Otibeguni Indigenous Storyteller’s Fund 2025
We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Otibeguni Indigenous Storyteller’s Fund 2025 — a 50,000 Taka initiative dedicated to supporting indigenous authors, artists, researchers, and technologists as they bring their ideas to life.
Whether you want to document forgotten folktales, translate ancient songs, produce a Marma-language short film, design an online archive, or create a community podcast — this fund is here to help you tell your story, your way.
🌱 What This Fund Offers
This isn’t just about financial support. At Otibeguni, we understand that turning an idea into reality often requires mentorship, guidance, and networks. That’s why, along with funding, we offer:
- 1:1 proposal support → We’ll help refine your idea into a solid plan
- Creative & technical guidance → From writing and editing to digital tools and artwork
- Professional mentorship → Access to our extended network of experts
- Visibility & impact → We’ll help connect your work to wider audiences, locally and internationally
We want to work alongside you to bring your vision to life.
📅 Key Dates
- Idea submission deadline: 15 September 2025
- Detailed proposal deadline: 31 October 2025
- Project execution: 1 November 2025 to 30 April 2026 (6 months)
✍️ What to Include in Your Proposal
Don’t worry if you’ve never written a proposal before — we’re here to guide you. Your detailed plan doesn’t need to be complicated; it just needs to explain what, where, when, who, and how. Here’s a simple structure:
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What → What is your idea? Are you making a book, a short film, an archive, a podcast, or something else?
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Why → Why is this important for your community, your culture, or your audience?
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Where → Will your project happen in one place, across several villages, or online?
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When → Your estimated start and end dates. Short projects that can be completed within 3 months are preferred.
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Who → Who’s involved? List your team members and their roles.
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How much → A simple budget breakdown: how you plan to use the funds.
- Example: If you’re documenting Rakhine folktales for 20,000 Taka, ideally 10–15K should go toward collecting, recording, and preserving stories — not just on buying equipment.
Your proposal should also highlight how your project ensures originality and authenticity — we want your unique voice and perspective.
🎯 Keep It Focused and Actionable
We encourage short, actionable projects that focus on collecting or creating original content. For example:
- ✅ Good fit: A three-month project to record Marma folk songs with elders in your village, share them digitally, and produce translations in Bengali.
- ❌ Less likely to be funded: A year-long project needing heavy IT infrastructure without clarity on what content will be produced.
Remember, shorter projects with clear outcomes are more likely to receive support.
💸 How the Funding Works
- The total fund is Tk. 50,000, distributed across multiple projects
- If three projects are selected, we’ll ensure they represent different indigenous cultures
- Partial funding is available if your project is larger — but you must explain how you’ll secure the rest of the funding
- Projects in indigenous languages are encouraged; however, translations or supplementary material in Bengali or English will be given preference
- Live performances, theater, and festivals are welcome — but projects that also create digital materials will be prioritized
🌊 Idea Submission
Your idea doesn’t have to be fully formed to get started. If you’re unsure where to begin, just send us your initial thoughts, we’ll work with you to shape your proposal, and if needed, we can schedule a 1:1 online session to discuss your plan in detail.
Submit your idea by 15 September 2025 Email us at hello@otibeguni.com