Population Media Center has worked in Zambia since 2018 when The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) awarded PMC $2.6 million to develop and disseminate content targeting behavior change to improve the health of women and children in Zambia. This led to the development of two popular PMC-Zambia radio shows, Kwishilya (“Over the Horizon”) and Siñalamba (“Breaking the Barrier”).
In 2024, PMC-Zambia launched three pilot projects as part of InnovaLab, PMC’s innovation hub for bold, behavior-changing media. Spanning the Copperbelt, Eastern, and Southern Provinces, these initiatives included Insaka Ya Bumi (“Community Health Dialogue Forum”), a live radio talk show; Dambo Lathu (“Our Swamp”), a school-based comic book roadshow; and Kasensa Kabuumi (“Fountain of Life”), a dramatic radio miniseries paired with interactive PSAs and community events. Together, these projects have touched the lives of over 900,000 people across Zambia.
Charles Kalonga
Country Director, PMC-Zambia
ckalonga@populationmedia.org
Mobile: +260 977 825492
Kwishilya (“Over the Horizon”) reached an estimated 659,440 weekly listeners during its first season, empowering especially women and girls to improve their lives and communities.
Siñalamba (“Breaking the Barrier”) is a 156-episode radio drama in Lozi, aired across Zambia’s Western Province, addressing child marriage, family planning, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, and gender-based violence.
Insaka Ya Bumi (“Community Health Dialogue Forum”), an 18-episode call-in radio show aired on eight stations across Zambia’s Copperbelt Province, sparking real-time dialogue on vital topics.
Kasensa Kabuumi (“Fountain of Life”), a four-episode radio miniseries, aired across five stations in Zambia’s Southern Province, engaging communities on HIV prevention, family planning, and gender-based violence.
Dambo Lathu (“Our Swamp”), a four-episode comic book series, reached students and community members in Zambia sparking conversations around gender-based violence, HIV prevention, and early marriage.
