Radio Programs on Radio Danesh- "Knowledge Radio"

Daily Broadcast of content programs
Equal Access has lengthened our daily broadcast in Afghanistan from the initial one hour of teacher training content to include an additional 6 hours of development content. We continue to broadcast teacher training programs in both Dari and Pashto.

Radio Programs on Aphnai Mato, Aphnai Bato- "Our Land, Our Path"

• Current & Cultural Affairs

  • Aalo-Palo ("Exchange")
    Regional reports from over ten locally-produced FM stations in Nepal are aired as part of this compilation program. Working together across a number of boundaries, the various stations share content and knowledge about their regions with over 9 million satellite broadcast listeners. Fostering sensitivity and understanding for populations in other regions, "Exchange" is broadening the horizons of countless Nepalese residents each week.

  • Jiwika ("Livelihood")
    Currently in production, "Livelihood" will be a weekly music and celebrity interview variety program that will function as a cross promotional tool for all other Equal Access programs. Program content will feature information about important social issues presented via DJs and celebrity guests.

• Early Childhood Development

  • Kheldai Sikdai ("Learning while Playing") & Bhanjyang Chautari ("A Shaded Place at the Ridge Pass")
    By bringing together educators, parents and trained ECD facilitators, "Learning while Playing" an Equal Access radio program, and Bhanjyang Chautari, "A Shaded Place at the Ridge Pass", a UNICEF/Radio Nepal produced program, transform the underlying lack of knowledge about early childhood development that perpetuates cycles of poverty throughout Nepal. While frankly discussing and contextualizing the impact of child rights, play-based learning and parental and community roles in a child's education, the programs work to transform the way in which children's early education is conceived and implemented. A large part of these efforts is working with educators and parents to move beyond the traditional rote teaching methods often referred to as the "three R's: Reading, Riting and 'Rithmatic"and to convince parents that quality play-based programs are appropriate, valid and successful. Additionally, the programs will use interviews with community members and education specialists, as well as songs and stories to transform the mentality of educators, the government and importantly the parents of young children throughout Nepal, by creating an understanding of the appropriateness and long-lasting positive benefits of ECD programs for children prior to attending primary school. This program is supported by the Early Childhood Development Division of the Development Grants Facility at the World Bank. Important to note is the fact that these 36 episodes (20 minutes each), focusing on Early Childhood Development explore a previously overlooked subject and is therefore quite pioneering in its efforts!

• Health, HIV/AIDS Awareness/Education

  • Kura Khasra Mitha (KKM) ("Let's Talk Straight")
    Meaning "Let's talk Straight", this flagship, 136 episode serial drama addresses HIV/AIDS Prevention, Women's and Girls' Empowerment and related health and development issues. The drama is set in the imagined village of Sundarpur and centers around the character of "Thuldidi" or "Elder Sister"-a smart, informally educated, 45-year old, no-nonsense woman. "Thuldidi's" strong and assertive personality is respected by young and old alike. With her clear vision of events and people, "Thuldidi" has the flair and wisdom required to push traditional boundaries without alienating her community. This 30 minute audio program is commissioned by the Digital Broadcast Initiative, with the drama component written by scriptwriter Kedar Sharma, advisory support from experts like Mr. Mahesh Sharma, Dr. Rajendr Bhadra and Ms Sunita S Malla, production by Communication Corner and a group of local actors, and reviewed by our local Content Advisory Group.

    Addressing stigma and discrimination in general, and especially relating to curbing discrimination against people living with HIV/AIDS, KKM is the longest running radio serial drama in the field. Additionally, it is important to note that KKM is the first program to utilize a combination of serial radio drama programming along with radio reporting that is a blend of radio art and journalism.

  • Hamro Prays, Hamro Awaaz ("Our Effort, Our Voices")
    The most vulnerable sectors of the population in Nepal receive important health information from this weekly radio program. Women and children, affected by HIV/AIDS, water sanitation and countless other health issues, are given the knowledge they need to live healthy lifestyles. This program is a compilation of audio features submitted by a network of 10 participating local FM stations. Each station provides a 15 minute program twice a week that is broadcast on the Equal Access Channel under the umbrella "Our Effort, Our Voices". Each time a program is aired by a particular station, it is simultaneously rebroadcast by all partner FM stations. These partner stations receive the content for rebroadcast via the satellite receivers. (Involved FM stations are: Kanchanjhangha FM, Saptakoshi FM, Manakamana FM, Synergy FM, Kalika FM, HBC 94 FM, TIMES FM, Butwal FM, Madanpokhara FM, Machhapuchre FM).

    This is an exciting initiative as, for the first time, independent radio programming from local and community radio stations can be broadcast nationally to listeners all over Nepal via satellite. The programs will feature a mix of content from current affairs to development issues and cultural programs.

• Human Rights, Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution/Transformation

  • Sundar Shanta Bashal ("Changing Our Worlds")
    With more than 10,000 civilians killed since 1996, the conflict in Nepal between the government and the Maoist RF continues to escalate. Moreover, as this escalation of violence is occurring- rural Nepalese, especially women, are finding themselves inextricably caught in the middle. With little to no knowledge of other conflicts around the world that have been transformed through non-violent resistance and peacebuilding tactics, there has been little opportunity for the women of Nepal to learn about ways to make their voices heard and eventually to ease the violence. Funded by UNIFEM, the "Changing Our Worlds" radio program has three parts- including:

    1) Telling her story: A seven minute segment featuring one woman, or a group of women, talking about their experiences pertaining to violence. This segment will focus on story telling and often women will use song and poetry to express themselves. Story topics will focus on violence women have experienced in their personal lives or violence in the community that has affected them or their families.

    2) Rights we deserve to have: A five minute segment about international declarations that guarantee basic human rights and women's sexual and reproductive rights and stories of women outside Nepal or from a historical context who have overcome challenges and achieved positive change.

    3) We shall overcome: A seven minute segment of success stories of communities, women's groups and individuals who stood for their rights and raised their voices against injustice. In the short-term, the program will create a pool of trained and empowered women who can talk about issues of women's rights and violence against women within their local realities of conflict and social disempowerment and will create space in local communities (through discussion groups and the virtual space of the radio program) where women's issues, rights and need for collective action against violence can be discussed.

  • Karnaliko Serofero -("Events around Karnali")
    Peace and development issues are addressed in "Events around Karnali". The middle and far western regions of Nepal are most seriously afflicted by the ongoing conflict between the government and Maoist insurgents. This program seeks to counter the massive violence by promoting concepts of peace and good governance.

  • A new program focusing on Human Rights is currently under development. This program is supported by the Ford Foundation, India. More information coming soon.

• Migration/Cross border

  • Desh Pardesh ("At Home and Abroad") --Safe Migration Initiative
    An increasing number of young Nepalese men migrate to India for work in response to limited economic opportunities and socio-political conflict in their country. Not only do migrant men often have high-risk sexual behaviors, but Mumbai, a popular destination for Nepalese workers, has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in India. These behaviors raise the danger of an increase in HIV infections in the hills of western Nepal when these men return home.

    A project of Family Health International's (FHI) Safe Migration Initiative, and with funding support from USAID, Equal Access' Safe Migration Radio and Outreach Program aims to reduce HIV transmission among Nepalese migrants and their sexual partners by increasing awareness and knowledge on Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) among both migrant communities in India and the "home" communities back in Nepal. Other social and economic issues facing migrants are also addressed. To create an education program that is entertaining, non-drama components are combined with the ongoing story of a young Nepalese man named Narendra, who experiences the difficulties and temptations encountered by Nepalese migrants in India. Beginning in March of 2005, Nepalese communities in both Mumbai and western Nepal will receive the broadcasts via satellite radio, and many others will hear them on FM rebroadcasts and the state broadcaster, Radio Nepal. Reaching communities previously "unreachable", this program's content is the first know cross border radio initiative in the region.

• Women's Empowerment & Reproductive Health

  • Kura Khasra Mitha (KKM) [Please see above "Health, HIV/AIDS awareness/education" for description.]

  • Sangasangai ("Together")
    A new program called "Together", focusing on Women's Empowerment & Reproductive Health, is currently under development. This program takes an innovative approach to addressing women's rights. Instead of simply seeking to empower the female population with skills and knowledge they need to succeed, "Together" reaches out to a male audience to ensure that they are receptive to the progress of women in Nepal. Men listen weekly to learn how they can encourage women's empowerment. This program is supported by the Ford Foundation, India and by the The Lalor Family Foundation. A renowned lawyer on womens' rights, Ms. Sapana Malla, contributed to this radio content as an advisor.

• Youth Issues

  • Sathi Sanga Maka Kura ("Chatting with My Best Friend")
    Popular among teenagers in Nepal, "Chatting with My Best Friend" is a one-hour peer communication program that is produced in collaboration with UNICEF and rebroadcast on independent FM stations across the region. Issues important to Nepalese youth are discussed in a format that supports and encourages strong peer support. It aims to break the silence surrounding physiological and emotional issues such as sex, love, relationships, peer pressure and conflict with parents. A group of young producers aged 19 to 27 design chat topics, and create stories modeled on real life situations, to stimulate reflections, and inspire positive actions. Each one-hour episode combines music, drama and chats between a young female and male host. This program has generated an enthusiastic response from teenagers; the young hosts receive between 200 and 500 letters per week from listeners as far away as Sikkim, India, and the remote districts of Humla, Jumla and Accham!

  • Khojkhobar ("Investigation")
    "Investigation" is a magazine program that was previously broadcast over Radio Nepal. It was the first radio magazine in Nepal and Equal Access is proud to revive it through satellite broadcast. The program targets rural adolescents and youth of Nepal. "Investigation" is a mix of fresh and rebroadcast materials produced in collaboration with other content groups (including John's Hopkins University local health programming and the District Development Council of Kanchanpur).

    The drama serials Ghanti Heri Had Nilau, "Before Attempting to Eat a Bone Check your Throat", Sewa Gare Mewa Painchha "Service Brings Good Fruits" and Sumata, "Safe Motherhood", produced by local partners of John's Hopkins University, are regular items in the "Investigation" radio magazine that addresses health workers with family planning/population and safe motherhood information. The drama comprises about 12 to 14 minutes of the program. The rest of the 30-minute program includes radio reports, features, discussion and interviews. Two episodes of "Investigation" are broadcast weekly.

  • Bal Adhikar Sabaiko Sarokar ("Children's Rights, Everybody's Concern")
    Produced in collaboration with the International Labor Organization, "Children's Rights, Everybody's Concern" focuses on education and information dissemination about the worst forms of child labor.

  • Skulma Swagat ("Welcome to School")
    "Welcome to School" works to raise awareness about the positive benefits of school enrollment, encouraging girls enrollment especially. Dealing with other components of quality education in Nepalese schools, this program has brought synergy to the massive State and UNICEF education campaign. Nearly twenty regional radio stations joined their hands with Equal Access for this effort.

    In the serial drama, "Gauri", the central character, is a newly married woman who has agreed to marry a man who lives in a settlement by a highway; the story follows the changes and issues she faces in her new roles as wife and homemaker- as she tries to continue working in her local school to promote access to education for marginalized communities. This drama was designed by a veteran radio dramatist of Nepal whose work, Ujeli (a video/tv on girls child marriage), and this character "Gauri" are based on his popular radio drama serials "Before Attempting to Eat a Bone Check your Throat" and "Service Brings Good Fruits".

Radio Programs on Equal Access' newly launched Hindi Language service

EA's new radio program in Uttaranchal, India is produced and broadcast in Hindi with elements of Garhwali and Kumaoni dialects and focuses on:

• Health (Prioritizing: Reproductive and sexual health, women and child health and HIV/AIDS prevention);
• Disaster Mitigation and Management (Uttaranchal is an earthquake prone area and there is tremendous need to have information on earthquake resistant construction and rebuilding techniques);
• Traditional Knowledge Systems (The Hill tribes have many years of traditional wisdom that are now dying out; there is a need to preserve this knowledge system through oral testimonies); and
• Livelihoods (This can work around microfinance etc and also tie in with the other content topics).

Moreover, as Nepali is well understood in many pockets of Uttaranchal listeners will value the existing Nepali language broadcasts. Produced weekly this program is broadcast on Tuesday and Thursdays.