Waqt ki Awaaz @ 91.2 FM

Contact Person: Rakesh Kumar Pandey

Broadcasting Language: Hindi and Awadhi

Genesis: Waqt ki Awaaz Community Radio, was established by Shramik Bharti in October 2009, in village Bairi Dariyav, Maitha block in Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh. The official broadcasting of the CRS started on 24th September 2013.  

The listener community of Waqt ki Awaz include students, artists, shop-keepers, vendors, farmers, cattle rearers,  people with disability, and members of the transgender community.    Waqt Ki Awaaz, Community Radio Station strives to provide a platform to its listeners to showcase its talent. The CRS believes in being a part of the lives of community members and aspires to build an inclusive community. 

Thematic Focus:  Waqt ki awaaz largely focuses on quality education, gender equality, organic farming and natural resource based sustainable livelihoods, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene (WASH), water security, community health, youth development, renewable energy, awareness generation on social protection policies, schemes and entitlements of government, local self-government, and promotion of local art and culture

Sustainable Development Goals: The CRS focuses on and aspires to achieve these SDGs:

SDG 1: No Poverty  

SDG 2: Zero Hunger 

SDG 3: Good Health & Wellbeing 

SDG 4: Quality Education 

SDG 5: Gender Equality 

SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation,  

SDG 7: Affordable & Clean Energy 

SDG 13: Climate Action   

Primetime Programmes: The primetime programmes are Tabiyat ka tana Bana (Community Health), Mere bhi Kuchh Sapne Hai (Girls’ Education), Sun ri Sakhi Koi Aane ko Hai  (Reproductive and neonatal health care), Ghar mein Kyari Sehat Nyari (promoting organic nutrition gardens for improved health), Nazariya (live women empowerment  programme), Hinsa  ko No (domestic  violence), Swamini (promoting women self-help groups), Khet ke khiladee (impact stories on natural farming), Socho aur Khelo (quiz programme for students), and Lok hit Yojnaayen (social protection schemes of the government) 

Innovations in format or any other way: Waqt Ki Awaaz regularly engages with its community by organising community mapping events to identify their changing needs. Community drives are organised to identify new local artists. Celebrations of festivals and days of importance, and games and competitions are organised. The programmes are regularly updated as per the needs of the community. The CRS is also active on all major social media platforms where it regularly shares its content and updates.

 Waqt ki awaaz has been able to create awareness on education, improve the enrolment of girls in schools and reduce child marriages. Three hundred farmers have started natural farming. 4000 students studied through radio during COVID-19.  Kitchen gardens were developed by around 600 households. 

Core Team: The core team at Waqt ki Awaz comprises seven members which include the Station Director, Station Manager, radio jockeys, technical staff, and a team of community reporters and volunteers. The CRS also has a content management committee. 

Major Projects Undertaken: Waqt Ki Awaaz is working with  UNICEF on a health project that aims to create awareness among adolescent girls about anaemia. The other major projects include Poshan Abhiyaan (Nutrition Campaign), Digital Rights, The TB Challenge, Hinsa Ko No (Violence against Women), and Awareness about Organic Nutrition Gardens to Curb Malnutrition Locally and Sustainably (programme- Ghar mein Kyari Sehat Nyari). 

Sustainable Strategies: Waqt ki Awaz is funded by its parent organisation Shramik Bharti. The CRS also generates its own revenue through different funded projects with other organisations.

Number of listeners and Potential Outreach: The CRS has as many as 607 villages within its broadcast limits with a population of nearly 6,30,000 people. 

Major Concerns in the Community: The major concerns within the community are increasing drug addiction among youth, lack of employment opportunities, loss in farming due to high input cost and climate impacts, poor soil health, lack of awareness of government social protection schemes, and atrocities on girls and women. People are also concerned about the lack of interest of local authorities while addressing the most pressing social issues like water security, WASH, gender discrimination, and inclusion of the marginalised members of society.