Misplaced Pages

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 182.74.178.42 (talk) at 09:14, 24 October 2016. The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Alfaz-e-Mewat FM 107.8 (Rural Voices of Mewat) is a community radio station established by the S M Sehgal Foundation in the foothills of the Aravallis housed in a community center in the village of Ghaghas in Haryana, India. The station broadcasts informational programs addressing farm practices, sanitation and health issues, environmental awareness, and rural governance. In areas without radio signals, villagers are able to listen and participate by calling a toll-free number.

Listener Community

Alfaz-e-Mewat programming is designed to serve the community of the Mewat region, which is primarily inhabited by Meo Muslims, a unique and distinct composite culture. The community radio programming is designed to preserve and strengthen the rich cultural heritage, history, and people of the area, including oral folklore, poetry, music, and storytelling. Kisse or baat, naats and nazms. Villagers, schoolchildren, and local artists take part in radio programs and interviews. Community members manage the station as technicians, producers, and facilitators.

Collaborations

Set up with seed funding received from Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India, under its Agricultural Technology Management Agency scheme , the station has done many collaborative programs with government ministries and departments at the center and the state, and other partners that has added value to the station’s programming working with multiple stakeholder groups.

Making a Difference

• Alfaz-e-Mewat FM 107.8 broadcasts 13 hours a day , seven days a week, to households in over 225 villages.
• Calls received by the station demonstrate that listeners are more aware of entitlements and best practices in water conservation, sanitation, health, education, and agriculture.
• Villagers are in touch with the needs, aspirations, and views of their neighbors and nearby communities.
• Awareness campaigns and programs produced at Alfaz-e-Mewat aim at social change are shared with other community radio stations.
• Community radio is a “communication lifeline to isolated women” in rural communities. Women broadcasters help to engage and motivate women to speak up and take part in conversations about local issues. Twenty percent of callers to live programs are women.
• Alfaz-e-Mewat FM 107.8 shares listener’s needs with government administrative services and bridges the information gap between the people and the state .

Expanding the Reach

The information and communications technologies deployed increase the program reach to areas outside the immediate geographic coverage area of the radio station. Narrowcasting serves as a useful tool to collect program feedback and initiate dialogue within the community. Live streaming of the transmission, mobile app and availability of select program podcasts provides accessibility of content to and from anywhere in the world.

Awards

In 2015, Alfaz-e-Mewat won the Manthan Award for community broadcasting.

Programs

• Tohfa-e-Kudrat: Jal, Jangal, Jameen (A daily program that talks about the gifts that nature has bestowed upon us i.e. water, forests, and soil. The program especially caters to the farming community.)
• Saaf-Safai aur Sehat (A daily program that covers health, hygiene, and sanitation issues.)
• Guftgu (A daily program that interviews experts and individuals from varied walks of life who share their experiences and achievements.)
• Hamse Hai Shasan (A program that talks about various governance issues affecting the people and promotes citizen participation for good rural governance.)
• Radio School (Tutoring program for school kids on subjects of science, math, and English.)
• Galli Galli Sim Sim (An educational radio program catering to children from ages 3–8 years.)
• Waqt Hamara Hai (A program by and for schoolchildren.)
• Hello Farmaaish (Phone-in program)
• Kisse Kahani (A program featuring folklore of Mewat.)
• Sufi Safar (A program looking at the rich Sufi cultural history and music.)

References

1. "Radio Revolution - A look at the device's reach in rural Harayana | Latest News & Updates at Daily News & Analysis". dnaindia.com. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
2. ""Rural voices: Unheard to empowered" Report of a conference held on 3rd May 2012 by IRRAD, Sesame Workshop India Trust and UNESCO at Gurgaon". indiawaterportal.org. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
3. "All we hear is… Alfaz-e-Mewat | Business Line". thehindubusinessline.com. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
4. "Community Media: Alfaz-e-Mewat FM 107.8, Mewat, Haryana | profile by CommunityVoices.in". communityvoices.in. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
5. Preeti Mehra, "All we hear is… Alfaz-e-Mewat", http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/ , Retrieved 10 October 2016
6. http://www.tribuneindia.com/2012/20120306/harplus.htm#8
7. http://uccommedia.in/news/a-13-hour-broadcast-marks-3rd-anniversary-of-alfaz-e-mewat/
10. Murada, Pooja and Grover, Manchanda Arti, Women’s Voices: Engaging the Excluded, http://rmi.sagepub.com/", Retrieved 24 October 2016
12. http://www.smsfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Kanoon-Ki-Baat-Press-Release.pdf
13. http://www.similarplay.com/zmq_technologies_pvt_ltd/alfazemewat_storyteller/apps/com.zmq.alfazemewat
14. http://manthanaward.org/community-broadcasting-winner/

External links

• "Sehgal Foundation". smsfoundation.org. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
• "EDAA-Alfaz-e-Mewat". edaa.in. Retrieved 10 October 2016.
• "Community Media: Alfaz-e-Mewat FM 107.8, Mewat, Haryana | profile by CommunityVoices.in". communityvoices.in. Retrieved 10 October 2016.

• Use dmy dates from February 2012
• Organisations based in Haryana
• Agriculture
• Environmental radio
• Governance
• Sustainable environmental design
• Biodiversity
• Women's empowerment
• Water in India
• Radio stations established in 2012
• Radio stations in India
• Rural development
• Water supply and sanitation in India