WCF wouldorganize courses to give trainers more skills indrawing. He said that participants do notrespect their trainer if he/she can’t draw.Training would give self-confidence totrainers.Maybe because Mizo people are used toreading literature they need applied models ofgrassroot comics, Tawna said; they demandmore elaborated storytelling.He is also drawing a picture book of Mizofolktales.He also proposes that WCI/WCF wouldorganize a comics convention. Comics arevery popular and a convention might givegood publicity to grassroot comics.
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Mr. Hansaram Solanki, 23,(VIKALP), Rajasthan
Issues:Women issues mostly. Female foeticide. Girls’health and education.
Distribution:Wallposters which have been distributed inmany villages and schools; children have alsocarried posters home.
Feedback:People have begun to understand for examplethe legal points of many issues (femalefoeticide, girl murders etc.); also those who donot care have woken up to see the problems.Hansaram is very happy with the Rajasthangirl campaign which has caused manysuccessful stories, and for example motivatedgirl’s education. Also the local administrationhas noticed problems better than before.Comics have given people both informationand self reliance.
Future:Hansaram plans to use comics as much aspossible. At every library centre a comicscourse will be arranged. New campaigns andexhibitions will also be organized.
Problems:None
New ideas:Many principals and teachers have said thatthey want to use comics when teaching ethicsand moral questions.
Mr. Nandeshu Rao, 19, (CYSD)Orissa
Issues:None.
Distribution:None yet.
Feedback:None yet.
Future:Nandeshu will introduce comics in a magazineand tell his organization about grassrootcomics. He also plans to organize workshops.
Problems:None
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Mr. Rushdie Nazeer, 22, (Oxfam)Sri Lanka
Issues:Gender issues, domestic violence, childabuse, health and hygiene, alcoholism, AIDS,smoking.
Distribution:Wallposters.
Feedback:Many NGOs have contacted Rushdie to getcomics integrated in their programmes. Therewould be much more work and proposals thanRushdie has time to do.
Future:Only one workshop has materialised, manyproposals have been made. People areinterested in wallposters and want to get moreready-made comics. To participate inworkshops people need attractions like goodfood.
Problems:The main problem is that people areinterested in wallposters which are made bysomebody else. “Not our problem” –thinking.When the participants come from differentparts of the island, also their culture andtraditions are different. The resource personshould know a number of cultures tounderstand every participant’s own “language”which is practically an impossible request.
New ideas:In Sri Lanka there is an Act regarding postersso distribution is difficult. Now Rushdie usesnotice boards, school cantinas, schoolmagazines. A good method is to distributecomics with newspapers (as inserts) but itcosts a lot.
Rushdie’s target is to train university studentsto use grassroot comics when they getemployment. This means that it is a long-termproject; to see the effects takes at least a yearor two. (Changemaker’s method: Rushdietrains students how to make and use comicsand when they begin their future work they willtrain local people and so on).Girls’ education is a problematic issue in SriLanka. Rushdie said that the problem is theparents’ attitudes. They give sometimesnegative feedback and same themes must be
released time and time again before attitudeschange. Repeating makes people believe thatthe particular issue is important.
Ms. C. Tlangithansiami “Tlangi”,21, (Mizoram Artists’ Society)Mizoram
Issues:Corruption, AIDS, drugs, forestry.
Distribution:Wallposters.
Feedback:Tlangi has got only positive feedback. Shehas argued about the issues with heraudience, but almost everybody has liked herposters. Some people are not used to reading
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comics and she must explain them how to doit.
Future:Tlangi plans to publish a booklet on the issueof corruption. She will also introduce hercomics in newspapers and magazines.
Problems:No problems, except lack of self-confidence.
New ideas:Tlangi has not worked with comics for acouple of years but now she will begin comics-work again.
Mr. Niranjan Mahakud, 22, (CYSD)Orissa
Issues:Education.
Distribution:Wallposter.
Feedback:Tutors liked Niranjan’s artwork but told him touse less dialogue. (Bhopal)
Future:Niranjan works in a tribal area. He plans toorganize workshops at every village’schildren’s club (46 together) and also one bigworkshop to train trainers. Help is needed, he
said, and believed that Lakhindra will help himto organize a ToT -workshop.
Problems:Niranjan is a beginner so no problems yet. Hesaid that he lacks some confidence, but hetrusts that he can cope with possible problems
Ms. Lakshmi Dave, 14, (VIKALP)Rajasthan.
Issues:Mostly women issues, also alcoholism and thecaste issue.
Distribution:Wallposters, booklets, postcards, strips.
Feedback:Everyone Laxmi has asked has told that herposters include clear messages and there isno need to use more text. Some peoplewould, however, prefer coloured posters.
Future:Laxmi guarantees the use of comics in future.She wants to create dialogue with people ofher own age. If I speak as a young girl nobodypays attention, she said. Comics give herstrength. She will train her schoolmates to usecomics.
Problems:Laxmi said she has problems with drawing,she is too slow. Sometimes it is hard to findeffective titles.
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Mr. Lakhindra Nayak, 30, (WCIand JOHAR)Jharkand
Issues:Alcohol, drugs, smoking, HIV/AIDS, migration,development, tribal questions, women andgender issues. Most of Lakhindra’s comics arewithout text.
Distribution:Lakhidra’s wallposters are printed anddistributed weekly to villages. He has madepopular booklets and some people also ordercomics from him.
Feedback:Lakhindra has got a very positive feedback.
Future:Lakhindra continues to work with WCI and healso plans to publish a comics book.
Problems:Language (English) is a problem sometimes,as well organizing workshops. Sometimes it ishard to get people to speak about their issues.
New ideas:Lakhindra will make comics about the cultureof Jharkhand. One big issue is “What’s goingon in India”, for example what multinationalcompanies are doing to tribal people.
Mr. Utpal Neog, 30, (NEST)Assam.
Issues:Local governance, empowerment of women.
Distribution:Wallposters.
Feedback:People appreciate comics. They also likeblack-and-white posters more than colouredones. People have proposed their own issues.
Future:Utpal works with children who have plenty ofproblems. Many issues are easier to tell bycomics than by any other method. Utpal willalso contact local magazines andnewspapers.
Problems:How to make a clear message and get peopleto read it. He would also like to have moresketching skills.
Detail from Pushpam Kumar’s story “Life Giver”, see p. 32.
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Mr. Manish Singh Rathore, 24,(WCI)
Rajasthan
Issues:Female foeticide, violence against women,HIV. When Manish has been a trainer, peoplehave dealt with domestic issues, veil use, sati,corruption.
Distribution:Wallposters.
Feedback:All response Manish has got has been good.He has worked with NGOs which have alsoasked him to continue.
Future:Manish will be in touch with his fellow activistsand NGOs as well, and he will organizeworkshops with them. He is also interested incampaign work.
Problems:Everything is OK.
Ms. Tumpa Adhikari, 20, (DIKSHA)West Bengal
Issues:HIV/AIDS, children’s rights.
Distribution:Wallposters.
Feedback:When Tumpa and her team made comicsabout children’s issues they wanted to inviteparents for discussions, but they were notinterested. Later their own kids made postersand then the parents got more interested.
Future:Tumpa has got an offer to make a comicsbook (funding is clear) and now she isconsidering whether to focus on the book orcontinue work with children.
Problems:It is difficult to help the community when theissue is for example AIDS. Grassroot comicsare people’s own medium which helps them toforward their own activities, it is not for moneycollecting NGOs. People are interested inmoney; even the Pastoral Centre’s Sisterasked Tumpa and Lakshmi why they docomics work without fee.
26
Mr. Debajyoti Bora, 22, (NEST)Assam
Issues:Local governance, women in governance,women’s awareness.
Distribution:Wallposters, strips.
Feedback:Debajyoti uses comics along with other medialike street theatre. He said that it is very easyfor local people to identify and recognise theissues. Also local people tell stories whichDebajit and others modify to comics ortheatre.
Future:Debajyoti works in the slums. His organisationgives him a lot of freedom, and he has plansto use comics and street theatre together. Healso plans to draw pocket booklets.
Problems:Money for the use of media in social work.
New ideas:Debajyoti works with illiterate people in tribalareas. He suggests that WCI/WCF wouldorganize a special workshop to train how tomake comics with a minimum of text.
Mr. Sunder Mohan, 20, (WCI andJOHAR)Jharkand
Issues:Corruption, witch-hunt, radioactive materials,child labour.
Distribution:Wallposters and booklets.
Feedback:Sunder Mohan has got only positive feedback.He makes a monthly comic publication and if itsometimes is late people come and ask for it.
Future:Sunder Mohan will organize workshops in 3districts, and he will also publish bookletsregularly (four times a year).
Problems:Sunder Mohan has not faced any problems.
27
Mr. Bhola Nath Gosh, 35, (CINI-ASHA)West Bengal
Issues:Bhola works with issues like child abuse,parenting issues, child labour, trafficking.
Distribution:Wallposters.
Feedback:The Bhopal workshop is Bhola’s first one.
Future:Bhola is working with community volunteerson the issue of child labour. He is interestedin using comics. His plan is for example tospread posters against child abuse (streetchildren, living at railway stations). He wouldlike to utilize comics as a medium ineducational and health questions.He is also going to tell authorities about theimpact comics can make in the community.
Problems:For illiterate children pictures are important.The target of the centre for street childrenwhere Bhola is working is to put children backto normal life.
New ideas:Bhola is very interested in campaigns andwould like to get more information about thecampaign at Rajasthan. He is also interestedin networking.
Mr. Kennedy Malsawmtluanga,20, (Mizoram Artists’ Society)Mizoram
Issues:Deforestation, pollution, corruption.
Distribution:Wallposters.
Feedback:People love comics and ask for more.
Future:Kennedy will make as many comics aspossible and distribute them around Mizoram.
Problems:The costs are a problem. Kennedy would alsolike to have education in arts which isimpossible in Mizoram – there is no way tobecome a professional artist and to leaveMizoram is very hard due to the language.
New ideas:The most important thing is to begin work withNGOs. People can’t pay for making comics bythemselves (one A4 copy costs 5 rupees).
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Ms. Eng-I Lalengvari, 16,(Mizoram Artists’ Society)Mizoram
Issues:Runaways from school, alcoholism.
Distribution:Wallposters.
Feedback:Good.
Future:Eng-i plans to make as many comics aspossible. She wants to change social lifethrough them.
Problems:None.
Mr. Champalal Kushwaha, 27,(Gram Seva Samiti)Madhya Pradesh
Issues:Gender-issues, abortions, capacity building,bio-fertilization, contract farming.
Distribution:Wallposters, booklets, strips, newspapercomics, 2 books.
Feedback:Champalal said that comics have got a newrole at grassroot level and reactions arepositive.
Future:The NGO where Champalal is working willorganize two workshops for destitute children.Oneworld India is going to train NGO-workersto use comics for capacity building.Champalal has founded a platform for comicdiscussions.He will also organize child work and produceAVAS -wallposter.
Problems:Champalal said that he needs training forsimplifying comics. If people are not confidentwith their artwork, they have a tendency to telleverything by words.
New ideas:ToT–workshops should increase the trainers’skills on simplifying comics. Sketchingworkshops for trainers are also needed as thetrainers should be more skilled than theparticipants.He also plans to identify more volunteers andorganize workshops as soon as possible.
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Summary of the participants’interviews at the trainers workshop,Bhopal 21-26.8.2006.
The issues:
The participants have coped with numerousdifferent issues depending on local issues. Mizoparticipants treat mostly environmental questions,while participants from urban areas have a lot ofproblems with for example children’s abuse andpollution, as well tribal areas have their ownquestions.
Women and gender issues are very popular. Twowomen and most of the men have dealt withgender and/or women questions. Widespreadissues are for example girls’ education, violenceagainst women and female foeticide.
Children issues are also favoured. Children’srights, child abuse, child labour and trafficking aswell the school drop outs got many references.
Every Mizo participant has treated environmentalissues like water problems and deforestation. Noneof them mentioned any gender question whichprobably tells about Mizoram’s matriarchaltradition. Participants from Bihar and Assam havedealt with pollution, radioactive areas and Ganges’dolphins.
Also displacement and re-settlement were amongissues.
Social problems like drug and alcohol abuse werecommon issues. So were many social questionslike tribal peoples life situation, caste problems,corruption and health problems like HIV/AIDS.
Distribution:
All participants have made wallposters. Many ofthem have also published booklets, strips andpostcards. Some participants’ comics and cartoonshave been published in newspapers andmagazines. One of them had published two booksand three of them intent to make one.
The feedback:
Almost all feedback participants have got has beenpositive. They have got feedback from NGOs andmembers of target groups. At Rajasthan alsoadministration has noticed problems throughcomics campaigns.
Sometimes people have complained about the artwork or lack of colours. In the other hand peoplehave also been pleased with black and whitegraphics.
As a feedback can also been seen social changeswhich have caused by comics, like girls grownattendance at school in Rajasthan.
The Comics have also provoked discussions andstrong emotions.
About the future:
All participants intend to use comics in future. Mostof them have clear ideas, plans and proposalsconcerning future activities such as workshops andpublications.
The problems:
In Sri Lanka different cultural backgrounds andtraditions cause sometimes problems withexplaining and understanding the grassroot comicsprocess.
Work with illiterate people requires special skills, inparticular storytelling without words.
Some participants self evaluated that theirsketching and story telling skills are incomplete.Some participants said that it is hard to handlesame problems time and time again.
New ideas:
Participants expected new workshops for trainers.They would like to grow drawing talents to getrespect from their own workshop’s participants.Also they would like to have more training to docomics without words. This is very important whenpeople work with illiterate people.
Workshops are also necessary because trainersmotivation, new ideas and experience sharing.
Maippi Tapanainen
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“Freedom” A rich man used to buy produce from the village women at a very low cost. Thewomen decided to form a self help group (SHG). They saved money and in the end managed tocut out the middleman and their economic situation improved a lot. Story and art: Ms. KuSunita Ketwas, NIWCY.
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“Result of greed”. A village received money for road construction. The sarpanch (leader)diverted some funds. The villagers decided to remove the sarpanch from his position. In theend he lamented - Why did I have to be so greedy? Story and art: Prakash Malviya.
32
“Life giver”. Ramu, a villager in Rampur wanted to cut some trees when herealised that there were no more trees to cut. Later he fell sick and the doctorsaid it was due to unhealthy surroundings. Ramu decided to make an effort toplant trees to save the children of the village from the same fate. The villagerswere happy for the change in Ramu. Story and art: Pushpam Kumar, BhopalUniversity.
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“Lesson”. The ration shopkeeper told the villagers that his grains were finished. But a villagersaw him selling grain to an outsider in the middle of the night. The villagers had a meeting anddecided to remove the shopkeeper from the village. The shopkeeper asked the villagers fo for-giveness and promised that he would never do black marketing again. Story and art: SankarBhusare, Sahmet Kesla.
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“Your right is your weapon”. Shankar’s family was very poor. He died suddenly. The widowcould not get a death certificate before an organisation helped her to claim her right. Theorganisation insisted that due to the Right to Information Act in India, the widow should get thecertificate within three days. The widow was relieved, because now she could claim for apension after Shankar’s death. Story and art: Ms. Vibla Rathore, Samarthan.
35
At the workshop the different groups in the WCI network had an opportunity to tell about theirown activities.Here Champa Lal shared his experiences about running workshops in M.P.
36
Grassroots comics are becoming increasingly popular as a power-ful tool in campaigns. They are used by civil groups and movementswhich have something to say and know their target groups well.
Grassroots comics are made by the activists themselves who areaware of the local issues and problems. No professional artists areneeded as it is the story and the drama, not the expertise of thedrawing, that matter. Also humour can be used to express seriousissues.
Grassroots comics can convey a serious message effectively inwallposters and small booklets using low-tech printing. They can alsobe published as strips in journals.
Grassroots comics give a voice to groups, such as community-based groups, which normally have little or no access to media. Theyare well suited for local campaigns and peer communication, alsoamong children and youth. They have been successfully used incampaigns involving human rights, health, environment etc.
World Comics Finland and World Comics India have arranged anumber of workshops and together worked out methods ofproducing grassroots comics. All manuals, in several languages,samples, presentations etc are available on the recently updatedwebsites www.worldcomics.fi and www.worldcomicsindia.com Wehope that the sites will give inspiration to people who look for aninexpensive and efficient grassroots campaigning tool.
Visit the websites: www.worldcomics.fi andwww.worldcomicsindia.com or contact:
Leif Packalén, World Comics Finland,Vanamontie 4 E 156,01350 Vantaa, Finlande-mail: [email protected]
Sharad Sharma, World Comics India,B-20-S, Delhi Police ApartmentsMayur Vihar, Phase I, Delhi 110091, Indiae-mail: [email protected]
“Freedom” A rich man used to buy produce from the village women at a very low cost. The womendecided to form a self help group (SHG), which improved their economic situation a lot. Story and art:Ms. Ku Sunita Ketwas, NIWCY. This strip is converted from her wallposter on page 30.
Grassroots comics, why, what and for whom?
