MUMBAI: Gurgaon-based community radio station, Gurgaon Ki Awaaz, which is run by the NGO called The Restoring Force, will be adding three new shows this year. The first show will be the third edition of 'Chahat Chowk' and will be launched on 15 May, 2015, while the second will be about adolescent emotional health and will be launched in June this year. The third show will be based on the Constitution of India and is expected to launch on 14 August, 2015.
"'Chahat Chowk' started two years ago and is based on sexual and reproductive health issues of men and women. Doctors and ANMs are invited to talk to callers. The previous editions of the show received a phenomenal response, considering we live in a country where talking about sex is taboo. The reason behind this success is perhaps because radio does not have a face and callers can talk to doctors without revealing their identity," said Station Director, Arti Jaiman. The 3rd season of this programme will have 16 episodes and is being produced with support from DSM India and Commonwealth Learning.
Speaking about ‘Bavra Mausam’, the show on adolescent emotional health, she said, "Our formative research revealed that young people between the ages of 15 to 20 felt they had no one to talk to, felt misunderstood, had problems managing relationships and breakups, and most importantly, were not able to have a healthy communicative relationship with their parents. Working with young people from Tarang Kala Kendra and District Institute of Education and Training, we are producing this series," said Jaiman. The programme on Constitution of India is in partnership with an NGO called We The People. The aim of the show is to bring awareness to the people about the Indian Constitution, with a special focus on the Preamble.
Meanwhile, 'Ek Nai Soch ...Ek Nai Disha', an ongoing programme, is about stories based on physically and mentally challenged people. The first episode of the show was broadcast on 4 May, 20015. "The weekly show is about the kind of notions that people have about kids with disabilities, and the extremely unkind words people say to even caregivers of children and adults with special needs," said Jaiman. The aim of the show is to bring empathy towards special needs children.
Jaiman also revealed that the station is in talks with Susmit Sen, the founder of music band Indian Ocean to write songs for one of their programmes.