Similarly when leaders of SEWA’s Water Campaign met with the State’s Minister for Water supply, they showed him some footage of their work on harvesting water, and their own labour. He understood instantly and immediately proposed that such water-harvesting and conservation activities be immediately taken up under women’s leadership.

There are many other such examples of using video as both a tool of learning, education and development and also for policy action. It is also part of our daily organising of women to document our work, our struggles. It is a powerful tool of the SEWA movement, spreading our message far and wide.

SEWA believes that it is essential that this medium stay in the hands of the self-employed women themselves. A team of 8 full – time video camera persons and producers and another 20 part time members, are producing videotapes on a wide range of issues. More than 200 tapes have been produced. Many are sold. And at almost every SEWA meeting and training, videos are replayed.

In 1999, Video SEWA organised a festival of it films in Delhi, A number of film producers, directors, those running TV channels and members of national and international organisations attended the festivals. Not only did Video SEWA get visibility at the national level but it also obtained orders for video production.

This year SEWA obtained new equipment in keeping with the fast paced changes in communication technology. In this way, Video SEWA’s professional standards and competence is enhanced.

Another important step was taken this year as Video SEWA went ahead with registering itself as a cooperative specialising in communication. In this way it can both expand rapidly, market its video tapes and move towards self reliance.