Population Media Center (PMC) has played a pivotal role in Burkina Faso, producing three influential radio programs, namely “Yam Yankré” (“The Choice”), “Hεrε S’ra” (“The Road to Happiness”), and “Cesiri Tono” (“Fruits of Perseverance”), which addressed critical issues like family planning, reproductive health, and human trafficking prevention, reaching millions of listeners in widely spoken languages. PMC’s work extended beyond broadcasts, with the rebroadcasting of “Yam Yankré” in new regions, supported by UNFPA-UNICEF, and the implementation of interactive engagement strategies through 15 radio stations.
Lamoussa Robgo
Country Director, PMC-Burkina Faso
lrobgo@populationmedia.org
Burkina Faso is a country approximately the size of New Zealand with a population of almost 16 million located in western Africa. The annual population growth rate of Burkina Faso is 3%, which left unchanged means the population will double by 2045.
The fertility rate in Burkina Faso is the eighth highest in the world, driven by large family size. In general, men and women want large families, but 29% of married women ages 15–49 reported to the Demographic and Health Survey that they would like to space or limit births, but they’re not currently using any method of family planning. In Burkina Faso, 5.93 children are born to every woman, and more than 39% of these children are subjected to child labor.
At PMC, we advocate for the empowerment of women and girls as fundamental to achieving a sustainable future. Discover more about our initiatives and contributions in Burkina Faso.
Cesiri Tono (All the Rewards of Courage and Hardwork), a 144-episode radio drama in Dioula—a widely spoken language across Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali—aired from November 2004 through October 2005. Distributed to 169 community radio stations by First Voice International, the show reached more than 5.5 million people. Recognized globally, it earned PMC the Changemakers Innovation Award from the Ashoka Foundation for its creative approach to preventing human trafficking.
Hεrε S’ra, a 156-episode radio drama produced by Population Media Center, aired from September 2012 through March 2014 in Dioula, one of the two major native languages of Burkina Faso. The show was broadcast twice weekly on 22 community radio stations and on the national broadcaster Radiodiffusion Television du Burkina. Alongside YamYankré, which aired in Mooré, Hεrε S’ra reached an estimated six million listeners. Weekly listener contests engaged audiences around key themes and storylines, with nearly 3,800 call-ins in just the first two months. The program successfully increased demand for local health services and motivated listeners to take charge of their well-being—delivered, as always, through PMC’s proven radio methodology.
Yam Yankré (“The Choice”), a 156-episode radio drama produced by PMC in the Mooré language, aired across Burkina Faso from 2012 to 2014 and was set for rebroadcast in 2021. The show reached millions through 22 community radio stations and national broadcaster RTB, running alongside Hεrε S’ra in the Dioula language. Together, the two programs attracted an estimated six million listeners. Engaging audiences through weekly call-in contests and relatable storytelling, Yam Yankré sparked national conversations and encouraged communities to reflect on critical social issues.
