Barak-Meghna River Basin Storytellers Fellowship 2025: Call for Environmental Storytellers

Empowering Voices: Barak-Meghna River Basin Storytellers Fellowship 2025 Opens Applications

The Barak-Meghna River Basin Storytellers Fellowship 2025 is now accepting applications, offering a unique opportunity for young storytellers from India and Bangladesh to document critical environmental and social issues within the basin. This initiative aims to amplify narratives around climate change, water governance, and community resilience through various creative mediums.

About The Fellowship

Organized by IUCN’s BRIDGE GBM initiative, this fellowship seeks to cultivate compelling, community-led stories that shed light on the Barak-Meghna River Basin. The program supports young individuals, preferably under 35, who are filmmakers, photographers, researchers, writers, or digital influencers. Fellows will receive mentorship, financial assistance, and a platform to disseminate their work across various media channels.

Key Objectives

The fellowship is designed to achieve several crucial objectives:

Research & Awareness: Utilize visual media to highlight pressing issues such as floods, pollution, and erosion.
Policy & Advocacy: Promote the voices of youth and indigenous communities in river governance discussions.
Community Engagement: Showcase Nature-based Solutions (NbS) implemented by local stakeholders.

Thematic Areas

Fellows are encouraged to explore a range of themes, including:

Water justice and inclusive governance
Youth and women-led climate resilience initiatives
Ecosystem restoration for sustainable futures
Sustainability and water security

Fellowship Details

Grant Amount: Up to €1,500
Duration: 6 months
Reporting: Fellows are required to submit periodic updates, a mid-term report, and a final impact report.
Selection: Two fellows will be selected from each country (India and Bangladesh).
Support: Selected candidates will participate in an orientation session and receive ongoing mentorship from Youth for Meghna (Y4M) and IUCN partners.

Eligibility Criteria

Prospective applicants must meet the following requirements:

Age: 18 to 35 years old
Nationality/Residence: Citizen or resident of India or Bangladesh
Fields: Experience in environmental storytelling, journalism, communication, photography, filmmaking, or relevant research
Desirable: Prior experience with the Barak-Meghna River Basin or established local networks is a plus.

Application Process

The application deadline is June 20, 2025. Applicants must submit their proposals and supporting documents via a Google Form. Required submissions include:

Personal details
Educational and professional background
A detailed project proposal (including theme, objectives, format, anticipated impact, and dissemination platforms)
A proposed timeline and budget
An updated CV

It is important to note that the proposed output should focus on practical solutions and awareness, rather than activism.

Selection And Evaluation

A panel comprising representatives from IUCN and Youth for Meghna will evaluate proposals based on:

Creativity and innovation
Feasibility of implementation
Inclusivity and potential impact

Shortlisted candidates may be invited for a virtual interview, with final selections announced publicly, followed by the signing of fellowship agreements.