Active in Burkina Faso since 2018, Studio Yafa provides information and spaces for dialogue on the country’s social and political life through the production of multimedia programmes (radio, TV and video) aimed at young people, women and vulnerable groups. Studio Yafa’s magazines and debates are produced in five languages (Mooré, Dioula, Fulfulde, Gulmancema and French) by a team of journalists, translators and technicians, supported by correspondents from 39 partner radio stations across the country.
Studio Yafa’s activities are implemented in partnership with the Union Nationale de l’Audiovisuel Libre du Faso (UNALFA), MOUSSO NEWS (an online media outlet specialising in gender issues), FASOCHECK (a journalists’ association specialising in fact-checking), the Laboratoire Citoyennetés, and the Institut Général Tiémoko Marc Garango pour la Gouvernance et le Développement (IGD).
Annual budget
1’300’000 CHF
Sources of funding
- European Union
- Switzerland (Project contributions)
- Switzerland (SDC mandate)
- Sweden (Sida)
- Switzerland (SDC core contribution)
- United Kingdom (FCDO-ISF)
- Communication partnership contracts
- Netherlands (MoFA)
- Däster Schild Stiftung Foundation
- Czech Republic (MoFA)
- Foundation for Aid to Children and the Third World
Key figures for 2025
166’200 followers on social media
+ 5 millions people reached (2024)
118 people trained
39 partner radio
stations + 2 television partners
5 broadcast
languages
440 hours of audio and 37 hours of video
broadcast
Context
In 2025, Burkina Faso experienced institutional, security and socio-political developments that affected the media environment. Strengthening of the regulatory framework, territorial reorganisation and increased pressure on public freedoms forced media outlets to adopt greater editorial caution. The ongoing security and humanitarian crisis limits access to certain areas. The rise of disinformation, amplified by social media, undermines media credibility and increases risks for journalists. The year was also marked by a decline in the country’s ranking in the World Press Freedom Index, now 105th out of 180 countries.
Giving a voice to the vulnerable
In this context, Studio Yafa remained at the heart of daily life for young people, women and vulnerable groups, with programme series such as “Ma première fois”, as well as video capsules “Allô la terre” and content dedicated to the environment, agriculture, road safety, breast cancer and the monitoring of public policies. Studio Yafa continued its humanitarian radio programme aimed at internally displaced persons and host communities, through weekly magazines and monthly public programmes.
In close collaboration with three other Fondation Hirondelle studios in the Sahel — Studio Tamani (Mali), Studio Kalangou (Niger), and Studio Hirondelle (Chad) — Studio Yafa co-produced various types of content, including debates, public programmes and reports on regional issues.
Finally, two types of television programmes were produced: one focused on promoting young people leading civic initiatives, in partnership with the national broadcaster RTB, and the other on accountability, in collaboration with the private channel BF1.
To address the training needs of journalists and partners, Studio Yafa trained 20 journalists through tailored and immersive programmes.
In October 2025, Studio Yafa successfully passed the surveillance audit for the “Journalism Trust Initiative” (JTI) certification. This certification, obtained in October 2024, is an international distinction initiated by Reporters Without Borders. It certifies that Studio Yafa has been evaluated and found compliant with the requirements for producing radio, video and multimedia news content, in terms of transparency and adherence to ethical and professional media standards
To find out more about our work and experience in humanitarian crises, visit our dedicated page.
Our impact
85% of listeners surveyed during focus groups reported having access to quality media content (3IR study, 2025). During collective listening sessions organised by community facilitators in 2025, more than 95% of participants stated that Studio Yafa provides useful information relevant to their situation
Testimonial
“Through the productions on inspiring women, I discovered Maimouna, a young woman who strengthens the capacities of local associations and organisations. This topic interested me, so I contacted her for a collaboration. Being involved in an association that is struggling to grow, I am convinced that with Maimouna’s support, we will succeed.”
Listener from Koudougou.
Studio Yafa aims to strengthen the production and dissemination of content tailored to the needs of young people, women, as well as marginalised and displaced populations. Studio Yafa will produce reports, interactive programmes and public debates. These discussion spaces enable communities to express themselves, ask questions and access reliable, contextualised information on issues that directly affect them.
With an integrated newsroom, Studio Yafa relies on journalist correspondents from partner media outlets present in all 17 regions of the country, who actively contribute to the co-production of its content.
As part of its commitment to media literacy, Studio Yafa aims to raise public awareness about the responsible and critical use of resources available online and on social media.
Studio Yafa continues to organise collective listening sessions of programmes in the regions through 60 local community facilitators.
To strengthen the skills of its teams and partners, Studio Yafa provides training in the production and facilitation of debates for partner radio stations. Training in facilitating collective listening sessions is also provided for community facilitators.
Priorities
- Provide reliable and useful information to the population
- Creation of inclusive and participatory media dialogue spaces
- Disinformation, media and information literacy (MIL), digital issues, and support to media and CSOs
Activities
- Production of radio programmes in 5 languages
- Various training sessions for journalists from partner radio stations and Studio Yafa staff
Previous project in Burkina Faso
Over an 18-month period (August 2015–December 2016), Fondation Hirondelle provided Radio Télévision du Burkina (RTB) with editorial expertise, training and equipment. This support aimed to put this public broadcaster in closer touch with the concerns of the population during the period of historic democratic transition following the popular uprising in late 2014.
Click here to see our previous project in Burkina