Social Norms
Social norms action with informed and engaged societies
Social Norms
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at lainiciativadecomunicacion.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Published 23 years ago
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Baatchit - India

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Baatchit is a technology research programme led by Jiva Institute that aims to facilitate access to information, communication, entertainment, and socio-economic opportunities in rural Indian villages while promoting Indian heritage and cultural values. A website shares research results through "Community Software", a tool that connects villages internally and with outside communities for the purpose of information retrieval, expression of opinions and needs, and the generation of socio-economic opportunities. The purpose of the project is to foster the development of low-cost digital technology (both hardware and software) that meets the information and communication needs of Indian villagers.
Communication Strategies
Visitors to the Baatchit site have access to research papers, reports, surveys, and other information. These sources are meant to be accessible by people of all literacy levels. The Baatchit programme computer runs a visually-oriented 'Community Software System' that enables people to access information and communicate with each other. The Baatchit software is designed to facilitate rural empowerment by facilitating the exchange of information through:
  • Visual searches
  • A video messaging system
  • Scalabale architecture
  • Open-ended communications architecture
  • Modules on employment, information, health, and more
Development Issues
Agriculture, Technology, Socio-economic Development.
Key Points
The research team contacted various government offices, only to discover that the information on the Internet was sketchy at best. Need assessment workshops helped the research team identify areas of priority, which include government, employment, animals, agriculture, banks, vehicles, health, and housing. These areas of interest have informed the production of the online database.

Challenges to the programme include frequent power outages, difficult terrain, and insufficient telephone cables. Resistance to change, divided opinions and caste politics were some of the psychosocial barriers impacting the project.
Partners

Media Lab Asia, University of Rochester Center for Future Health (CFH), Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai and Chennai.

Sources

Baatchit site.