Project Report
| Feb 4, 2013
Progress Report on the Lab's Development: #2
![A session on innovation during the workshop]()
A session on innovation during the workshop
Dear Friends and Supporters,
We continue to find support from pleasantly unexpected sources to motivate us to forge ahead. This past month, we received generous donations from the Raffles Institution in Singapore and the Druk Green Power Corporation in Bhutan. The donations amounted to over $1,000! We thank both of these institutions for their charitable contributions.
Thanks to benefactors like yourself and various organizations, we have raised enough money to cover the start-up costs of the lab. W
e've almost completed the purchase of all the computers, cameras, and fun tools we hope to equip the lab with in the beginning. We even ran an 8-day digital storytelling workshop for 27 youth last month to test out the space. Hear from youth in this video tell you what they learned! To keep the space intentional and sustainable, we are in the final stages of designing a series of innovative learning programmes. These include:
- a membership programme, for which youth will have to apply, take an orientation course on Media and Democracy Literacy, and pay a nominal fee;
- the Media Guild, an advanced membership programme that youth members can opt into if they're seeking long-term creative development. Beyond simply learning how to use media, members of the guild learn about all aspects of media professionalism. Participation in the guild will include training in marketing, career-building (interviews, resumes, and networking), and understanding of civic engagement. Throughout the duration of their membership in the guild, members will build and develop their own portfolio. These portfolios will be used to help them procure commissioned jobs, which BCMD will facilitate through our personal contacts.
- Saturday Open Mic Nights + Screenings, for youth seeking to share their ideas, their views, their creative work, and for a fun time on Saturday evening!
We also recently finished editing our latest fundraiser video, "Dreaming of a Media Lab". The video was conceived of and co-directed by Letho Gyamtsho, Lilly Yangchen, Bhuwan Kafley, and Rajesh Gurung - all members of our Lab Design Team. Check it out!
Our mission, however, is not yet complete. We are now entering another round of fundraising to support the programming costs of the space. If we are to launch by the middle of March (the current plan), we need funding to compensate professionals we hope to rope in to lead trainings and mentorships; to support the training and employment of youth lab coordinators, who will help guide and lead youth; and to fully equip the space with all the state-of-the-art equipment that young people here lack chronic access to.
Please consider giving one more time to help us reach our final goal!
With gratitude,
The BCMD Team
![Youth share their photography work at the space]()
Youth share their photography work at the space
![A morning exercise in the Lab field]()
A morning exercise in the Lab field
![The Big Dream - Setting up the Lab!]()
The Big Dream - Setting up the Lab!
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