Barak-Meghna River Basin Storytellers Fellowship 2025

Omran Aburayya
May 28
2 min read

If you're a passionate storyteller aged 18–35 from Bangladesh or India, and you care deeply about rivers, communities, and climate change, the Barak-Meghna River Basin Storytellers Fellowship 2025 is calling for your voice. This unique opportunity empowers young creatives to share compelling narratives from the Meghna River Basin—highlighting local resilience, Indigenous knowledge, and nature-based solutions to environmental challenges. Applications are now open for this six-month, funded fellowship.

🎓 Fellowship Summary

Location: Barak-Meghna River Basin (Bangladesh and India)
Host Institution: International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Type: Non-academic fellowship
Target Group: Young storytellers aged 18–35 from Bangladesh and India
Fields of Focus: Environmental storytelling, climate resilience, Indigenous knowledge, nature-based solutions
Award Value: Up to €1,500 per fellow
Duration: 6 months
Application Deadline: 20 June 2025
Start Date: TBD (likely mid-2025)
Eligible To: Citizens of Bangladesh and India

🌊 Fellowship Overview

The Barak-Meghna River Basin is one of South Asia’s last free-flowing river systems, sustaining over 50 million people, including Indigenous communities like the Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia . Despite its ecological and cultural significance, the basin faces mounting threats from climate change, deforestation, and unregulated development.

This fellowship invites young storytellers to create impactful narratives—through video, photography, blogs, or digital media—that spotlight real stories from the ground. The aim is to raise awareness, connect with specific audiences, and offer practical ideas—not just activism. Selected fellows will receive mentorship support and funding to bring their ideas to life.

🧭 Themes to Explore

Applicants are encouraged to align their proposals with one or more of the following themes:

Restoring ecosystems for a sustainable future
Water justice and inclusive governance
Sustainability and gender equity

These themes reflect the broader goals of the Meghna Water Futures Programme, which emphasizes youth participation in water governance and climate resilience initiatives .

🎁 Fellowship Benefits

Financial Support: Up to €1,500 to implement your storytelling project.
Mentorship: Guidance from experts in environmental storytelling and community engagement.
Networking: Opportunities to connect with peers, policymakers, and stakeholders through forums like the Meghna Knowledge Forum .
Visibility: Potential to showcase your work through IUCN platforms and partner networks.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

Age: 18–35 years old.
Nationality: Bangladeshi or Indian.
Interest: Demonstrated passion for environmental issues, community storytelling, and climate resilience.
Proposal: A creative and solution-focused storytelling proposal that aligns with the fellowship themes.

📝 Application Procedure

🗓️ Deadline: 20 June 2025

How to Apply:

Prepare Your Proposal: Develop a creative concept for your storytelling project, ensuring it aligns with the fellowship themes and objectives.
Complete the Application Form: Fill out the online application form, providing personal details and information about your proposal.
Submit Required Documents: Include any supporting materials that showcase your previous work or outline your project plan.