Havel Vani Samudayik Radio Initiative
The Havel Vaani Samudayik Radio Initiative has been ongoing in Chamba district of Uttaranchal for the past 4 years. The community members have a rudimentary community media centre with one computer and a couple of mini disc recorders. They regularly produce programmes on local issues like health, dowry, female infanticide, caste practices and improving agricultural practices. The achievement of the team is commendable given that a few months back none of them had touched a computer let alone work on complicated audio editing software and now all team members are fluently working on the computer and producing content that is derived locally, is locally referenced and locally relevant.
What we deliver
The communities have thus far made some 35-45 programmes in Hindi, Garhwali and Kumaoni on various issues of local concern including state of health, concerns of youth, employment, social issues like dowry and the caste system, alternate livelihood opportunities and health. Since November 2005, Equal Access with assistance from UNESCO has helped the community groups establish a community media centre and helped install, a Computer, and provided more field recording equipment to the teams. Along with this we are broadcasting the programmes made by the community groups on Equal Access’s Asia Development Channel on the world space satellite system. We are also establishing 30 village level listener clubs where digital satellite receivers will be placed so villagers can come together and listen to these programmes. A rudimentary sound studio has also been constructed to enable community groups to record studio based content. Two content development workshops were held in October and November respectively. 15 members from all the different community FM groups in Uttaranchal attended both the workshops to learn operating the computer, transferring their recorded materials on to the computer and working with audio editing software.
How is the project unique?
The achievement of the teams is commendable given that a few months back none of them had touched a computer let alone work on complicated audio editing software and now all team members are fluently working on the computer and producing content that is derived locally , is locally referenced and locally relevant.
Contact
Havel Vaani Community Radio Group
C/O Equal Access
Chamba, Uttaranchal, India
