 MAZAR-E-SHARIF: In the Northern province of Samangan, Aminullah Qayumi a 23-year-old youth, sits in front of his mike in a mud hut in Joi Zhwandon village. He has made radio using old machinery and tools and uses this to broadcast programming to the residents of this village for 8 hours a day. The student of 12th grade, dressed in the traditional salwar kameez, with headphones over his ears, was ready to begin his broadcast over the radio which has been locally named Radio Amin after him. "I used very old tools to make this radio station" Amin told Pajhwok Afghan News. In the corner of the room is a small machine resembling the circuit board of an old radio. Some batteries are fixed on it and there is a tape recorder to play songs. The boy says he bought the circuit six months ago for 4,000 Afs. He fixed batteries on it and wired it to the wooden antenna on the roof of their house. The contraption seems to work for the residents of Joi Zhwandon village.
Rajab a 30-year-old resident, who was listening to an Afghan song said "The song you are listening is broadcasted by Amin". The radio station broadcasts for eight hours: 10 am to 2 pm and again from 4 pm to 8 pm. Most of the programs are announcements of games specially Buzkashi, music programs and other entertainment programs. The village has three hundred families living in mud houses and is 4 km away from Aibak city. The people of the village are mainly farmers. Amin's enterprise has found some local support. The governor of Samangan gave him 10,000 Afs a few months ago. Amin however wants more support and has visited the Ministry of Information and Culture in Kabul in the search of help. |