“Caribbean Voice” : Amplifying Caribbean Voices through Citizen Journalism” launched as the Caribbean rebuilds post Irma and Maria

The program, called “Caribbean Voice” is a call to Citizen Journalists and enthusiasts across the Caribbean and abroad. The program aims to partner with like-minded journalists and media houses by curating post-storm citizen stories with a focus on challenges, hope, heroism, community, resilience and recovery recommendations. The project spans all media types: text, videos, or photos, that speaks to how the Caribbean is progressing in its recovery efforts, highlighting areas of need and most importantly, demonstrating the spirit of community and resilience.

Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the Commission in giving his perspective on the project said, “These past weeks have been truly eye opening for me. Out of the tragedy seems to have come a positive evolution in the sub region’s media landscape. Armed with smartphones, social media and storytelling with a distinctively Caribbean style, I have seen “newscasts” being broadcast from seemingly every quarter.  We want to create a platform for authentic voices to speak to their realities while ensuring that fact checking strengthens that authenticity.”

Rhea Yaw Ching, Executive Director of Covela Foundation, and longtime promoter of local digital content said, “We are pleased to be spearheading this significant initiative and even more grateful to our foundation media partners: Global Voices, Loop, Truly Caribbean and Senseo Digital Agency.” She continued, “Out of these recent storms, we have an ideal opportunity to expand the ecosystem of indigenous digital Caribbean content as well as create content that accelerates the efficiency and effectiveness of Caribbean governance.” 

Participation in the program is open to all. Persons are invited to post, or repost stories, videos, photographs or music over the next few months to the newly created Facebook Page called Our Caribbean Voice. 

In order to maintain the integrity of the content the following guidelines should be used:

1. A hashtag showing the country of origin;
2. A hashtag showing the community (where applicable);
3. A hashtag indicating the hurricane responsible for the devastation (where applicable); and
4. Additional hashtags showing the Caribbean Spirit:
   • #OneCaribbean,
   • #CaribbeanHope and
   • #CaribbeanStrong.

Additional information should include:

1. Date or Date Range
2. Time (where applicable)
3. Name (for attribution)

About the OECS

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is an International Organisation dedicated to economic harmonisation and integration, protection of human and legal rights, and the encouragement of good governance among independent and non-independent countries in the Eastern Caribbean. The OECS came into being on June 18^th, 1981, when seven Eastern Caribbean countries signed a treaty agreeing to cooperate with each other while promoting unity and solidarity among its Members. The Treaty became known as the Treaty of Basseterre, so named in honour of the capital city of St. Kitts and Nevis where it was signed. The OECS today, currently has ten members, spread across the Eastern Caribbean comprising Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla and Martinique.

About Covela Foundation

Covela Foundation is a US-based 501c3 certified non-profit dedicated to the facilitation of innovative solutions for the Caribbean’s most critical social and economic needs by harnessing the creative skills and resources of Caribbean talent globally, into a vibrant community of innovators. The main areas of focus are:

1. Enabling innovation ecosystems.
2. Creating new models for economic growth and employment through technology-enabled
diversification.
3. Designing platforms to facilitate civic participation.