Burkina Faso

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.

Country Director

Lamoussa Robgo
Country Director, PMC-Burkina Faso
lrobgo@populationmedia.org

Yam Yankré Fact Sheet

Population media center began working in Burkina Faso in February of 2004

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.

Additional Burkina Faso Facts

Our Projects

Cesiri Tono

This 144-episode radio show aired November 2004 through October 2005 in Dioula, which is a widely spoken language in all three countries. Cesiri Tono was distributed to 169 community radio stations across the three countries (Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, and Mali) by First Voice International, reaching more than 5.5 million people. The Ashoka Foundation awarded PMC the Changemakers Innovation Award (one of three worldwide) in their global competition for the most creative programs designed to prevent human trafficking. As with all PMC radio shows, Cesiri Tonowas created using PMC’s radio show methodology.

HƐrƐ S’ra

This 156-episode radio show aired September 2012 through March 2014 in Dioula, which is one of the two major native languages in Burkina Faso. Hεrε S’ra aired twice per week on 22 community radio stations across Burkina Faso, as well as on Radiodiffusion Television du Burkina. It was one of two PMC radio shows on the air at that time. YamYankréwas also airing in the Mooré language. Clinic monitoring estimated the combined listenership of these two programs at six million people. The radio broadcasts included weekly listeners’ contests in which listeners were quizzed on the storylines and issues they address. In just two months, there were 3,797 listeners who called in for the contests. Hεrε S’raincreased demand for local health clinics and encouraged more listeners to prioritize their health. As with all PMC radio shows, Hεrε S’ra was created using PMC’s radio show methodology.

Yam Yankré

This 156-episode radio show in the Mooré language aired from September 2012 through March 2014 and will be rebroadcast in 2021. Yam Yankré aired on 22 community radio stations across Burkina Faso, as well as on Radio diffusion Télévision du Burkina (RTB). It was one of two PMC radio shows on the air at that time. Hεrε S’ra was also airing in the Dioula language. Clinic monitoring estimated the combined listenership of these two programs at six million people. The radio broadcast from 2012-2014 included weekly listeners’ contests in which listeners were quizzed on the storylines and issues they address. In just two months, there were 3,797 listeners who called in for the contests.