In a step towards transforming the way rural development stories are told, the Manipur State Rural Livelihood Mission (MSRLM) has trained its frontline staff to become storytellers through the lens of their mobile phones. A two-day workshop titled “Empowering Rural Voices” was recently organised in partnership with the Win Foundation, providing 51 field and block-level staff with practical skills in mobile photography and videography over four days.
The initiative seeks to move beyond conventional reporting formats by enabling staff to document and share authentic stories from the field. Given that most use smartphones in their daily work, the workshop was designed to be hands-on, simple, and focused on real-world application.
“The efficiency of any organization can be enhanced by integrating media tools into its programme,” said Sunzu Bachaspatimayum, Managing Trustee of the Win Foundation, a Manipur-based trust that promotes community empowerment through media and advocacy. The sessions were led by a team of national award-winning filmmakers and photographers, including Sunzu Bachaspatimayum, RK Robindro, Saikhom Ratan, and Khangembam James, who guided participants through both theoretical and field-based exercises.
The training combined classroom instruction with immediate practice. Participants learned the basics of composition, lighting, framing, and stable shooting before venturing into nearby localities to document real-life livelihood stories. Scenes of street vendors, construction workers, tea stalls, car wash points, and bustling marketplaces were captured, turning ordinary moments into powerful visual narratives of resilience and enterprise.
Participants described the experience as eye-opening. “I never knew my phone could explain stories so beautifully,” shared a participant from Tengnoupal, while another from Tamenglong said, “It was practical and engaging. The skills gained will improve our documentation and help us file better reports and event proposals.”
By the end of the training, participants had produced nine one-minute video stories and a collection of high-quality photographs, all shot and edited using their mobile phones. A booklet of visual storytelling tips and grammar was also developed as a ready reference for future documentation efforts.
The workshop has created a visual repository for MSRLM and a new wave of confidence among its staff. Officials described the initiative as a milestone in promoting ethical, high-quality documentation of rural life. By turning its field officers into visual storytellers, MSRLM is ensuring that the voices, challenges, and achievements of Manipur’s rural communities are captured with authenticity and clarity — a model other departments and organisations may well follow.