The term Kairan in Nepali language refers to voice of people. Radi Kairan 96.4 Mhz came in to operation on September 16, 2013, in Bamti-Bhandar-4, deurali, at about 2750 m. height, the northern Himalayas of Ramechhap district. Within a short span of time of operation, Radio Kairan, the only community radio became best platform to tell the tales. And Radio Kairan was only trusting medium for getting information and news to villagers of nearly 36 isolated villages of Ramechhap, Dolakha, Solukhumbu and Okhaldhunga. Nearly 500,000 villagers living in the areas, who were deprived of access of government services, media including telephone and internet and other communication services, then had platform to have their say and tell their tales.
But though, the first massive earthquake hit on April 25 caused not much effect, but the second massive earthquake with 7.3 magnitude scale, with its epicenter in Dolakha district destroyed all its infrastructure and equipments. Thus radio Kairan now has been closed down. In a post-earthquake period, community radios have a greater role in reaching out to communities with information and heal and help them to come in a comfort zone with positive thinking from earthquake effect. Similarly, community radios have role to inform communities about the development progress. Therefore, we want radio kairan 96.4 Mhz reopen, which was closed down due to heavy damage caused by massive earthquake hit on May 12, 2015.
We feel lucky enough that a number of philanthropists within Nepal and outside, charity organizations, individuals including US-based organization—Cultural Survival, Danish organization—Hindenburg system always have been there throughout this initiative. Therefore, in order to restore and augment this community initiative, I, (Dev Kumar Sunuwar, one of the founders), on behalf of radio Kairan team, would like to request you to extend your best possible support and urge you be a part of our dream to contribute empowering isolated communities of the Himalayas through media. If you wish to know anything more about you can also directly write me at
[email protected], or
[email protected],
Indigenous Voices in Asia, 2 June 2015