Community Reporters in Nepal

More than 160 Equal Access trained community reporters across our three continents of operation contribute to our radio series.  Drawn from marginalized groups – such as women, youth, and indigeneous communities – our community reporters bring new voices and perspectives to the national stage and broaden the dialogue, placing the power of media directly in the hands of all people.

Community reporters such as Kamala Bhandari learn about the challenges faced by Nepalese women every day and gain respect within their communities: “Until the Equal Access community reporter training, I didn’t know about violence against women, HIV, trafficking, and so on. I couldn’t even identify the violence of my own situation. After the training, I began to record and send audio of the experiences of women from my community to Samajhdari. This encouraged me to believe I could make a difference. It boosted my confidence. I regained respect in my community. The Kamala back then was at risk, but she has turned into the Kamala who encourages women at risk to speak up for their rights. Between the past Kamala and the present Kamala, there is an immense distance.”