Director,
T.E.(Terry)
Manning,
Schoener 50,
1771 ED Wieringerwerf,
The Netherlands.
Tel:
0031-227-604128
Homepage:
http://www.flowman.nl
E-mail: (nameatendofline)@xs4all.nl : bakensverzet
Incorporating
innovative social, financial, economic, local administrative and productive
structures, numerous renewable energy applications, with an important role for
women in poverty alleviation in rural and poor urban environments.
"Money is not
the key that opens the gates of the market but the bolt that bars them"
Gesell, Silvio The
Natural Economic Order
Revised English
edition, Peter Owen, London 1958, page 228
Edition 01: 03
October, 2009
Cited in Sangati News Bulletin
no. 3.78 02 October, 2009
Radio
Bundelkhand - Giving Voice to the Voiceless
By Indira Mansingh, Chief
Advisor, Development Alternatives
The Better India, 2009
Azadpura is a village in Bundelkhand region. This area faces acute water
scarcity and one problem that the women faced was a faulty well which required
urgent repairing. The women aired this problem on Radio Bundelkhand and within
four days the concerned authority replaced the missing wheel of the well. This
is the power of Radio Bundelkhand, an initiative of Development Alternatives.
Community Radio for facilitating dialogue and interactive communication.
The purpose of setting up Radio Bundelkhand, as identified with the help of our
communities in the radius of the radio station, is to work along with them to
use this communication medium to create awareness, give information,
participate in local self governance and provide entertainment - all based on requests
and feedback from the community. The audience includes the communities in the
radius of the broadcast range - with special attention to women, youth and the
marginalised groups.
The community and DA, jointly manage the station. There are five community
reporters and six community coordinators. The villages these reporters
represent are Azadpura, Ramnagar, Sitapur, Basova, Bagan, Bhagwantpur, Ghatao,
Jamuniya, Gujerra Kalan, Mathrapur and Ghatao. There is also a Management
Committee comprising the Sarpanch (elected village-head) of Basova Village,
doctors, farmers and Self Help Group members.
Until now, Radio Bundelkhand has the longest duration of programming of four
hours a day, seven days a week, in Bundelkhandi and Hindi amongst the
government licensed community radio stations in India. The Government of India
has given licenses to several NGOs throughout India to start community radios
in their project areas. DA is one of the first to set up such a radio with the
communities it has been serving for more than two decades in the Bundelkhand
region.
The communities have decided that they would like information related to
employment and livelihood opportunities, development of women, girl's
education, legal rights, farmers' issues, training, their culture and history,
how to ensure the availability of basic infrastructure such as water, energy
and roads, development issues, and any other information sought by the
communities. The broadcast timings in the morning and evening have been
selected by the communities, with the women preferring the morning and the men
the evening.
The programming, based on issues and content identified by the communities, is
broadcast in the formats which they have preferred, that include the use of
traditional Bundelkhandi songs, folk music and nataks, discussions, reports,
commodity prices, phone-ins, experts speak, coverage of events in villages,
jokes and satire, listeners' letters and feedback. The Wireless Operating
License was issued on July 31st, 2008 and the first transmission took place on
August 15 2008 with the broadcast of the national anthem. Meanwhile the
selected community reporters were trained over three months and a woman from
Sitapur village
inaugurated the station on the eve of Diwali. Community radio broadcasting/narrowcasting
has allowed the rural poor to develop their communication in a language they
understand.
Community radio fosters debate
on issues, facilitates access to government, decision-making and helps
community members to organise themselves and evolve to manage their own
affairs. Radio Budelkhand is characterised by its signature tune and jingles
which declare that it is "Apna Radio Apni Baatein" – Our radio Our
conversations.
Reaching our communities.
The reach of the community radio is in a wide range of approximately 5-10 kms
and 25 villages with a population of
The targeted beneficiaries are the marginalised and poorest with special
emphasis on women and the unemployed youth who are the most vulnerable but also
the potential change-makers. By selecting women community reporters,
marginalised community reporters in an average age group of 20 we hope to reach
them better.
The Management Committee also has a woman self-help group head. DA aims to
ensure the participation of local people for the programming, broadcast and
management of the station by the community itself.
Programming Content on Radio
Bundelkhand.
Vandana –Devotional songs broadcast every morning.
Khet Khaliyan - It includes the Jhansi Mandi (unorganized market) prices for
farmers
so that community gets all the information related to
agricultural products.
Bundelkhand Radio also broadcasts discussions about
agriculture issues like
how to protect seeds, crops & vegetables from insects.
Experts answer
question asked by the farmers.
Bal Bandhu – Especially for school-going children. Moral stories, poems and
jokes by
school children are included. Story telling through the
Radio Jockeys is also
a part of this programme.
Bundelo harbolo ke - This is about the Freedom Fighters of Bundelkhand.
Stories of
the freedom fighters & songs related to freedom fighters
are also broadcast.
Aas Paas – In this programme Bundelkhand Radio broadcasts information on
Right to
Information (RTI) and any other problem.
Mere Bundeli Mere Geet - is a listener's programme in which they get the
opportunity
to listen to their choice of songs.
Amma ke Chauki Se – In this programme community women give their ideas on
home
receipes and step by step instructions for preparing the
dish.
Nuskhe Nani Dadi Ke - In this programme older woman give tips on using
home remedies
or Desi nuskhe for common ailments and diseases. Also, give
tips of using
simple home remedies and alternative herbal medicine,
available from the
average kitchen shelf.
Radio Drama – On every Sunday Bundelkhand Radio broadcasts a radio drama.
In this
programme reporters discuss an issue and convey the messages
related to social
issues like dowry, female foeticide, importance of education
etc.
Sathin - Sathin is a special programme for women. Women from the
community tell their
story. They discuss the struggle in their lives and success
story too. These
women also share their feelings what they want or wish for
themselves.
Chhotou Kam Badou Munafou – This programme is for those people who want
to do small
business. Small entrepreneurs give tips to take up small
business.
Forward : Other typical productive
structures.