India is vast, industrious, bountiful and culturally rich, however 300 million people are estimated to live in poverty due to huge social and gender inequalities.  

In northern India many women and girls have very little say in their lives; early marriage is the norm, many girls don't attend school, child labour is widespread, sex trafficking is common and widows are socially excluded.

Bringing transformative radio programmes to listeners in northern India, the Women's Initiative is a project working with specialist partners like the S.E.E.D Society (Save Entrust Equip Disciples Society) alongside our partner organisation.

Our partner's producer gives an interviewee a radio.

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The Programmes

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Reaching an estimated 15 million people, daily 15 minute programmes are broadcast across northern India using Medium Wave and FM.  

Rooted in the communities they serve and produced in local languages, the Women's Initiative programmes are made in Hindi for the areas of Rajasthan and Haryana, and Bengali in West Bengal.  

Using drama, music, discussion and debates, the Women's Initiative radio team address sensitive issues, challenge traditions and practices that marginalise women and help listeners make positive life choices.

Tailor-made programmes service the needs of the regions they broadcast to, but all programmes provide key information on:

• women's rights
• the importance of girl's education
• domestic violence
• the dowry system
• the dangers of child marriage
• trafficking and bonded labour

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The Follow up

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Specially trained staff take 20-30 listener calls per day, and follow up is vital to actively engage with communities.

Invited to interact with the radio producers through phone calls, text messages or by post, listeners can access counselling by calling into the station's follow-up staff.  Providing room to discuss the issues tackled on air, follow up staff build relationships with listeners.

Many callers go on to learn more about the Christian faith.  

Counsellor in the radio follow up team, Nilu, takes a listener's call.

Every day, the Women's Initiative project broadcast life-changing programmes across northern India to help women realise their God-given value.

Feba's latest appeal is in support of these broadcasts and you can help us reach the target through prayer, using our prayer page or financial support.   

Make a difference to women's lives in India.  

Please donate now.