Navodayam, a monthly magazine that is run mostly by Dalit women in Andhra Pradesh and covers various grassroots-level issues in Chittoor district, is faced with a fund crunch.
The magazine was initially funded as part of the then united Andhra Pradesh's poverty alleviation programme dubbed 'Velugu'.
Navodayam has around 12 permanent members besides other contributors. Each reporter covers around five to six mandals as part of her beat.
The magazine writes extensively on the issues that their readers can directly relate to, from women empowerment, to domestic violence to child marriage.
The magazine, with its writings on issues of gender, has created awareness and empowered several women who are now standing up for their rights.
Navodayam, and the women running it, have also won several awards since its inception, including the LAADLI Media Award for gender sensitivity in 2009-2010.
While mainstream dailies have a short life span and find it difficult to access interior villages, Navodayam manages to overcome both hurdles.
However, the magazine has run into rough weather, with its funds getting depleted before the end of every year. Navodayam no longer gets funding from the state, and advertisements in the magazine are rare.
The magazine has convinced one women’s self-help group per mandal that they cover, to pool in and pay Rs 70 as the cost of an annual subscription.
The magazine also gets help from the local 'Zilla Samkhya', which helps it cover its costs every year.
"Since printing costs have increased, we have been facing a fund-crunch," Manjula, who began her career as the first ever editor of Navodayam, told The News Minute.
Manjula says that it costs around Rs 3 lakh to put the magazine together every month, and their funds get exhausted by the end of the year.
"We fall around Rs 10 to Rs 11 lakh short every year, as the funds from subscription are not enough," Manjula says.
A detailed account of their journey can be found here.
Manjula has now appealed for people to support the magazine with any donations that can be given to the Zilla Samkhya.
The Navodayam team can be contacted at navodayam@gmail.com. The account details can be found below.
Bank: Indian Bank, Greamspet
Account name: Zilla Samkhya Chittoor
Account number: 504675405
IFSC Code: IDIB000G034