A workshop training program on photovoice was organized by the department of Occupational and Environmental Health, BUHS, with the collaboration of the University of Southern Denmark on November 12, 2022, at the Mamata Palli Hotel and Resort in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
The training program was hosted by Dr. Saika Nizam (Assistant Professor, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, BUHS, and Project Coordinator, BASCAP), along with Julie Bundgaard (PH.D. Fellow, SDU), Sarmin Sultana (Ph.D. Fellow, SDU), and Ridwan Mostofa Shihab (Research Officer, BASCAP Project, BUHS).
A total of 25 respondents from five different garments have come to the program and spent a whole day with the BASCAP team. The fundamental motto of that day’s program was to introduce photo-voice methods for the qualitative research of BASCAP. The BASCAP team thinks that, through the photovoice method, the ups and downs of a garment worker’s daily life will be expressed through their photos. The participants were served three meals and got the opportunity to spend a free day at the resort, as well as remuneration and transportation for attending the program.
The training was being delivered by Dr. Saika Nizam (Image Courtesy: Ridwan Mostofa Shihab)
The program started at 10 a.m., after breakfast. Dr. Saika Nizam then hosted the program using a PowerPoint presentation. “Photo-voice is a technique by which respondents’ perceptions will be brought out through their own capturing photos. As a part of our qualitative research, we want to use this method to understand the garment workers’ ups and downs through their photos”, she said in this regard. Later, seven respondents’ in-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted under the direction of Sarmin Sultana and with the assistance of six research assistants. After a lunch break, the program started again with the cultural performances of the participants.
In this workshop, the respondents had participated in three exercises, dividing into six groups that were convened by the research assistants, so that they could understand the photo-voice method precisely. They were shown several photos and provided with papers, in which they wrote about their perceptions regarding those photos.
This program was closed by a gift-giving ceremony, in which all the participants received a certificate, a mug, and remuneration. Julie Bundgaard then thanked everyone and shared her thoughts on the program, the team’s work, and the participants’ enthusiasm. Following that, they spend quality time in the resort by themselves. Later, around 5 p.m., the team and all the participants called it a day.
