The Community Video Unit (CVU) is a unique space for local communities to voice their stories of joy, strife or tribulations. Here communities create, control and disseminate their stories through the medium of videos. It comprises of 6 – 8 community members who are trained as full time Community Video Producers. They produce a ‘Video Film’ on different social issues in every 2months. These films are screened in around 25 bastis or villages on widescreen projectors to up to 10,000 people. Every film sparks debates, discussions and ultimately actions towards a positive change. Drishti collaborates with different non-profit organizations in India to set up a Community Video Unit, within communities they work.

WHERE ARE THE UNITS?

The Past and Present Community Video Units. 

In July 2006, Drishti began its journey in setting up Community Video Units (CVU). Video Volunteers, an American organization partnered with Drishti to set up these units across India. Six leading NGO’s of India joined this Community Video Movement and Units were created in the communities they worked with. These 6 NGO’s were pioneers and promoters of the Community Video concept as they were the first to develop and execute this concept in their field areas.  
The first six Community Video Units were set up in collaboration with:

• Akshara, Mumbai
• Laya, Andhra Pradesh
• Navsarjan, Gujarat
• Saath, Gujarat
• Yuva, Mumbai
• Yuvshakti, Gujarat

In 2008, Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust (HIHT) through its Rural Development Institute (RDI) also joined the brigade to set up their Community Video Unit in the villages of Uttarakhand. 

Akshara’s - Apna TV  
Akshara is a non profit organization based in Mumbai which works for the rights of women.
Akshara’s CVU is called Apna TV. True to their now famous tag line ‘na ETV, na Zee TV, na CNN, na Star Plus, Yeh hai hamara Apna TV…’ this team has after more then 2 years of ceaseless work created a media space loved and owned by the community. Apna TV is currently focusing on the youth in their community and wants to work towards involving them in pro-active ways as change makers in their community. 

Yuva’s - Hamari Awaaz
Yuva (Youth for Voluntary Action) is a non profit Human Rights Organization based in Mumbai.
Yuva has set up Hamari Awaaz with the aim to train marginalized young people from the slums of Mumbai so that they may voice their stories on democracy and human rights. This 5-member team has effectively used the medium of film to throw light on the causes of varied social problems as seen through the eyes of the people who suffer them. Water, their first film, questioned the privatization of water. It informed and inspired people to take action. This film has left a deep impact on the communities and the policy makers. 

Yuvshakti’s - Sakshi Media
Yuvshakti is a non-profit organization working in Panchmahals, Gujarat, for the rights of the youth. It’s main aim is to impact issues of social justice through youth groups and also to build leadership qualities so that they are able to take responsibilities and advocate the rights of the communities and themselves.  

Yuvshakti’s  Sakshi Media, is set up in an area which was torn apart by the communal carnage of 2002. Today this team works to create harmony in their communities by addressing young people across religious and caste boundaries. They have worked on issues of health, basic infrastructure, livelihoods and self governance.  

Laya’s - Manyam Praja Video
Laya is a non-profit organization working for empowering ‘Tribal Communities’ in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. The organization works to empower tribal communities to secure access and control of their land, forest and water resources; to sustain and promote sustainable alternatives of livelihood and to ensure self-governance recognizing their cultural identity and value systems. 

Manyam Praja Video is the Community Video Unit set up by Laya. The 14 young dynamic people from the community overcome the barriers of illiteracy, customs and languages and easily communicate to the community on various social issues with ease through their films. Their CVU is a true celebration of an old culture through modern means and this is what lays the corner stone of Community Media as a media for the future.

HIHT- RDI’s- Hamaru Raibar
The Himalayan Institute Hospital Trust through their Rural Development Institute formed their Community Video Unit Hamaru Raiabar, in January 2008. It actively functions in 25 villages that are spread across the Doiwala and Raipur block of Dehradun district, Uttarakhand.

Over a period of one year Hamaru Raibar with its strong Editorial Board, has propelled various development initiatives. This Unit is also steadily working towards sustainability by making films for HIHT and its numerous projects. Films so far made are on livelihood, health, water, cultures and traditions.  

Navsarjan’s - Apna Malak Maa
Navsarjan is a leading Dalit rights organization working in the feudal heartland of Gujarat.

Apna Malak Maa is an all Dalit Community Video Unit (CVU) team, which works towards bridging the gap between the castes of 25 villages in 3 talukas of Surendranagar districts. This team has always aimed at addressing issues across a cross-section of people from the community. They have made films on the public distribution system, health, land rights and manual scavenging. 

Saath’s - Samvad
Saath is a non-profit organization working for urban poor in Gujarat. It conceptualized the Integrated Development Programme for the slums of Ahmedabad in 1989 to facilitate participatory processes that would improve the quality of life for the slum residents and make slum areas in Ahmedabad a more equitable living environment. 

Saath’s Community Video Unit, Samvad comprises of people from four major slums of Ahmedabad. Through Samvad the slum residents of Ahmedabad have found an opportunity to voice their opinions, raise issues or problems and allow free discussion to promote change in their communities. The Samvad team in an effort to strengthen their community presence, and build ownership has begun sharing their skills by conducting innovative Community Video Workshops in their community.