slums

slum settlements:

urban solutions

“... the international community must concentrate more of its efforts on improving the lives of the urban poor if the Millennium Development Goals are to be achieved. . . .Without a renewed commitment to the needs of our urban era, matched by resources, the world’s urban transition will see a further expansion and entrenchment of slums, and the spread of urban ills.” - Kofi Annan

Nearly one billion people alive today – one in every six human beings – are slum dwellers, and that number is likely to double by 2030, according to UN-HABITAT. The death rate for children under 5 years old who live in slums is in some areas as much as double that of children who live in other urban areas. Defined by insecure land tenure and a lack of access to infrastructure and services such as water and sanitation, education, health care, electricity, and solid waste collection, the urban poor living in slum settlements are arguably the most disadvantaged communities in the world.

The Paradigm Shift Project will reveal a different side of slum life: one of hope and inspiration, and one that will motivate each individual to take action to empower local communities and organizations to take their programming to the next level. Focusing on solutions for a sustainable urban future, PSP will document the work of NGOs and the stories of communities who have seen the difference these programs make. The more we share this information with the world, the more we won’t have to face these doom and gloom UN statistics!

Status: Currently in development.

Budget: $49,030 including production, post-production, and distribution to communities and schools

Who will benefit from the project?

‣Documentary participants
Documentary participants will have the opportunity to fully express their experiences, acting as a therapeutic outlet as well as a constructive one that will help to shape NGO programming and garner support for programs that are working to address issues of slum settlements in their community.
‣Grassroots NGOs
Grassroots NGOs working on issues of slum settlements will be provided this documentary free of charge, to use as a fundraising tool that will demonstrate the importance of programs like theirs. Even if not working in the same geographic area where filming takes place, the documentary will be produced to be non-exclusive and relevant to a wide range of relief organizations all over the world. We hope that they will use this to reach new donors, send with international grant applications, and raise awareness on the issues of slum settlements and the solutions their organization offers.
‣Canadian classrooms
After this documentary is finished, PSP will produce curricula guides and teachers kits to accompany this film to make it a relevant teaching tool for grades 1-12. These will be available free of charge, both online and in print.
‣General public
PSP places all its documentaries online for the world to view free of charge, and holds community screenings. A resource guide on how to hold your own screening of the film will also be developed and placed online free of charge.