"I don't want young people to have to go through a cycle of violence first and then experience an inner transition. They can break the cycle now and change their environment.” With that aim in mind, Talash trains thousands of young people in India using creative forms of expression.
Based on her own experience in social work, Ayesah saw that the LGBTQ community was not yet being served. That is why she founded Talash - Society for Inner Strength, Peace and Equality ten years ago, an organisation that offers training in resilience and personal growth to young people in rural areas of India, and informs women and sexual and gender minorities on their rights. "Young people provide so much energy and hope for the future. We have already reached more than 50,000 people with our methods.
The young people come into contact with Talash via school or social media. They are the first generation in their family to attend school. Knowledge about equal rights is not yet widespread there. "A young girl was no longer allowed to go to school and was going to be married off. Through social media, she came across one of our influencers and heard about her rights. She came to one of our training courses and is now an influencer herself," Ayesah says.
A layered story
Digital storytelling is the latest method Talash uses to bring about change on a personal and communal level. Young people know how to use social media themselves and can make videos on their phones. However, professionals and artists provide training on telling their personal stories, so that they also have a genuine impact. During a 15-day training course, students aged between 12 and 25 learn all about storytelling. "We want the students to really understand the different layers involved in telling a story. How can you share your own story, so that inspires both you and others? We also want the students to find strength in their own stories. And how do you tell that story then? When is it interesting and what type of images should you use?
"How can you share your own story, so that it inspires both you and others?
In addition to this form of digital storytelling, games are also part of the training course. Ayesah: "The type of games we use help to gain insight into which beliefs you hold yourself. Students learn about topics like gender, masculinity and child protection. As a result of this process, the students are more open to accepting others.” In addition, there are numerous (live) videos on Facebook discussing issues such as child marriage and gender-related violence.
Inner strength
By working with different empowerment methods like Mindfulness, Aikido (Japanese martial art that teaches how to respond without violence) and Wenlido (self-defence for women), the training course also focuses on the development of the individual and goes further than merely the physical ability to defend oneself. The participants are made aware of their own strengths and thus to see themselves as valuable. On the basis of that perspective, a strong generation can grow up that looks out for each other.
Life-changing
Although Indian law accepts sexual and gender minorities, the stigma is still present in society. Ayesah: "We see lots of trans people who accept their identity, but still struggle in their environment. There is still some way to go in order to empower this group and also to help the environment to accept this group. Although the government claims to be there for the minority, we must also provide that government with knowledge”.
"It is life-changing! We have 2,000 active members who all spread the story of acceptance and equality.”
Nevertheless, Ayesah sees the positive effect of Talash’s work. "It is life-changing! We have 2,000 active members who all spread the story of acceptance and equality. The young champions send digital stories into the world and have online conversations about sexual and gender minorities that have never been had before. It is a great way to familiarise our culture with equal rights for everyone. If young people have seen something online, the conversation is more easily resumed in the physical world. This is how change begins.”
This series of articles showcase work by local partners of the Our Voices, Our Futures (OVOF) consortium, a feminist partnership led by CREA, together with Association for Progressive Communications (APC), UHAI – The East African Sexual Health and Rights Initiative and WO=MEN and IM-Defensoras as strategic partner. OVOF is committed to helping structurally excluded women and trans people and strengthening inclusive feminist movements. One of the strategies for this is working with artists and using art to bring about structural changes in communities.
