Voluntary Health Services – MSA Project
Application for Media Fellowship
VHS – An Introduction: VHS hospital, established in 1958, is a 465 bed multi-specialty tertiary teaching
hospital guided by the philosophy of providing quality and holistic health care to the poor and
unreached populations. VHS has been a pioneer in implementing innovative HIV prevention and
control programs in Tamil Nadu, collaborating actively with Government departments, Police,
Judiciary, Panchayat Raj Institutions, Non-Government Organisations, Faith Based Organisations, social
service institutions and private sector for more than two decades. VHS is also partnering with northern
Indian states and African nations for strengthening capacity and transferring best practices from Tamil
Nadu.
About Multi-Country South Asia Global Fund HIV Programme (also known as ‘Project DIVA’)
The Multi-Country South Asia Global Fund HIV Programme (Phase 2) is a regional HIV programme
operating in eight countries: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and
Sri Lanka. The overall goal of the programme is to reduce the impact of, and vulnerability to, HIV of
men who have sex with men, hijras and transgender people through Community Systems
Strengthening (CSS). The United Nations Development Programme Asia-Pacific Regional Centre
(UNDP APRC) serves the role of interim Principal Recipient. VHS has been selected by UNDP as a
Sub-Recipient to implement Project DIVA in India, with a specific focus on transgender populations. A
second Sub-Recipient in India, Humsafar Trust, focuses on the MSM population. This programme is
being implemented in six states (Tamilnadu, Kerala, Mumbai, UP, Delhi and Odisha) under the
guidance of the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and
respective State AIDS Control Society (SACS).
Role of Media in VHS-Project DIVA
Under the present grant, VHS is planning to undertake events related to media that aim to create a
platform for sensitizing media personnel on transgenders / Hijras related issues and challenges, their
vulnerability to HIV, need for policy level changes, role of media in advocating and bringing concrete
positive changes in the lives of these sexual minority communities.
Media Fellowship programme for media persons (print and electronic media)
As a follow-up of the Koovagam media personnel meeting, it is planned to convene a national level
media personnel meeting at New Delhi to award and recognize the selected Fellows who have
completed the Sexual Minorities Fellowship programme for their best contributions. These Fellows are
expected to be the Catalyst for improving the quality of lives of TGs / Hijras in their state and will be
encouraged to bring in more positive stories / limelight about Transgenders / Hijras in the country India.
About the Sexual Minorities Fellow programme
The fellowship programmes of the VHS-MSA Project is operational in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It
intends to provide the media personnel an opportunity to understand more about Transgenders / Hijras
by offering four-months “Sexual Minorities Fellow Programme”. The Fellowship programme is for the
Journalists (print & electronic media) who are working in the states of Tamilnadu, Kerala, Mumbai, UP,
Delhi and Odisha.
The “Sexual Minorities Fellow Programme” on Transgenders / Hijras aims
1. to build favorable public opinion for social inclusion of Transgenders / Hijra
2. increased coverage of sexual minorities rights thus contributing for HIV/AIDS response
3. strengthen public awareness and engagement on issues of sexual priorities particularly, that of
Transgenders / Hijras.
The Objectives of the Fellow programme are as follows.
 Help establish a network of media professionals with update knowledge on HIV/AIDS,
Transgenders / Hijra, gender identity and human rights
 Media advocacy for enhanced coverage of Transgenders / Hijras in national AIDS responses
and against marginalization of sexual minorities
 Enhanced and informed media coverage aimed at building favorable public opinion, social
inclusion for reducing stigma / discrimination.
Upon completion of the programme, the Fellows
- Gain correct notion, knowledge and information that will contribute to raise mass awareness on
the human rights issues of Transgenders / Hijra communities.
- Better equipped to share and disseminate knowledge gained by adopting mechanisms to
advocate for the promotion and protection of the rights of sexual minority groups – the
Transgenders / Hijra communities.
- Helps to create an enabling environment among Transgenders / Hijras to accept themselves as
third gender and advocate for their sexual identity among the public.
- Act as a bridge between the Transgenders / Hijra population and the media in order to create
better understanding between the two.
Relevance to VHS-MSA DIVA Project
The fellows directly contributes to the Project DIVA programme that is been implemented by VHS-MSA
project that would improve the strategic knowledge, policy environment and HIV/AIDS service delivery
related to TG / Hijra population in the six states of India – Tamilnadu, Kerala, Mumbai, UP, Delhi and
Odisha.
Who can apply?
Journalists
- Including freelancers from print, electronic, online news media
- Who are Fluent in English or Tamil (or) Hindi (or) Malayalam (or) Odia (or) Marathi
- Who possess minimum of three years’ work experience in Journalism
Number of Fellows to be awarded
There are 10-12 fellowships, for the states of Tamilnadu, Kerala, Mumbai, UP, Delhi and Odisha.
Duration
The fellowship programme is for a period of four months, from July – October 2015.
Expectations from the Fellows
The programme consists of selected Fellows spending a significant amount of their time on social
research for deeper understanding of the Transgenders / Hijras, report on social issues related stigma
towards Transgenders / Hijra and bring out positive stories on these sexual minorities in their respective
states. VHS-MSA Project will provide mentorship support as may be required to each of the fellows
during the fellowship period on the topics related to Transgenders / Hijras.
Deliverables
During the fellowship period (four months), each fellow is expected to write/publish, broadcast or
telecast the following in media outlets:
 Positive stories / articles, spot reports, feature stories, opinion pieces or analytical pieces on
HIV response / human rights, family and social acceptance
Print Media Journalist
Television Journalist
Radio Journalist
Five
reports Five
reports Five
reports
(each of at least 500 words)
(each of 2-15 minutes duration) (each of 2-30 minutes duration)
depending upon the slot with
the news channel
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One 1,000-word analytical piece / write-up on the issue(s) related to TG/Hijra, which could be
published in a reputed magazine or journal. Electronic media and radio journalists can submit
an analytical piece / write-up or broadcast or telecast a 15-minute documentary through their
radio/ TV channels;
The fellows must acknowledge the support of VHS-MSA DIVA project when they publish,
broadcast, or telecast the articles or reports they produce under the fellowship;
VHS and UNDP may reproduce the materials developed under the fellowship programme
giving due credit to the newspaper/journal/magazine/TV or radio channel, which primarily
publishes, broadcasts or telecasts them;
As part of their fellowship, the fellows must attend workshops organised at national level under
the Fellowship programme for sharing of knowledge, experiences or new information and
inputs. They will be notified in advance about the workshops;
Print media journalists must submit the original clippings of the published articles, along with
the date and the name of publication;
Electronic media journalists must submit the video and audio CDs of their output, along with the
date of telecast/broadcast and the name of channel/station;
Each fellow will submit a fellowship completion report at the end of the period putting in
perspective all contributions made during the fellowship assignment.
The fellows will have to submit four out of the six deliverables within four months from the
commencement of the fellowship.
The softcopies and the hardcopies of the stipulated deliverables has to be submitted by the
Fellows to Dr.A.Vijayaraman, Deputy Director, Voluntary Health Services – MSA DIVA Project,
T.T.T.I.Post, Taramani, Chennai – 600 113. Ph: 044-22542354 / 55. Email:
vhsmsadivafellowship@gmail.com
Application Process
Fellowship applicants must send their applications with the following documents:
 A copy of their Curriculum Vitae (CV);
 A letter of support from the applicant's editor/ producer stating that the final output (stories,
news reports, features, opinion pieces etc.) will be published/broadcast/telecast by the affiliated
media group. Freelance journalists can submit a letter of recommendation from a media group
or a publication indicating its willingness to publish/ broadcast/ telecast her/ his work.
Applications without the editors’/producers’ undertaking will not be considered;
 Applicants must submit a comprehensive fellowship proposal outlining:
1. The region (state/district) their proposal is focused on
2. The subjects and story ideas that the applicant proposes to focus on, including a
strategy for each of the five stories that they will publish
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3. A draft outline for the 1,000-word analytical write up or 10-minute video documentary /
audio record (as the case may be) to be submitted to VHS
4. Tentative travel plans
Print/online journalists are also expected to provide a sample of their published work on a
development issue. ‘Published work’ implies article(s) written by the journalist that have been
published in any national or regional newspaper, magazine, or news website/portal. All
submissions must include the date of publication, ideally within the last six months.
Television and radio journalists must provide one sample (on CDs) of their telecast/broadcast
programme on a development issue, as well as a summary of the programme. All submissions
must include the date of broadcast/telecast and the channel/station where it was aired, ideally
within the last three months;
A jury of eminent editors and media professionals will review the applications, including
fellowship proposal and sample of published work or telecast/broadcast material and select the
media fellows;
The applicants will be given a chance to refine their proposals post selection, if the jury so
recommends.
VHS-MSA DIVA Project will engage a Freelance Consultant to coordinate the above activities
on behalf of the project.
Applications for the fellowship along with required enclosures could be sent through email
to: vhsmsadivafellowship@gmail.com (or) through hardcopies to Dr.A.Vijayaraman, Deputy
Director, Voluntary Health Services – MSA Project, T.T.T.I.Post, Taramani, Chennai – 600 113.
Ph: 044-22542354/55.
The last date for submission of applications is May 31, 2015.
Stipend
 To support their fellow study and writing through the four-month period, the fellows will each
receive a total stipend of Rs.35000/- (Rupees Thirty Five Thousand Only) subject to tax
deductions at source.
 The cash award takes into consideration Fellows travel, food, incentives to the respondent
during the interview, other incidental expenses.
 The stipend will be paid out in three installments:
1. 20 percent at the end of the first month/commencement of the fellowship.
2. 30 per cent at the end of three months, subject to submission of the stipulated number
of articles within the three-month period.
3. 50 per cent upon successful completion of the fellowship and submission of the
deliverables.
4. Travel expenses will be reimbursed on actuals as and when the fellows submit invoices
along with the supporting documents / records.
For more information, feel free to contact
Dr. Vijayaraman
Deputy Director
VHS – MSA Project
95000 57201
avraman50@gmail.com