[cr-india] CR in Dang district, Gujarat

Wed May 9 15:43:17 CEST 2007

Sajan is right. There is no community radio station in Dangs. Here too, like in Kutch, we purchase air time on Surat AIR for broadcasting. Every time we clarify that there are no CR stations in the country and what groups like us do is CR programming. But this 'detail' is far to complicated for our journalists friends to comprehend. 

The CR program in Dangs called "Aiykara" is produced by a team local tribal youth trained by Drishti and KMVS. The radio project is part of the legal awareness program of Centre for Social Justice, a human rights organization based in Gujarat, and is supported by the UNDP. 

So, there is CRS in Dangs yet but community radio progrmmers there are all set to start one!

Stalin
www.drishtimedia.org
www.videovolunteers.org

-----Original Message-----
From: "sajan venniyoor" <venniyoor at rediffmail.com>

Date: 5 May 2007 07:52:50 
To:"crindia" <cr-india at sarai.net>
Subject: [cr-india] CR in Dang district, Gujarat

What the story doesn't say, as usual, is that there is no community 'radio =
station' in Dang. The programmes are very probably&nbsp; broadcast from All=
 India Radio. 
 
Sajan 
 
Radio Ga Ga 
DARSHANA CHATURVEDI 
4 May, 2007 
 
A community radio in Dang district is bringing about a silent revolution in=
 the region. AT tunes in. 
 
About 400 kms from Ahmedabad, as you enter the bylanes of Dang district you=
 would be welcomed by uneven roads and a rich forest cover. The district al=
so has the largest tribal population of Gujarat. 
 
Quite a contrast! The district which is located on the borders of Gujarat a=
nd Maharashtra still faces lots of problems. Electricity supply is irregula=
r; commuting from one village to another is a difficult task. 
 
But amidst all hardships, there's something to cheer about. A ray of hope c=
ame in the form of a community radio. In 1998, Drishti in partnership with =
Kutch Mahila Vikas Sangathan (KMVS), a women's organisation based in Bhuj, =
initiated one of the first Community Radio programmes in India. The radio s=
tation has now successfully completed nine months. It's bringing about a si=
lent revolution in the district. Mehul Makwana, programme director of the i=
nitiative says, &quot;Some 1500 people were surveyed in order to ascertain =
the problems faced by them and the kind of programme that would interest th=
em. Based on the same we trained local people so that in future they can ru=
n the station independently.&quot; 
 
Today things are different. The reporters not only report but they are also=
 working as programme producers and radio artistes. Nimesh Khakharia, co-or=
dinatior says, &quot;Our aim to start this venture was to bring about aware=
ness among the tribal populace pertaining to tribal laws. Each programme th=
at goes on-air talks about specific problems and ways in which it can be de=
alt with. We try to educate them about various laws and rights so that they=
 can make use of it while facing a corrupt official.&quot; 
 
Local reporter Santu Gayakwad says, &quot;I underwent training on para-lega=
l laws, reporting skills and radio programming. I know the problems very we=
ll and my task is more of gathering information, enlisting support from vil=
lagers and unearthing crime and illegal practice.&quot; 
 
Another reporter Savita Rathod who has worked as a teacher earlier feels ha=
ppy that women are getting a chance to work and display their talent. She a=
dds, &quot;Being a woman reporter was a tough task initially but now things=
 are better, not just for me but for other women as well. With greater awar=
eness women go and fight it out with officials. Now lot of girls attend sch=
ool and few of them also work outside their homes.&quot; 
 
A villager testifying the change avers, &quot;I really like the programmes =
for they are in Dangi dialect and we can connect. Most importantly today th=
ere is a greater awareness among us regarding our rights as citizens.&quot;=
&nbsp; 
 
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/City_Supplements/Ahmedabad_Times/=
Radio_Ga_Ga/articleshow/1999374.cms

</P>
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YOU CAN SUPPORT THE COMMUNITY RADIO FORUM (India) BY JOINING AND TAKING AN ACTIVE PART IN ONE OF THESE NETWORKS

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-awareness  (Awareness building)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-helpdesk (Offering help)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-policy-advocacy (Policy advocacy)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/crforum-techoptions (Technical options)

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