Since 1978, Chitrabani has produced various types of educational and devotional programmes for RADIO VERITAS ASIA (RVA). RVA's station is located in Manila, Philippines, and it broadcasts on short waves in 14 Asian languages, including Bengali.

Chitrabani produces programmes for broadcast under CHETANA, a Bengali word for Awakening. It is a programme that promotes adult education through radio. Chetana offers four weekly programmes of seven minutes each designed for illiterate women of rural Bengal, in India and in Bangladesh. Besides non-formal literacy, Chetana offers programmes on issues relevant to women.

A vast network of helpers ensures that the women can tune into the programmes and send their answers to the questions put to them. Successful listeners are sent a certificate of appreciation. Through field-visits Chetana staff monitor the listeners' response, and receive suggestions for programmes that are then produced in the field by learners themselves.

S.NO.

SUBJECT

EPISODES

DURATION

1

Girl Child

8

9 mts. each

2

Health and Nutrition

4

9 mts. each

3

Medicine : use & abuse

4

9 mts. each

4

Home medicine and treatment

4

9 mts. each

5

Medicinal plants and treatment

8

8 mts. each

6

Small family, happy family

16

8 mts. each

7

Education for girl child

8

8 mts. each

8

In search of profession

16

8 mts. each

9

Superstition and folk beliefs

40

8 mts. each

10

We and our environment

36

8 mts. each

11

Our rights

28

8 mts. each

12

Rights of women

28

8 mts. each

13

Women and family

42

8 mts. each

14

AIDS, the deadly disease

116

8 mts. each

15

Drug addiction

100

8 mts. each

16

Snake and folk beliefs

110

8 mts. each

17

Arsenic, the deadly poison

126

8 mts. each

Dilip Mazumder, programme producer

Motiur Rahaman, field officer

Atanu Das, office assistant.