Radio Swayamshakti @ 90.4 FM

Contact Person: Mr. Biswajit Padhi 

Broadcasting Language: Odia, Koshali and Hindi 

Genesis: Khariar has a rich cultural history in the region, but low literacy coupled with unscientific social norms makes the lives of people, mostly women, very intolerable. Radio Swayamshakti was launched to address such challenges and achieve the maximum outreach in local dialect, thereby transcending literacy barriers & language.  The CRS was launched on 1st July 2015 to address the social concerns of the local community, and to educate and empower them towards a better, dignified life. The motive of the CRS is to be an integral part of the local community and create a positive impact in their lives. 

Thematic Focus: The major thematic focus areas of Radio Swayamshakti are agriculture, health, education, culture, environment, and advocating the rights of the community. Most of the community members live in the rural areas and are often unaware of their basic rights. The area is home to a rich culture and environment. Radio Swayamshakti believes the community needs to be empowered on various fronts to protect their rich culture and environment. 

Sustainable Development Goals: Radio Swayamshakti is focussed on achieving these SDGs:

SDG 3: Good Health and Well-Being

SDG 4: Quality Education

SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

SDG 13: Climate Action

Primetime Programmes:  The primetime programmes of Radio Swayamshakti are Chasbas, Formise, and Halchal. 

Chasbas is a programme based on agriculture and intends to aid the local farming community in adopting new agricultural practices and technology, and seek guidance from experts in the field. Formise is one of the most popular programmes of the station in which the listeners request for their favourite songs to be played, especially the ones in Sambalpuri language. Halchal is a round-up programme that informs the listeners about the latest developments in the area, especially local events and functions.

Innovations in format or any other way: Nagar Parikrama is a unique programme  that tries to establish a connection between people and government agencies; the community members get an opportunity to point out the lapses in the schemes, and the administrative officials explain different initiatives to the community.. This brings transparency and accountability in the delivery of government programmes. Gaon Mati is another programme in which villagers voice their concerns which is shared with the local administration to initiate action. 

Core Team: Radio Swayamshakti has seven CRMC members on its board, and they are supported by three core members. The CRS also has a group of active community volunteers.

Major Projects Undertaken: The major projects that the CRS has been a part of are Youth for Water, Swasthasankalpa, IDEOSYNC’s Nutrition initiative, Nua Sakalara Katha, Bachpan Express, and  Vikaspedia. The CRS also works on its internal projects for the welfare of the local community. 

Sustainable Strategies: Radio Swayamshakti adopts a minimalist approach through services from community volunteers. This helps the CRS significantly in cost-cutting measures. The CRS also tries to generate revenue funded collaborations and advertisements. 

Number of listeners and Potential Outreach: Swayamshakti CRS has an outreach potential of 35,000 people as it covers the regions of Khariar, Sinapali, Boden, Komna, Muribahal and  Bangomunda . 

Major concerns in the Community: Geographical barriers like forests often deprive the community members from getting the benefits of different government schemes. Illiteracy, especially among women, is a serious concern, which often leads to discrimination and exploitation.