Building Resilience in Nepal’s Public and Media Against Mis/Disinformation

• Eligibility Criteria
  For Explainer video content creators:
  – Must be a Nepali youth aged 18 years or older;
  – Must reside in one of Nepal’s seven provinces and have a strong understanding of the local media landscape;
  – Applicants must demonstrate a proven track record in creating engaging digital content, including a minimum of 100,000 subscribers on YouTube and an average of 100,000 views over the past three months;
  – Applicants must provide a portfolio of past work, including links to at least 2-3 explainer videos demonstrating their experience and expertise;
  – Must have a strong online presence with followers/subscribers on public and accessible social media platforms. This ensures that the content reaches a broad audience and can be engaged with by the public;
  – Sound knowledge of media, communication, and content creation patterns is essential. Excellent communication skills in Nepali are required. Knowledge of the local language is preferred to ensure effective outreach;
  – Must demonstrate a strong passion for countering mis/disinformation and be committed to debunking misleading news;
  – Must be willing to produce explainer videos on one of the assigned key topics such as health crises, disasters, elections, foreign assistance, marginalized communities, and climate change.For Provincial video content creators:
  – Must be a Nepali youth aged 18 years or older;
  – Must reside in one of Nepal’s seven provinces and have a strong understanding of the local media landscape;
  – Experience in conducting on-the-spot interviews or producing Vox Pop-style videos that capture diverse public opinions is preferred, while a portfolio of past work in content creation is mandatory;
  – Must have an active, public, and accessible social media account with a good following on social media platforms, demonstrating the ability to reach and engage a broad audience;
  – Demonstrated cultural sensitivity and the ability to engage diverse local communities, particularly marginalised or underrepresented groups. Experience in community outreach is highly valued;
  – Must be willing to create short, engaging videos featuring public opinions on key mis/disinformation key topics such as health crises, disasters, elections, foreign assistance, marginalised communities, and climate change;
  – Ability to create culturally relevant content that resonates with local audiences and addresses prevalent mis/disinformation issues;
  – Strong communication skills in Nepali are essential. Knowledge of the local language is preferred.
• Type of Funding: Programmatic
• Target Region: Nepal
• Application Language: English, Nepali

The U.S. Embassy, in collaboration with Youth Innovation Lab, is inviting content creators to help build resilience among Nepal’s public against common types of mis/disinformation through ongoing mentorship, training, and content production.

The program targets content creators with significant community reach and invites those from marginalized and under-represented groups to apply. By focusing on local mis/disinformation trends, this initiative seeks to build resilience specific to Nepal’s media landscape. The project’s objective is to inoculate the public from mis/disinformation and encourage informed decision-making on key issues affecting the country.

Thematic Areas

The initiative will include a bootcamp and engage selected creators in the development of six explainer videos and seven pieces of content from different provinces that address six issues prone to mis/disinformation:

• Disasters
• Health crises
• Foreign assistance
• Tensions involving marginalised populations
• Climate change
• Elections

Program Benefits

• Comprehensive Bootcamp and Skill Development
• Financial Support
• Mentorship and Guidance
• Increased Visibility and Self-Growth
• Networking Opportunities
• Cultural Relevance and Impact

Funding Information

• Explainer video content creators will receive a grant of $3,000, while provincial video content creators will receive $1,500 to support their content production.
• This funding covers production costs, equipment, and logistical support.

See here to learn more and apply.

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