Radio Swagatam @ 91.2 FM

Contact Person: Mrs. Snigdha Pattanaik

Broadcasting Language: Odia, Hindi, English and local tribal languages  

Genesis: Radio Swagatam was set up on May 6, 2018 in Keonjhar district of Odisha with the mission and vision to provide guidance to the children and youth towards sustainable living. It was established to use radio as a tool to raise awareness among the local farming community regarding the developments in the field of agriculture and their social rights. While working with the locals, it was found that gender and social disparity against women and tribal communities were a hindrance to sustainable development. Thus Radio Swagatam came into existence, an initiative that could empower the neglected and voice their concerns.

Thematic Focus: The focus area of Radio Swagatam is sustainable development in agriculture in both economic and environmental areas. The CRS also actively works on education and healthcare aimed at ending gender disparity and encouraging women’s economic growth.

Sustainable Development Goals: Radio Swagatam works for the development and upliftment of the community, thus working on the following SDGs:

SDG 4: Quality Education

SDG 5: Gender Equality

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Primetime Programmes: The Radio broadcasts several programmes for the listening members of the community. Some of the primetime programmes delve into the necessity of ending gender disparity to promote overall growth in society. They primarily focus on health, education, and social and economic rights for all while encouraging inclusivity and advocating the importance of skill development in youth. 

Innovations in format or any other way: The radio station utilises both broadcasting and narrowcasting to effectively deliver its message. Short plays, dramas, phone-interviews with experts, and involving journalists and state officials in discussions are all innovative forms of message-delivery programmes through which the CRS engages with the listeners. 

Core Team: The core team at Radio Swagatam comprises 8 members, including the Station Manager and editor. The highlight of the core team is that a majority of employed workforce are women.

Major Projects Undertaken: Radio Swagatam works on collaborative projects and campaigns with several stakeholders to run programmes on women’s Empowerment, Child Rights, Gender Equality, the development of agriculturists, environmental development, Watershed development, and Natural Resource Management. 

Sustainable Strategies: The radio station is funded and supported by the governing bodies. The major financial support is sourced from the Ministry of Public Relations and Ministry of Agriculture, Government of Odisha. The station also collaborates with organisations like UNICEF and generates revenue by executing their programmes.

Number of listeners and Potential Outreach: The radio station reaches out to nearly 1,50,000 residents residing in Harichandanpur and Ghatagaon Blocks. The active listener base is yet to be ascertained.

Major Concerns in the Community: The mountain region is dealing with a lack of awareness regarding job opportunities and the ensuing unemployment. Another major concern is posed by the deplorable state of school infrastructure in the region, which is causing a spike in drop-out rates.

There is an urgent need for timely intervention from the local governance bodies and the development of necessary schemes for those at a disadvantage.