Voices Unheard: Empowering Street Children through New Media!
Giving a Voice to Those Society Has Silenced
In 2020, It’s Just Us Productions, LLC partnered with PSG Consult LLC to co-produce the “It’s Just Us Ghana Live!” Radio Show. This international media exchange honors the rich culture and contributions of both Africans and African Americans, creating higher levels of awareness, education and sustainability and expands our voice, our power, and the reach of our people.
This groundbreaking partnership has been expanded and joined forces to include, the Street Children Empowerment Foundation (SCEF)/PSG Consult LLC and It’s Just Us In The Community/It’s Just Us Productions, LLC Atlanta-USA to launch an inspiring project, “Voices Unheard: Empowering Street Children through New Media.”
The project is set to unfold over a six-month period. It is packed with a diverse range of activities designed to uplift and amplify the voices of these marginalized children. The comprehensive plan includes training, production, broadcasting, and the creation of a scalable prototype that holds the potential to revolutionize the lives of countless children facing adversity.
At the heart of this innovative Project lies the training sessions. At this Initiation Phase, eight children in street situations will be equipped with invaluable skills in media production, child rights, and child protection policies. Through these sessions, these young individuals will learn how to produce their own documentaries, news articles, and radio and television programs, all of which will be broadcasted monthly to a wide audience.
The children with the acquired skills in media production, will develop a firm voice that strongly advocates for their rights and inclusion in policy making or decisions that directly or indirectly affects them. This great feat would be a testament to commemoration of the Day of the African Child, which is celebrated on June 16th every year to celebrate the bold steps we are taking together to change the odds for marginalized and vulnerable children in street-connected situations in Ghana.
To ensure maximum impact, the outreach activities will encompass the production of short documentaries that delve into the realities of children living on the streets. These thought-provoking films will be aired on television programs, while accompanying articles will be published in newspapers and online platforms. Through an efficient planning phase, the children themselves will take the reins of advocacy, participating in radio and television programs to share their experiences, challenge stereotypes, and advocate for the change they wish to see.
The ultimate goal of the project is to develop a prototype that empowers children to speak confidently about the issues that afflict them, with a particular focus on reducing streetism in Ghana. The Execution of this prototype if successful, could serve as a model to be adopted nationally, making a tangible difference in the lives of countless street children.
It’s crucial to highlight that the project’s activities prioritize the safety and protection of the participating children. Sessions on child safeguarding and appropriate consent from both children and parents will be implemented to ensure their well-being throughout the project. Risk management strategies will be implemented to identify and mitigate potential risks, with a particular emphasis on child safeguarding, media production challenges, and funding limitations.
There will be periodic progress tracking to ensure effective monitoring and evaluation of the project’s success, including the assessment of training sessions’ efficacy and the impact of outreach activities. The project’s outcomes will be evaluated based on the established objectives and goals. Comprehensive project reports will also be compiled, sharing the lessons learned with stakeholders and publicizing the project’s outcomes through various media channels.
A sustainability plan will be developed to ensure the continuation and scaling up of project activities. Collaboration with relevant government bodies, civil society organizations, and media partners will be explored to create a lasting impact.
“Voices Unheard: Empowering Street Children through New Media” is an extraordinary project that harnesses the transformative power of media to uplift the voices of those who society has silenced. By providing street children with the necessary skills, platform, and visibility. This project will create lasting change and ultimately seeks to influence positive policy reforms. Together, we can empower these young individuals to break free from the shadows and pave their path to a brighter future. Stay tuned for more updates on this inspiring journey!
