Call for Empowering Voices: Barak-Meghna River Basin Storytellers Fellowship 2025
Application Deadline:
20 June 2025
About Organisation
The Barak-Meghna River Basin Storytellers Fellowship is a key initiative under the BRIDGE GBM (Building River Dialogue and Governance in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna) program, led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). The IUCN is a global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. Through its regional programs like BRIDGE GBM, IUCN promotes dialogue-driven, community-centered, and transboundary water governance strategies. The Barak-Meghna basin, shared between India and Bangladesh, is a vital ecological and cultural corridor facing increasing environmental threats including climate change, water stress, and biodiversity loss. The fellowship reflects IUCN’s broader mission to foster sustainable development and conservation through inclusive governance and community engagement. Implemented in collaboration with Youth for Meghna (Y4M), the initiative seeks to empower young creatives to use storytelling as a tool for raising awareness, influencing policy, and spotlighting grassroots solutions. Through this platform, IUCN also promotes Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and strengthens youth-led advocacy in climate and water discourse. This fellowship builds capacity among young environmental communicators while amplifying underrepresented voices and issues in the region.
About the Grant
The Barak-Meghna River Basin Storytellers Fellowship 2025 is a six-month fellowship that supports young storytellers from India and Bangladesh to document and share critical environmental and social issues in the Barak-Meghna basin. Organized by IUCN’s BRIDGE GBM initiative in collaboration with Youth for Meghna, the fellowship offers financial assistance, mentorship, and a wide-reaching media platform for dissemination. The grant aims to inspire community-driven storytelling that addresses real-world challenges such as water pollution, flooding, erosion, and ecosystem degradation. Selected fellows will explore key themes including water justice, inclusive governance, women and youth-led climate initiatives, and sustainability. The fellowship prioritizes stories that promote practical solutions like Nature-based Solutions (NbS), foster policy dialogues, and enhance community participation in water governance. Two fellows from each country will be selected and will be required to produce visual or written narratives supported by periodic reporting, including a mid-term and final impact report. Fellows will also take part in an orientation session and receive continuous mentorship throughout the program. The goal is to raise awareness, drive engagement, and influence positive change through innovative storytelling that centers local knowledge and community resilience.
Who can Apply?
The fellowship is open to young storytellers aged between 18 and 35 years who are citizens or residents of either India or Bangladesh. Applicants must have a background or proven interest in environmental storytelling, communication, journalism, photography, filmmaking, research, or related creative disciplines. Ideal candidates are those who have demonstrated experience in using visual or narrative mediums to spotlight socio-environmental themes. While prior involvement with the Barak-Meghna River Basin and its communities is not mandatory, it is considered an added advantage, especially for those with existing local networks or grassroots connections. The selection committee will prioritize individuals who show creativity, feasibility of project execution, and the potential for meaningful community impact. Candidates are encouraged to focus on solutions-oriented storytelling that highlights water governance, climate resilience, and community-led efforts. Activism-based content will not be considered; instead, applicants should emphasize awareness-building and practical action. Gender inclusivity and representation from diverse regions are also important considerations in the selection process. Finalists may be invited for a virtual interview before the final selection is made. Successful applicants will sign a fellowship agreement and participate in orientation and mentoring programs led by IUCN and Youth for Meghna partners.
How to Apply?
Interested applicants must fill out a Google Form and submit a complete proposal package including personal details, professional and educational background, a detailed project plan with objectives, theme, format, impact, dissemination strategy, timeline, proposed budget, and a recent CV. The project should emphasize practical solutions and community storytelling. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Selected fellows will undergo orientation and mentoring throughout the six-month fellowship period.
Application Deadline
All applications must be submitted by June 20, 2025. Shortlisted candidates may be called for a virtual interview, after which selected fellows will be officially notified and onboarded.
Last Date to Apply
The final date to submit applications for the Barak-Meghna River Basin Storytellers Fellowship 2025 is 20th June 2025, and no extensions will be granted beyond this deadline.
Grant Amount
Each selected fellow will receive a grant of up to €1,500 to support their storytelling project over a six-month duration, including production costs, travel, and dissemination efforts.
Last Date To Apply
For more information, please visit the grant website here.
