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Gobe da Haske - Results
The program, consisting of 144 episodes, finished its initial broadcast on January 14, 2007. Listenership throughout the program was very high, with 86.6% of men and 94.3% of women reporting to “always” or “frequently” tune in. One can theorize that the high level of listenership to the radio drama (over 80% of the total sample) resulted from the fact that it addressed the concerns of the listeners and that listeners identified with the issues that were addressed in the drama. Among these, the most noted are health, availability of family planning services, well-being of children, and children’s education. Overall, 92.1% of male and 93.7% of female listeners reported that the drama’s issues concerned them.
RESULTS
Listeners
• Of all households surveyed, 67.2% were familiar with the serial drama program.
• The vast majority of the listeners (94%) had no education or only primary education.
Family Planning
• 39% of listeners could identify at least three methods of family planning, compared to 10% of non-listeners.
• 23% of listeners knew the link between use of family planning and reducing exploitative child labor, compared to 6% of non-listeners.
Exploitative Child Labor
• 67% of listeners had heard about exploitative child labor, compared to 28% of non-listeners.
• 55% of listeners had heard of child trafficking, compared to 28% of non-listeners.
• 40% of listeners had discussed exploitative child labor during the past 12 months, compared to 19% of non-listeners.
• 34% of listeners could cite at least three practices that lead to exploitative child labor, compared to 15% of non-listeners.
• 29% of listeners could cite at least three practices that lead to child trafficking, compared to 14% of non-listeners.
TESTIMONIALS
The feedback from listeners showed the impact of Gobe da Haske on its listeners and their communities.
This is the story of a young boy from Niger, who was inspired by Kokari, a character in Gobe de Haske.
“I am just like Kokari. Growing up, my family lived in extreme poverty. Sometimes we only ate once per day. After completing the 8th grade, I decided to leave my village and move to the city in search of a better life. Just like Kokari, I made this decision without consulting my parents, because I was afraid they would try to stop me.
“After arriving in the city of Niamey, I went from door to door looking for work as a domestic servant; however I was unable to find work. In order to eat, I stole from small restaurants near the market. I would wait for the clients to leave and then I would devour the leftover food on their plates, until I was chased away and sometimes beaten by one of the restaurant staff. I wasn’t a thief – I was just hungry!
“Then one day I was offered a job with a butcher, where I was forced to work long hours every day and was not paid a real salary. My only meals consisted of the meat scraps that the customers didn’t want to buy.
“While working for the butcher (eight months after leaving home), I met someone from my home village. I told the man from my village all about my misadventures. He decided to bring me with him to his fields. I followed him, and was lucky enough to find work in the same house as him. This time, I was given a salary – I was paid 3500 F CFA per month (about 7 USD).
“In the evenings, a group of us would gather around the radio to listen before we went to sleep, and it was there that I heard the serial drama ‘Gobe da Haske.’ In this serial drama, I heard my very own life story through the character, Kokari. I was filled with joy the day I learned from the program that there is a nonprofit organization nearby that cares for children and teaches them trades, such as carpentry or mechanics…etc. I had always dreamed of opening my own carpentry shop in my village, where I could build a nice bed for my mother. My workshop would also provide jobs for a lot of youth in my village, so they could stay in their village and work.”
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The following testimonials are from technicians at the radio stations and other organizations:
“The series is interesting because it addresses delicate issues such as early marriage and violence against young girls. Many programs address this theme, but the way in which it is treated in Gobe da Haske seems to be the best. This way is well understood by the people, and, thanks to that, many young girls will be saved and will have the opportunity to go to school.”
- A teacher from Agadez, Niger
“The broadcast of this series has truly changed our radio station. Listeners often write us to encourage us and most often, to request that PMC increase the number of broadcasts.”
- Radio Karakara - Diffa, Niger
“By nature, drama is very popular with people, which is why the series, Gobe da Haske has had so much success in our region.”
- Radio Koubein- Dosso, Niger
“The radio series is loved by women and young people. People in the neighborhoods where our signal does not reach come to the radio station to listen to the show. They often ask our technician to turn up the volume so that they can listen to the program without leaving home because, in their minds, its the volume that allows the radio signal to reach the villages.”
- Radio Agor - Agadez, Niger
“The radio drama Gobe da Haske has transformed radio programming in Niger. Many radio stations have experienced an increase in their audiences, and there are even regions where listeners stop what they’re doing and go inside so they do not miss the show. Above all, they wish for an extension of the program because this drama series speaks to all of society’s ills. It speaks to those things we don’t dare say but rather reveal themselves to be important truths - not only for one’s own benefit, but also for society as a whole.”
- Nouhou Soumana, Secretary of The Union of Radios of Niger
“I recommend them to all partners and funders to find whatever means necessary to continue this program, which has already succeeded in educating and advancing the people of Niger.”
- Oumarou Hadry, Minister of Culture, Arts & Communication, Niger
“The quality, availability and relevance of content in this program, which covers topics of fundamental interest to Nigeriens in general and youth in particular, is a reality charged with potential. It would, therefore, benefit us to consolidate and grow the programs of FVI-PMC as they address our concerns of how to educate our people and make them true agents of development.”
- Abdoul Ramane Seydou, Minister of Youth, Sports & Francophone Games
