MediaSahel

Goals

To provide reliable news to young men and women from the Sahel region, and make it possible for them to express their opinions, take part in public debates and contribute to public life in their respective countries, through the media.
8,3 M
48months
3Countries

A project

Supported by

Presentation

In recent years, the Sahel region has experienced a series of multifaceted, overlapping and worsening crises. One of the factors behind this fragility is the sense of neglect, injustice and marginalisation felt by part of the Sahel's youth, with the under-30s representing about 65% of the population.

This crisis, which is sweeping across the entire Sahel-Saharan belt, cannotbe resolved without making young people feel more included in social and political circles. In this respect, the media have an important role to play by offering young people forums for expressing their opinions and promoting dialogue between citizens, civil society representatives and the authorities.

Through the media, the MediaSahel project is helping to increase youth inclusion, foster stabilisation and establish democracy in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger. A scheme for supporting production has been planned to run during the 48-month-long project. In addition to nationwide initiatives, a regional dimension will make it easier to broadcast news and promote dialogue between those three countries, with the focus being placed on shared problems and solutions, and content being offered in local languages.

Verbatim
“Conscious as we are that the media are essential to improving understanding of a complex environment and to initiating a more inclusive and more balanced public debate, we are delighted to be teaming up with CFI to work with the young men and women of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger to produce reliable and independent news that is both focused on their interests and sensitive to gender.”
Rémy Rioux, Chief Executive of the French Development Agency

Project beneficiaries

Media professionals (radio stations, websites), bloggers, young people, civil society and local authorities representatives in the three countries.

Project manager
Salomé SABATTINI

Files to download

MediaSahel

Actions

Strengthening the capabilities of the media

> Encouraging young people to take part in interactive shows and get involved in the production of content;
> Training local trainers in journalism;
> Strengthening the skills of media professionals: the fundamentals of professional journalism, journalism that is sensitive to conflict and gender, interactive shows engaging young people, discussion shows, encouraging representatives of the State and of civil society organisations to take part in discussion shows and raising their awareness;
> Aiding the development of media outlets or new formats created by young people;
> Providing training courses on new interactive formats for the internet;
> Supporting media management teams;
> Raising the awareness of the media, regulatory bodies and civil society organisations on the issues relating to fake news and the verification of facts.

Related news
March 1, 2019

Getting to know the Nigerien youth better... in order to better support them!

At the beginning of the year, a Nigerien expert went to the young people's meeting in the Tillabéri region (Niger) in order to understand their...
April 15, 2019

How can we improve youth inclusion with the help of the media?

The three MédiaSahel national coordination committees have been meeting up since the beginning of the project to affirm their commitment to...
April 25, 2019

CFI and the French Development Agency (AFD) launch a project to support youth in the Sahel

With funding of 8.3 million euros, the AFD and CFI, the French media development agency, are launching the MediaSahel project aimed at promoting...
December 1, 2019

Ten new recruits for MédiaSahel

In November 2019, four female and six male trainers - journalists from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso - received training on instructional design...
March 27, 2020

MediaSahel, results 2019

In recent years, the Sahel region has experienced a series of multifaceted, overlapping and worsening crises. This instability cannot be resolved...
May 11, 2020

MediaSahel broadcasts special content on Covid-19

For several weeks, the programmes produced as part of the MediaSahel project have been adapted to the current health crisis. New content to...
February 25, 2021

The “Pas2Quartier” programme expands across Africa

Three editorial projects, inspired by “Pas2Quartier” and supported by CFI, will soon see the light of day in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger.
February 26, 2021

Improved monitoring and evaluation within MediaSahel project team

Monitoring and evaluation training initially scheduled for March 2020 was provided to MediaSahel’s regional team and the project partners between...
March 1, 2021

Consultation workshops in Bamako and Niamey for media discussions

Young people from Mali and Niger, engaged in developing their regions through media projects, met with radio station managers in a two-day...
March 1, 2021

Three youth broadcasting projects in the Sahel region

Last December, fifteen journalists from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger took part in in a regional workshop on producing programmes for young people...
March 2, 2021

“Identifying the cornerstones of the profession”: training in the basic principles of journalism in Sahel

Between August and November 2020, MediaSahel provided training for 144 radio journalists on the fundamental rules of their profession, in Burkina...
June 24, 2021

Gender issues for MédiaSahel’s radio partners

After the basics and how to interact, MédiaSahel tackles the theme of gender and conflict. An initial training course was held in Burkina Faso...
October 8, 2021

Gender and conflict on the agenda at MediaSahel’s partner radio stations

Mediation, moderation and raised awareness. These words now mean more to those who attended the gender- and conflict-sensitive journalism...
October 10, 2021

Management training for radio station managers in the Sahel

In Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, 30 radio stations were selected from among the 73 partner stations of the MediaSahel project to receive...
November 2, 2021

With reusable bottles and a cooler for training sessions: MediaSahel is taking a more environmentally-friendly approach

For several months, MediaSahel has been adopting a more eco-friendly strategy by banning single-use plastic water bottles from training sessions...
June 20, 2022

New content to amplify young Sahelian voices

MediaSahel is providing 63 partner radio stations in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger with financial support and training to help them produce high...
June 20, 2022

MediaSahel provides its partners with equipment

Seventy-one radio stations in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger received new equipment in June.
September 2, 2022

Walde Ejef: a symbol of media resilience in a conflict zone

Walde Ejef (Walde from Fulfulde and Ejef from Tamashek) means “Association of the inhabitants of the dunes”. The only radio station to broadcast...
September 30, 2022

“Judges” to assess the quality of radio productions

To assess the content produced as part of the MediaSahel project, young people and media professionals took part in listening committees in July...
September 30, 2022

Public talk shows 
to resolve or prevent conflict

Around 100 radio show hosts from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have already benefited from training sessions on public talk shows offered by...
October 7, 2022

Progress made in the consideration of gender issues by African radio stations, but there is still more work to be done!

Zara Maina is a retired journalist and an expert on gender issues. A former President of the Association des Professionnelles Africaines de la...
December 2, 2022

The wonders of youth

Decline in revenues linked to commercial advertising, difficulties in covering the news, editorial caution... Radio Djawoampo is suffering as a...
January 6, 2023

Listeners' clubs: the power of community radio stations

After a training session on community management and social engagement, some partner radio stations of the MédiaSahel project launched listeners'...
February 23, 2023

The resilient journey of Boubakary Abdoulaye

From Djibo to Dori, and from the mines to the world of journalism, Boubakary Abdoulaye's career has hardly been smooth sailing He has now found...
April 13, 2023

Winning radio stations of MediaSahel contest receive their prizes

Solar panels, a long-range transmitter, smartphones, computers, editorial and managerial coaching… the prizes on offer for the radio contest...
August 18, 2023

Involving MediaSahel stakeholders in the development of the project's phase 2

CFI is working on a follow-up to MediaSahel. At the end of June, all of the project partners joined in the discussions during a series of...
Grand angle
June 10, 2022

“Together, we can contribute to the development of Mali”

Fanta M. is an eighteen year old student and national poetry slam champion who is active within her community. She is also one of the MediaSahel...

January 20, 2023

Fatoumata Ongoiba: a radio host advocating for the rights of children

Fatoumata Ongoiba hosts programmes in Dogoso on a radio station based in Douentza (Mopti, Mali), an area impacted by the security crisis. In October...

March 31, 2023

Aissata Sankara: "I like to share everything I've learnt with others"

Interview with Aissata Sankara, an independent journalist and reporter in Burkina Faso who has also been a MediaSahel and MediaSahel for Women trainer...

Supporting the production of content created by and for young people

> The production of news and debate programmes aimed at the young, focusing on both national and international issues, in the local languages of the priority areas and in cross-border languages (unifying languages);
> The production of content that is both entertaining and educational, focusing on international issues, in the main languages and in cross-border languages;
> Supporting the local production of interactive content and discussion shows, in French and/or in local languages;
> National competitions on new interactive and discussion formats, with production grants being awarded to three winners over the course of a year.

Related news
April 6, 2019

RFI launches two magazine programmes in Fula and Mandingo

Since April 2019, RFI has been broadcasting two new interactive programmes, modelled on the Alors on dit quoi ? [So, what do we say?] magazine...
June 30, 2019

“So, what do you think?” A new programme for the young people of Africa

What do young people in Africa dream of? What are their initiatives in their own countries? These are the questions that the new RFI programme...
July 19, 2019

Creating a new forum for dialogue between media and youth in Burkina Faso

At the end of July 2019, UNALFA, (the Free National Audiovisual Union of Faso - L'Union Nationale de l'Audiovisuel Libre du Faso) is launching...
July 29, 2019

New offerings for young people on the Malian and Nigerien airwaves

In early June, Studio Tamani and Studio Kalangou launched new news and programme time slots specifically dedicated to young people.
November 7, 2019

the MediaSahel project presented at the “Paris Peace Forum 2019”

MediaSahel, supported by CFI – the French media development agency – and funded by the AFD, will be presented during the second edition of the...
November 10, 2019

Two days of public broadcasts with RFI in Niamey

The Oumarou Ganda Cultural Centre (OGCC) in Niamey (Niger) welcomed RFI teams in October 2019 to record two editions of Appels sur l'actualité...
December 30, 2019

In Burkina Faso, radio managers and young people discuss MédiaSahel

From 17 to 20 December 2019, a consultation workshop was held in Ouagadougou with the 24 directors of the beneficiary radio stations. Twenty...
December 31, 2019

Raising media awareness among Burkina Faso's young people through the press cartoon

In addition to the consultation workshop that brought together actors and partners of the MédiaSahel project in Ouagadougou in December 2019, a...
February 29, 2020

After Niamey, RFI sets up in Bamako to talk to young people

On 21 February 2020, two RFI broadcasts, "Appels sur l'actualité" by Juan Gomez and "le Débat" by Alain Foka were relocated to Mali.
March 26, 2020

Three studies to better understand youth-media relations

Field studies undertaken in October 2019 identified key stakeholders in districts in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger that were targeted by the...
March 26, 2020

Tous à la Fada and Tous au Grin: two programmes that speak to young

Studio Tamani and Studio Kalangou both launched a new programme aimed at young people in 2019 that was broadcast on 72 community radio stations...
March 28, 2020

‘Jeunes Wakat’ programme becomes more interactive

Several weeks after its launch, the Union Nationale de l'Audiovisuel Libre du Faso (UNALFA), 'Jeunes Wakat' is strengthening its interactive...
April 4, 2020

MédiaSahel rolls out a gender action plan and monitoring/assessment mechanism

These two new tools will allow gender-related issues to be fully integrated into the project and be managed more effectively from day to day.
April 28, 2020

Combating COVID-19 by drawing

There's nothing quite like a clever quip or a good drawing to make an impression. Damien Glez, who is offering Africa his talent to spread...
May 15, 2020

Young people, key allies in preventing
 COVID-19 in Burkina Faso

Jeunes Wakat (Youth Time), a radio show produced by UNALFA (Union Nationale de l'Audiovisuel Libre du Faso – National Union of Free Broadcasting...
November 24, 2020

Regional, legislative and presidential elections in Burkina Faso and Niger: videos to encourage good behaviour during election periods

CFI is broadcasting a series of ten videos with a light and humorous tone to raise awareness among young people in these two countries of the...
February 12, 2021

MédiaSahel launches its cycle of training courses on interactive programmes for its 72 partner radio stations

This Monday, 15 February, MédiaSahel is launching a cycle of training courses for its 72 partner radio stations on producing and hosting...
February 26, 2021

She was far more than just a man. She was an aspiring woman

Discover Dianké, the Afro-feminist radio drama that depicts contemporary Africa
February 26, 2021

Jeunes Wakat… live and in public

The youth programme held its first live show in front of a large audience on 18 December 2020, capping off a year of great turmoil.
March 1, 2021

Interactive programmes for young people

One of the goals under the MediaSahel project is to work alongside young people leading multimedia editorial projects and to start considering...
March 1, 2021

Burkina Faso’s young people include MediaSahel in their action plan

A second exchange workshop between MediaSahel’s young correspondents in Burkina Faso and the project team was held in Ouagadougou in December...
April 5, 2021

Thanks to MédiaSahel, RFI relocates to Ouagadougou to offer young people the opportunity to take the microphone

Ouagadougou hosted RFI’s teams for the recording of several editions of Appels sur l’actualité [News Calls] by Juan Gomez and Débat Africain...
April 16, 2021

In Niger, young people work alongside journalists during radio interactivity training

After Burkina Faso and Mali, it is now Niger’s turn to launch its cycle of training courses on hosting and promoting interactive programmes. The...
June 9, 2021

Three editorial projects inspired by “Pas2Quartier” will soon see the light of day in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger

The teams behind “Kiogo-kiogo” in Burkina Faso, “An ga ta” in Mali and “Ça pique” in Niger met in Ouagadougou from 17 to 29 May 2021 to add the...
June 28, 2021

“Interactivity” training cycle in Burkina Faso and Mali: assessment in figures

The main expectation of those participating in the interactivity training, which took place from 15 February to 3 April 2021 in Burkina Faso and...
October 16, 2021

MediaSahel: young people and partner radio stations lead discussions on Dianké’s themes

Following on from last August’s training sessions, young people and media outlets have launched a series of discussions and citizenship...
October 17, 2021

“Angata... mi casa, su casa”: a new online meeting that offers a different way to discover Mali

Three African web media outlets have been selected to receive funding and technical support in order to promote the creation of innovative, youth...
February 15, 2022

Public discussion programmes on the agenda for MediaSahel trainers

From 22 November to 4 December 2021, 10 trainers from Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger travelled to the Burkinabe capital for a final training...
February 15, 2022

MediaSahel takes a look into the day-to-day workings of its partner media outlets

Between October and December 2021, the pool of MediaSahel trainers carried out coaching sessions at the various media outlets that are...
February 21, 2022

“Ça pique” an online cultural event for young people in Niger

Since 2021, three innovative online media outlets have been receiving technical and financial support from MediaSahel. Following on from Angata...
February 28, 2022

In the Sahel, young “flagbearers” assess programmes devoted to young people

There have been 75 young people fully involved in MédiaSahel activities, particularly in the assessment process for programmes that are devoted...
February 28, 2022

MédiaSahel: a review of what has been achieved

Launched at the start of 2019, MédiaSahel focuses its efforts on the inclusion of young people and on the stabilisation and development of...
June 8, 2022

New training on the production of talk shows in the Sahel

This year, from March to June, 108 journalists and media professionals were taught techniques to help them produce public talk shows in Burkina...
June 20, 2022

112 Sahelian radio programmes compete to be named
one of the best in their country

CFI launches a competition to recognise the best programmes produced by MediaSahel’s partner radio stations. The juries have initiated listening...
August 29, 2022

Six months of production support
for around 60 radio stations in the Sahel region

Since the start of July, 63 MediaSahel partner media outlets have received production support. Lasting six months, this support aims to encourage...
October 11, 2022

Young people in Mali work to promote peace and reconciliation

According to the monitoring matrix published by the Malian government, there are more than 370,000 internally displaced persons in the country...
June 22, 2023

Learning to shoot and edit using a smartphone

Training on smartphone shooting and editing techniques was held in Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso) in April 2023. The aim of the training was to make...
July 3, 2023

"Pause-détente" (Take a break) reaches out to as many people as possible

The interactive "Pause-détente" programme on Radio Omega, hosted by Sali Touré, benefited from a month-long coaching programme as part of...
August 1, 2023

Ensuring the survival of “Ça Pique” (That Stings): the key actions by Etrane TV média

In 2021, Etrane TV média became a MediaSahel partner in Niger. This collaboration breathed new life into the programme “Ça Pique”.
August 23, 2023

Mediasahel promotes the digital development of community radio stations

In July 2023, Mediasahel launched a series of training courses focussing on digital technology for twelve of its partner radio stations in...
Grand angle
October 21, 2021

Salissou Hassane Latifa: Nigerien and humanitarian whizz

In Niger, there are very few girls who go on to higher education, especially in the sciences. With a master’s in software engineering, Salissou...

June 24, 2022

"One of our objectives is to be representatives for peace"

An interview with Hadiza, a member of a MediaSahel-backed group of youth representatives in Zinder, Niger.

June 9, 2023

"Digital technology provides innovative solutions to current media issues"

Urbain Noukpo Aguemon is a consultant and trainer in digital communication and innovative entrepreneurship. Having been a specialist in digital...