Who We Are

Communication for Change is a non-profit training organization based in New York City. For the past 25 years, Communication for Change (C4C) - formerly Martha Stuart Communications - has developed participatory communication projects in collaboration with communities and grassroots development organizations worldwide.

Participatory communication, which emerged as an alternative to the centralization and "one-way" flow of most media, focuses on enabling community members to represent their own reality. Trained in the use of "small" media (usually camcorders), video teams create programs that engage local participation and address common concerns. In these tapes, people voice their views, share information, and raise questions about issues of importance to the community. Following production, the tapes are played back among local audiences to spark dialogue and exchange of experience. The process promotes collaboration and group decision-making, helps mobilize constituencies and strengthens advocacy efforts. Participatory video projects address such issues as workers' rights, women's social and economic status, family and reproductive health, domestic violence, and environmental degradation.

"When I learned about this project, I wasn't sure. Now, I think video is the best weapon for the poor because we can make people more conscious."
--Shahmeema, development field worker, Bangladesh