BBC World Service's citizen journalism project
The BBC Your Story citizen journalism project is now closed.
Thanks to everyone who has contributed, it’s been fantastic. Look at what we did over the year we were up and running, here.
That’s not to mention, the people I’ve met and stories that have been passed on – all thanks to you, the blog, flickr and twitter community.
As the Your Story project is closing at the end of the month, read more on this here – I’d like to re-direct your submissions for citizen journalism ideas and also your photos and video footage to here.
Here are a few more interesting links I’ve been coming across..
This video apparently showing an attack on University dorms – the BBC has not been able to verify this video but there have been reports of Basiji attacks on university dorms. Advice from BBC Persian is that this footage tallies with information it has confirmed about incidents like this taking place.
Richard Sambrook – Director of BBC Global News tweeted, “BBC receiving “5 videos a minute” from Iran http://tinyurl.com/mm9zfs #iranelections”
Flickr photo slideshow from Iran
The World Today spoke to a Tehran resident this morning – listen to her here.
Watch BBC Persian TV on the livestream.
Inside the drug rehab centre in Chittagong
This piece below, has been written by Ney Someta who has been looking into the issue of drug addiction for Your Story in Bangladesh. She visited ARK – a Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Centre in Chittagong.
See the previous blog post for more on her report.
It was established in 2000 by a group of realized addicts, with corporate and Non Government Organization support.
ARK remains a small organization without enough facilities. The addicts in ARK are called clients. They are supposed to pay 8000 taka (about US$ 120) for treatment. However, only 10 – 15% of them pay in full bill, about 40% pay half, and the rest pay less than that or do not pay at all.
Mr. Shamim, the organizer of ARK, told me that drug addiction in Bangladesh is so severe that people need to raise awareness. However, the problem is like a stigma that no one will talk about openly. He says that there are only a few rehabilitation centers in Chittagong and those are for men. In Dhaka, there are some rehab centres for women. (Male and Female rehabs are separated in Bangladesh.)
Mr. Shamim also described the difficulties that ARK has been facing. According to him, government support is insufficient.
Besides the overall problems, Mr. Shamim explains the treatment they use follows a step by step approach.
The Kitchen that has been being built in the rehab centre
The first step for new clients is to keep them in a room without any beds. There is almost nothing in the room. Then the psychologist will ask the clients things like: Do you think drugs are bad? Do you surrender? Are you determined to quit? If the answers are yes, the clients will be transferred to the surrender room and then the next step is stability. It means that they are getting better, and the side effects begin to fade.
Now there are 40 clients in ARK, and they all agree they are supported very well. In there, clients help each other and give each other moral support. That section is called the Growth Group, spiritually and mentally growing. “The rehab gives back the loss,” they say.
Clients follow a fixed schedule. They have to eat and pray group by group at specific times. Even with all support and treatment in ARK, some clients come back again after they recovered.
(This is information I have found out about ARK)
Written by Ney Sométa.
A poster inside the drug rehab centre in Bangladesh
I’m learning lots about the drug scene in Bangladesh – among students at the universities and among the better off, richer classes. This is thanks to Ney Someta – a Cambodian student living in Bangladesh. She’s been looking into addiction of heroin there, after one of her friends started using the drug.
One man in his thirties – Hassan – who owns a successful family business talks to her about his heroin addiction which he smokes through foil. He runs a family business and is a member of the local chamber of commerce, but for all these opportunities he says his life is a hell.
It’s a real insight into the lives of people who look like they’re doing very well in Bangladesh. They’re educated and earning good money. But underneath the surface you find out that they’re living a life on the edge – battling with the demons of addiction and not far from falling into an abyss.
Ney Someta really worked hard on this one and I’m just mixing her material now this morning so that hopefully it will get broadcast this week – I’ll add a link when it’s online.
Iranian protests taken by BBC World Service team on our flickr stream, click for more photos
Citizen journalism is making its way out of Iran despite reports that twitter and facebook have been blocked by the authorities. This is centred around the protests there following the elections, which saw Mahmoud Ahmadinejad re-elected as president.
Parokee in Iran just joined bbcyourstory as a follower on twitter and I’ve asked if he wants to write a few words on this blog. He has contributed to World Have Your Say before.
We are running thoughts from ordinary on Iranians in a series called My Iran.
This is an excellent round up here of what is happening on the internet which includes mobile phone footage of a protest being broken up by police with truncheons on motorbikes. Read the latest tweets on the Iran election here.
I went along to my local school last night, which had been converted into a temporary polling booth, to place an X in a box.
It felt good.
I have to admit there were quite a few years where I abstained from voting due to a general personal disillusionment. Although this has not gone away completely – I realise how important a privilege it is to be able to vote.
I saw this word “Browndemonium” to describe what is happening with the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown who seems to fighting for his political life right now. We are looking at Tweetminster to see what the MP’s are saying on there.
Photo by itslefty
I have been following the BBC’s Jonny Dymond as he travels across Europe, taking the political temperature of ordinary people. This morning he seemed to be having way too much of a good time in a German beer hall. See the latest on what is happening in the Europe elections here.
In terms of citizen journalism on the European elections, there are some interesting things going on here and here.
I like the idea of asking a resident from Germany and a Europe-lover to report on the elections in an anti European country like some parts of the UK. Or a German citizen journalist going to Turkey to report on why many Germans do not want Turkey to enter the EU.
Beijing 1989
I asked the citizen journalists that Your Story has in China to write a few words for this blog, on the 20th year anniversary of Tiananmen Square.
It was a sensitive request and I told them that of course I understand the difficulties they may be facing in being able to do this. This blog is one that they have posted to before and there is an article written there.
As it was, unfortunately they have not been able to send anything directly to me.
Some internet sites are reported to be blocked in China. But there are some fantastic voices and features that the BBC has broadcast. Including this audio slideshow.
There are also these young people who have been talking to the BBC Chinese Service.
I am looking at dog fighting in the USA for an Assignment programme which I am hoping to make in July.
The dog fighter, turned possible friend I am referring to, is of course Michael Vick – the NFL football player who was jailed for dog fighting after 66 dogs were found at his property and who is now being offered a hand of friendship from the American Humane Society which could help repair his reputation and show how remorseful he may be after his conviction over animal cruelty. Here’s that apology … do you believe he can change?
Vick has pledged to get involved in a campaign which discourages young kids who are walking around training dogs for fights, thinking that this is the gangster thing to do. I came across Tio Hardiman – who is doing amazing things to teach people a new way to live with their dogs on the streets.
The guy who sits next to me at work – James, uploaded this video I made again, after Jonathan commented on the Your Story vimeo site that the first attempt was squashed up for some reason.
Even though I am working to an end of June deadline on the many projects that are still going on in the field, it doesn’t feel like things are winding down as there are still many great and interesting stories that you want to tell. These include a call I got today from Ridwana in Leicester in the UK who has set up a group on Facebook called Muslims against Terrorism and who is campaigning against racism that she has come across on the site.
As I say in the video, if you have any ideas for citizen reports, then you can submit them on the Have Your Say page of bbcnews.com, I’ll also forward any that you send into me here.
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