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SPECIAL PROGRAMS > MESSENGER BAND [ ABOUT
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THE MESSENGER
Initiated by the Womyn's Agenda for Change (WAC), a band comprised of members who were selected from the women garment factory workers was formed. This band advocates in various campaign through songs. Generally, people like to listen to songs and this is the safer way to conduct advocacy.
Before the formation of The Messenger, WAC made the announcement at the workers rented room and through various drop-in-centers (DICs) around Phnom Penh for the applicants. After the announcement, there were about 60 workers registered for the competition to become member of the band. Before the actual competition, WAC team met with workers to explain in details about the purpose and some of the activities that the band will be carried out. The criteria for the selection are as below:
• Members of the band will do social workers voluntarily and these will not any financial support given.
• The band is the advocacy group that will compose, sing and use the songs by themselves in various forums and campaigns. The songs reflect the current situation faced by people in Cambodia (garment workers, sex workers, farmers etc).
• This band is not the TV band that will perform on stage and show on TV.
• The band will work during their free time from the factory works and they should be willing and devote their personal time to the work of the band.
• The band will meet with people who are impacted and share their own experiences back to the people. Through the gathering of information, they will compose the songs and sing back to the people.After the explanation, some workers re-making their decision and there were some withdrawal because some workers thought that they would not have enough time for the band and that if they are doing overtime work, it will be difficult for them to ask for day-off. Finally, there were 16 candidates left or the competition. There were two round of competition:
First round: 14 August 2005 with 16 candidates and 8 candidates passed and continued to round 2.
Second round: 4 September 2005 with 8 candidates.In the second round, five candidates passed and become the member of the band with the other 3 are reserved candidates. There were five people to judge the singing quality of the applicants. The band was collectively named “The Messenger”.
Listen to the songs which were composed and sung by The Messenger
.
To
know more about our team please contact: mb-cambodia@womynsagenda.org.
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