From the YAB · Part 3

About the YAB’s experiences of photovoice and focus group

My doctoral project is divided into 3 research objectives, with an emphasis on objective 2. Qualitative methods are mobilized in this objective to produce data rooted in the lived experiences of participants. For this purpose, we use the photovoice method to collect photos, which are then discussed in focus groups. Each focus group was co-facilitated by the research assistants, myself and 2 members of the Youth Advisory Board (YAB). We asked the YAB members to tell us about their photovoix and focus group experiences.

Sumaiya

Here’s everything that I have done in this project. People had to be found from different numbers for photovoice, and even I myself participated in photovoice. It was difficult for me to write the caption while I was taking the photos, and I was very nervous while explaining the captions in the focus group. The day I was asking questions as a Youth Advisory Board (as a focus group animator), I liked participants’ explanations so much. I liked their photos and the youth, and I was very happy to ask questions as a YAB.

I think it is possible to capture people’s lives through photovoice. Photovoice can be used to highlight the brilliance and failure of people.

Suvo

★ I think of photovoice as expressing language through pictures. Expressing feelings through pictures. It is possible to know how many things in a picture through feelings. A person takes a picture to express their feelings, and we can know what problems a person may face. I think with a small picture we can express our feelings and express what we are struggling with. I think a picture can express a lot.

★ There were about 30 photovoice participants, and they all had different feelings but through focus group discussions we got to know all of them, got to know about them, got to know about their problems which we didn’t know, got to learn something. I encountered many unknown facts. I learned about different thoughts of people. We have learned about what our society needs in our lives. We know what we need most. I learned what is most powerful in our society. Through this project, I learned about focus group, about my society, and about myself.

★ My experience with focus group discussions and photovoice was difficult, because I never knew how to express my feelings through pictures. We have seen many different videos where we can express our thoughts and learn different things, but we didn’t know that so much can be done with a picture. We didn’t know how much can be inside a picture, so I had a hard time at first. Later, with the help of the team, I figured it out and then I started thinking about captions. After thinking of the caption, I went around the area. I took pictures of what I had in mind. After taking the picture, I thought a lot more about what captions can be added to this picture and I wrote all the captions that came to my mind. Then I discussed my pictures during focus group, but I could not see many things in my pictures, I could not express many thoughts, but the team helped me. So I had a very difficult experience with photovoice and focus groups, but it was new and something new was learned so I am very happy. I want to continue to learn more through this project.

Soborna

Photovoice can highlight all the health issues in our community, through which we can find out what happens most in our community with our teenagers. So I think that’s the reason why photovoice is important.

I liked the photovoice training very well. It didn’t seem too difficult, and it didn’t seem easy either. But when I went out to recruit participants for photovoice as a member of the YAB group, I felt very shy. What to tell the people? How to get them interested in it? I told a girl about photovoice, but she said that she doesn’t do any meeting or training. I was very shy then. But in the end, I really liked photovoice.

Puspo

I liked the focus groups because we learned a lot. And then during photovoice, we learned how to express our feelings through a picture. What is the harm or how to not get pregnant at a young age? What are the methods of contraception? I can find out and learn something. Focus groups are very good for me and I have liked experiencing them.

Taniya

During the focus groups, I liked the participants’ discussions and photos. I learned many things that were unknown to me. I liked their enthusiasm & through photovoice we learned many things. Such as child marriage, then what methods we can use to not get pregnant at an early age. I liked these things or learned these things.

Yasin

I didn’t understand about focus groups before, but I understand now by participating in focus groups. A picture can convey so much information, and I learned from photovoice how to convey an event or a feeling with a picture. I think that later I will know and understand better from further discussion.

Boishakhi

At first, I found the photovoice training very mysterious, because I myself couldn’t understand photovoice. How to make others understand about photovoice & how to create others eagerness in this, I couldn’t understand that. I found this part very hard for me. But, after I understood everything well, it became a little easier for me and after that, I liked photovoice.

Keya

I think that through photovoice a photo can portray a human life. In photovoice through a tree or by different things people’s success or failures can be portrayed. I think that people’s tales of their complicated life’s can be understood by photovoice.

Tamanna

I think photovoice is a way to analyze human events beautifully with pictures. And in focus group discussions, the problem is highlighted with pictures. Through focus group discussion, I learned what I did not know and learned more about adolescent sexual and reproductive health.