Focus on Global Sustainability
Human civilization is complex, dynamic, and constantly evolving. It also exists nested within a wonderfully complex, dynamic, co-evolving living system: the planet Earth.
Human civilization is complex, dynamic, and constantly evolving. It also exists nested within a wonderfully complex, dynamic, co-evolving living system: the planet Earth.
PMC’s initial season of Umurage in Rwanda was so popular that a rebroadcast was a given. Forty-nine percent of listeners to the original broadcast reported that they had talked to a spouse or partner about family planning and 39% said they followed advice about family planning. Listeners were 1.5 times more likely than non-listeners to cite population growth as the primary cause of environmental degradation and loss of gorilla habitat. Numerous other indicators tell similar stories, like listeners being 2.7 times more likely than non-listeners to want to know their HIV status. PMC-Rwanda has since broadcast three follow-on seasons in Kinyarwanda, one of Rwandan’s official languages, only expanding impact.
Beyond the broadcast, Umurage content is available on YouTube. During broadcast, Umurage had with accompanying digital components on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp. PMC-Rwanda also hosted large in-person celebrations and smaller listener groups to promote the series and open dialogues.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Umurage writers and producers introduced COVID-19 prevention methods into the wildly popular program’s fourth season. An accompanying social media campaign included timely public service announcements on the importance of handwashing and facemasks to prevent the spread.
Part of the success of the Umurage series was the accompanying multimedia campaign across multiple platforms and the accessibility of the series online. Now closed, you can view how PMC-Rwanda utilized Umurage social media channels and episodes below.