For Deepa Pariyar, a 19 year-old girl from the Syangja district of Nepal, Laxmi Memorial Community Library and Resource Center has changed her life more than she ever has imagined. Once a regular patron of Laxmi Memorial, Deepa is now a radio jockey for Syangja Community FM, a radio station operated by Laxmi that generates income to maintain the Center. Hailing from a marginalized Dalit community, Deepa visited the Laxmi Memorial Center often. During one of her visits, her uncle introduced her to the manager of the radio station. After the meeting, Deepa said, “Watching them, I felt that community radio could be a medium through which I could reach the Dalit community.” Deepa took her enthusiasm and used it to create a program that now reaches 500,000 rural villagers. Deepa is constantly receiving support from her audience. “Feedback from women listeners has been specially encouraging for me. That’s why I am planning to host two more programs related to education and health soon,” she says with conviction. Not only has Deepa found her voice, she is also giving a voice to her Dalit community.
