SwitchOn Foundation invites applications from journalists, photographers, and multimedia storytellers to join 3-month long media fellowship through field visits that will encourage the selected fellows to document stories on the reality of clean energy, climate-smart agriculture, and sustainable mobility – the crises and the solutions through the lens of individual and community narratives across India
How are the Fellows Selected?
Five journalists will be awarded fellowships and receive training, mentorship, and other support to facilitate reporting. We are particularly keen to hear from journalists living in West Bengal, Sikkim, Manipur, Meghalaya, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra
- Applications are open to India-based journalists, photographers and multimedia storytellers (online, print, television, radio)
- Stories can be done in English or local languages, or both. We encourage applications from journalists working in local languages and reporting for local media outlets
- We shall give preference to journalists who has history of publishing articles, photo-essays and multimedia pieces
- To ensure equal opportunities and diversity of voices, we especially encourage applications from women,young journalists and journalists from indigenous communities
- We are seeking applications from freelancers and staff from all types of media outlets – international, national, local and community-based.
- Freelancers should demonstrate a plan for publication or broadcast and are encouraged to provide a letter of interest from an editor
What do Fellows Expected to do?
- Once selected, the fellows will have to attend an introductory workshop with SwitchON Foundation
- The selected fellows will be required to travel to minimum two field sites of SwitchON Foundation in the country The stories may or may not be limited to SwitchON Foundation’s interventions but must contribute to the larger dialogue on the theme
- The selected candidates will be expected to publish/broadcast long format human interest stories, features or photo essays
- Each fellow is to publish a minimum of four stories during the fellowship period
- After the field/site visits, the candidates are expected to share a draft version of their stories with SwitchON Foundation
- The fellows must acknowledge the support of SwitchON Foundation when they publish or present their stories elsewher
- Fellows would be encouraged to promote their stories on social media platforms
Duration
The fellowship will be for a period of three months (October-December, 2022) where Fellows will be requested to keep SwitchON Foundation in the loop regarding the theme, location, and travel required for the stories.
Media Fellowship Advisors
Abhijeet Gurjar
Independent visual journalist based in Kohlapur, Maharashtra
Abhijeet teaches photography at Shivaji University, Kolhapur. Being a visual journalist, he contributes to international agencies like Reuters, Zuma Press, and Majority World. His feature stories and Images published in The Time, The Wall Street Journal, LaCroix, Mongabay, The Hindu, The Wire among others
Chandrani Sinha
Independent journalist based in Guwahati, Assam
Ekta Jaju
Social Entrepreneur & Documentary Film Maker based in Kolkata, West Bengal
Ekta has specialized in the direction from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). She is the founder of ONganic Foods, an organic agri-social enterprise that works with local, organic farmers in India to connect them with markets for their products. Ekta has advised many national and international organizations, including UN Women and GIZ India.
Faisal Anurag
Senior journalist based in Ranchi, Jharkhand
He is a senior journalist, writer, thinker, and expert on Tribal Subjects; Founding editor of ‘Janahak’ magazine. Wrote and edited about twenty-two books, including ‘Jharkhand Dishum Gatha’, ‘Jharkhand’s Philosophical and Cultural Discourse’, ‘Santal Hul: Consciousness of Resistance’, ‘Global Pane of Regional Journalism’, ‘Conscience Consciousness of Secular India Vs Communal Fascism’.
Yusuf Rangoonwala
Communication Strategist based in Bangaluru, Karnataka.
Yousuf is one of India’s most awarded brand and advertising strategists. He was shortlisted, as South Asia Strategist of The Year, at Campaign AOTY Awards 2019. He has worked in the advertising, design and brand Strategy, and entertainment business in India, Indonesia, and Singapore for 18 years.