MédiAOS (2024–2028) is a project implemented in Benin, Chad, and Togo by CFI, with Equipop and Fondation Hirondelle. It aims to strengthen the media ecosystem to produce quality content, particularly in local languages, that addresses the concerns of young people, especially young women. The project supports radio stations, online media, journalism schools, and regulators, and encourages regional exchanges to promote inclusion, citizen participation, and democratic development.
Fondation Hirondelle works particularly with community radio stations and draws on its experience in capacity building, editorial structuring, and professionalization of editorial and technical practices to support its partners in the production and dissemination of information tailored to the needs of young people.
FH annual budget
270’000 CHF
Source of funding
Agence française de développement
Key figures 2025
- 17 partner radio stations
- 27 journalists trained in safety
- 3 studies on young people’s media preferences and information needs
context
In Benin, Chad, and Togo, the population is predominantly young, but this youth struggles to access reliable, pluralistic information that is relevant to their realities. The media landscape, which is economically fragile and sometimes constrained by regulatory or political factors, struggles to meet their expectations. Young people, and young women in particular, remain underrepresented in content and spaces for expression. This results in a disconnect between their concerns and the media offerings available to them.
Local media serving young people
In 2025, Fondation Hirondelle gave MédiAOS a decisive boost. First, the teams selected seventeen local radio stations in Benin, Togo, and Chad that were deeply rooted in their territories and ready to reinvent themselves to better connect with young people. From N’Djamena in Chad to Dapaong in northern Togo, the selected radio stations cover different areas and regions, illustrating a desire for territorial diversity.
With these radio stations, Fondation Hirondelle carried out a collective analysis and co-construction process to develop tailor-made reinforcement plans, combining editorial innovation and technical skills development. Seventeen reinforcement plans were thus developed and began to be implemented. At the same time, a large-scale field study of 700 young people provided a better understanding of their habits, expectations, and aspirations. This helped media partners create more useful, interactive, and inclusive content, particularly for young women.
Priorities
- Strengthening editorial capacitie
- Developing links between media and civil society organizations
- Media literacy
Activities
- Ongoing coaching, on-site and remote
- Co-production of content aimed at young people and women
Following this study, the main observations common to all three countries are as follows:
- There is a high degree of porosity between traditional and digital media, with young people juggling FM radio, social networks (WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok), and messaging platforms to stay informed and entertained.
- There is a strong demand among young people for useful content. They want concrete topics related to their everyday concerns (employment, practical life, urban culture, etc.);
- These radio stations are perceived as credible but not very interactive, and often not very visible on the channels used extensively by young people;
- There is a recurring tension between national languages and French: language remains a marker of accessibility and proximity, but also a potential factor of exclusion.
- Differentiated gender dynamics can be observed: on average, young women are less exposed to political or technical content and more receptive to narrative, participatory, and cultural formats.
Between March and April 2025, Fondation Hirondelle oversaw the completion of an in-depth qualitative study on the uses and expectations of young audiences (aged 15–30) with regard to local media. The methodology was based on 70 focus groups (20 in Benin, 20 in Togo, and 30 in Chad), representing a total of 700 young people surveyed.
Testimonial
“We have assets as media outlets, untapped strengths, and topics that have not been addressed that could be of interest to listeners. It is important not to produce content ‘for’ our target audiences, but ‘with’ them.”
Participant in the co-construction workshop in Lomé, Togo. June 2025
For more information about our activities in Benin, consult the dedicated page.
For more information about our activities in Chad, consult the dedicated page.