Coastal Youth Trained in Mobile Storytelling to Amplify Community Voices

A new wave of mobile storytelling skills is being introduced to young people in Bangladesh’s coastal regions. Fourteen adolescents and youths from Shyamnagar upazila in Satkhira took part in a two-day training held on 26–27 November, learning how to capture stories about their lives, environment, and communities using only mobile phones. The workshop was jointly organized by Daffodil International University (DIU) and UNDP Bangladesh’s Gender-Responsive Coastal Adaptation (GCA) project.

The information was shared in a press release.

During the opening session, Md. Abdul Kaiyum, Head of Communication at UNDP Bangladesh, said they plan to move into a second phase after this workshop, where the stories created by the youth will receive continuous guidance and follow-up support from UNDP. Empowering these young storytellers in the long term will help ensure that coastal voices remain visible and influential.

GCA Project’s National Project Manager Md. Abdul Hannan noted that communication led by young people carries powerful impact. He emphasized the need to amplify coastal voices through accessible digital tools. With proper skills and direction, young people can play a vital role in community-based adaptation efforts.

DIU Associate Professor Dr. Abdul Kabil Khan conducted the technical sessions on mobile videography and photography. He said mobile storytelling enables youth to document the realities around them directly. With just a smartphone, they can vividly portray important issues such as water, gender, and resilience.

Even after the two-day workshop ends, mentorship support for participants will continue. They will receive assistance to further improve their stories, organize community screenings, create local advocacy opportunities, and connect with platforms that can help bring their stories to policymakers.

DBTech/PR/EK/OR