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Roma Radio Station “NISAVA”

• Introduction

BAHTALO DROM, Udruzenje Roma (BDROM) is a Roma association,  established in 1999 with idea to help Roma not to forget their own culture, tradition and language and to help them to integrate into the society, but, also, to provide  humanitarian aid to local Roma and Roma refugees.

Supported by SOROS, BDUR established nursery school “CIRIKLJA” (“Birds”) in December 2000. There are two groups with 20 children each. We are very satisfied with this project and we are trying to form two more groups.

In 2000, BDUR realized three actions with support from SAVE THE CHILDREN (UK):

• giving aid (school equipment) to Roma school children (February 2000),
• in March 2000, we have provided aid for Roma refugees (food, clothes, hygienic stuff),
• in April 2000, we have provided aid for Roma from Prcilovica, Aleksinac but they refused to get it (local  authorities have told them that they could have some problems in local community ) and after that, we gave the aid to local Roma and Roma refugees in Nis.

It is important to say, that, after NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, BDUR has provided temporary accommodation for 80 Roma refugee families.

 BDUR established the first Roma radio station in Yugoslavia without support from any organizations. Radio station “Nisava” was established to help Roma not to forget their own history, culture, language and tradition and introduce them with Roma’s culture from the other parts of the world. We think that it also plays very important role in education of young Roma and helps them to integrate into society. At least, radio “NISAVA” is the very first legal Roma’s radio station in Yugoslavia and the only one that broadcast program different than music and commercials. With available broadcast equipment, we cover area where live approximately 500 000 people with around 10 % Roma. We have 5 employees and 4 volunteers. Radio “NISAVA” weekly products around 20 hours of program – about culture and language (“ROMANI KRIS”), contact program with popular Roma (“AMARI RAT”), kids’ program in Roma language (“AMARI BAH”) and daily news (“ABERI”). In the rest of the time we broadcast music (Roma and Serbian).

Almost all of Roma in covered area listen to the radio station “NISAVA” and they are very satisfied because they, for the first time, have an opportunity to listen to the radio program in their own language and all of them think that establishing of this radio station was an important event for Roma society in this part of Yugoslavia. As project of radio “NISAVA” exceeded our expectations, we have therefore decided to ask your organization to support us to make it work even better. We want to rise production up to 50 hours per week and to cover broadcast area with around 4 million people (approximately 400 000 Roma).

• Problem Defining

The problem is the position of Roma, as a social grouping, in society as a hole. Discrimination is evident in all stratas of their social groupings due to general prejudice based on skin colour and a more focused level of prejudice based on social and educational factors. The latter point is particularly relevant considering that only a small number of the Roma population finishes their secondary education, and only an irrelevant percentage gets university degree. Among the rest, the project presents to the Roma population the importance of education for developing and preserving the culture of their social grouping, emancipation of women,  education of the children, all of which should be realized through  live contact and entertainment radio programs where the above mentioned could be directly implied. Roma would express their interests on what they would like to hear in radio program through the provided questionnaires, and this should enable direct influence of the Roma population on the radio station's editing policy.

• Project target

The target is, within BDUR as well as the other projects established by this association, to improve the social position of the Gypsy population, to enable informing those living in south of Serbia on the situation in the country in general, particularly about the questions highly relevant to their population, as much as to help remembering and preserving the language, culture and tradition of this social grouping. Enlargement of the broadcast area is the priority, together with providing the minimal conditions for appropriate functioning of the radio station, as well as the training of the staff. It has been evaluated that radio "Nisava" should, in next two years, establish self-financing from the commercials emitted in the commercial blocks. According to the plan, there would be nineteen employees, paid from the project budget and from the incomes realized through commercial program, while marketing agents would be paid according to efficiency. For those without required working skills, a special training for working with the equipment is being planned, which should be done before the radio station starts  broadcasting the program with new equipment.

• Program

We will broadcast News (Roma and Serbian) at 7:00, 11:00, 14:00, 16:00, 23:00 (10 -15 minutes) and at 20:00 (20 - 30 minutes). All program listed bellow will be in Roma language.

1. So,kaj,sar? - What, Where, How? – One hour

One hour. Program about events  important for the local  Roma community, talk about troubles and problem solving questions with guests and listeners.

Schedule: 16:30; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.

2. Amari Bah – Our Happiness

One hour. Kids’ talk show , one hour , “live on the air”, kids’ songs , poems, quiz questions . Awards from sponsors  for correct answers.

Schedule: 9:30; Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday

3. Amari Rat – Our Night

One hour and a half. Entertainment, jokes, Roma folk music, listeners' song requests....

Schedule: 20:30; Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday.

4. Amaro Gosto – Our Guest  

One hour and a half. Talk show, one or more wellknown guests.

Schedule: 18:30; Friday

5. Romani Kris – Debate

One hour and a half – two hours. Talk show about Roma culture, tradition, language, music... “live on the air” – questions and answers          

Schedule: 20:30; Wednesday

6. Sastimos Amenge – About Health

One hour and a half. Guest (doctor – pediatrician, gynecologist, internist...) talks about health troubles and answers to the listeners’ questions.

Schedule: 18:30; Wednesday

7. Savore Ani Sikavini! – Let’s go to school!

One hour. Guest (teacher, psychologist) talks about importance of going to school, benefits one who has finished school has. Introduction with an interesting vocation.

Schedule: 12:00; Monday

8. Djuvljaki Rig – For Woman

One hour and a half. Gust, “live on the air”, women’s talk....

Schedule: 18:30; Friday

9. Pis Paramicho – Fairy Tale

Fifteen minutes. Telling of a fairy tale.

Schedule: 19:00; Thursday, Saturday

10. Lafi Po Lafi – Word by Word

One hour and a half. Roma language expert talks about Roma language, old words and phrases, “live on the air – Did you know what ....... means?”

Schedule: 18:30; Sunday

11. Moto So Dzane! -  Show what you know!

One hour and a half. Quiz, awards from sponsors for the best competitors.

Schedule: 20:30; Saturday

12. Te Giljaba – Let’s sing!

Two hours. Guest, old and new Roma songs, listeners sing “live on the air”....

Schedule: 20:30; Sunday

Meanwhile, commercials and music (Roma and Serbian).     

Thursday is kids’ day (more kids’ songs, jokes...). After 19:00 normal program scheme.

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