{"id":24522,"date":"2026-03-18T15:49:17","date_gmt":"2026-03-18T14:49:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/?page_id=24522"},"modified":"2026-04-09T11:47:15","modified_gmt":"2026-04-09T09:47:15","slug":"mediaos-benin-chad-togo","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/en\/our-work\/projects\/topical\/youth\/mediaos-benin-chad-togo","title":{"rendered":"M\u00e9diaOS (Benin, Chad, Togo)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"5940\" height=\"3960\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/1L9A0427-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-24512\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Benin, 2025.\u00a9 Yanick Folly.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>M\u00e9diAOS <\/strong>(2024\u20132028) is a project implemented<strong> in Benin, Chad, and Togo<\/strong> by <a href=\"https:\/\/cfi.fr\/fr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">CFI<\/a>, with <a href=\"https:\/\/equipop.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Equipop <\/a>and Fondation Hirondelle. It aims<strong> to strengthen the media ecosystem to produce quality content, particularly in local languages, that addresses the concerns of young people, especially young women<\/strong>. The project supports radio stations, online media, journalism schools, and regulators, and encourages regional exchanges to promote inclusion, citizen participation, and democratic development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fondation Hirondelle <strong>works particularly with community radio stations<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-content-justification-center is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-94bc23d7 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group h-100 backgroundedBlock backgroundedBlock--green has-fhviolet-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-9dee41df6f12a6e6acbadd315d341e54\">FH annual budget<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-24d92223f7ab594607fdfdd0cf0757dd\">270&#8217;000 CHF<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-white-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-white-background-color has-background\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-657b7a68e8c2b66e6f846dede96680af\">Sources of funding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-white-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-51a0413602dc64e2e1b16d0b6f34049f\">Agence fran\u00e7aise de d\u00e9veloppement<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group h-100 backgroundedBlock backgroundedBlock--purple has-fhgreen-background-color has-background has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-fhviolet-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-ab8477bac0ff374484bee36f22284cc1\">Key figures 2025<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-fhviolet-color has-alpha-channel-opacity has-fhviolet-background-color has-background\"\/>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li class=\"has-fhviolet-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7c08bbb5cab776b4ca2abc2af43e0b25\">17 partner radio stations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-fhviolet-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-7309dc772eabb5efb4f8ffe92a7224bf\">27 journalists trained in safety<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li class=\"has-fhviolet-color has-text-color has-link-color wp-elements-37610eab09887c37bd7474e60de254fe\">3 studies on young people&#8217;s media preferences and information needs<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-16018d1d wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Fiche-Projet-2026-MediaOS-EN-2.pdf\">Download our project fact sheet<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">context<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In Benin, Chad, and Togo, the population is predominantly young, but this youth struggles to access reliable, pluralistic information that is relevant to its realities. <strong>The media landscape, which is economically fragile and sometimes constrained by regulatory or political factors, struggles to meet the expectations of the youth.<\/strong> 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 contents available to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Local media serving young people<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In 2025<\/strong>, Fondation Hirondelle gave M\u00e9diaOS a decisive boost. First, the teams selected<strong> 17 local radio stations in Benin, Togo, and Chad that were deeply rooted in their territories<\/strong> and ready to reinvent themselves <strong>to better connect with young people<\/strong>. From N&#8217;Djamena in Chad to Dapaong in Northern Togo, the selected radio stations cover different areas and regions, illustrating a desire for territorial diversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>With these radio stations, <strong>Fondation Hirondelle carried out a collective analysis and co-construction process to develop tailor-made reinforcement plans<\/strong>, combining editorial innovation and technical skills development. Seventeen reinforcement plans were thus developed and began to be implemented. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At the same time,<strong> a large-scale field study of 700 young people provided a better understanding of their habits, expectations, and aspirations<\/strong>. This helped media partners create more useful, interactive, and inclusive content, particularly for young women.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group backgroundedBlock backgroundedBlock--green has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Priorities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Strengthening editorial capacities<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Developing links between media and civil society organizations<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Media literacy<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Activities<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ongoing coaching, on-site and remote<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Co-production of content aimed at young people and women<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Following this study, <strong>the main observations common to all three countries are as follows<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>There is a <strong>high degree of porosity between traditional and digital media<\/strong>, with young people juggling FM radio, social networks (WhatsApp, Facebook, TikTok), and messaging platforms to stay informed and entertained.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There is a <strong>strong demand among young people for useful content<\/strong>. They want concrete topics related to their everyday concerns (employment, practical life, urban culture, etc.).<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>These <strong>radio stations are perceived as credible but not very interactive, and often not very visible<\/strong> on the channels used extensively by young people.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There is a recurring <strong>tension between national languages and French<\/strong>: language remains a marker of accessibility and proximity, but also a potential factor of exclusion.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Differentiated gender dynamics can be observed<\/strong>: on average, young women are less exposed to political or technical content and more receptive to narrative, participatory, and cultural formats.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group h-100 backgroundedBlock backgroundedBlock--purple has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>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\u201330) 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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group h-100 backgroundedBlock backgroundedBlock--green has-global-padding is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Testimonial<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe 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 \u2018for\u2019 our target audiences, but \u2018with\u2019 them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-right has-small-font-size\"><em>Participant in the co-construction workshop in Lom\u00e9, Togo. June 2025<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In 2026,<\/strong> <strong>M\u00e9diaOS will enter a fully operational and collaborative phase<\/strong>. Partner editorial teams will benefit from ongoing coaching, both in the field and remotely, supplemented by joint training courses in each country to strengthen their editorial, technical, and organizational skills in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consultation workshops with youth organizations will identify their priority concerns and mobilize relevant experts and stakeholders in order to anchor the content in local realities. The project will also support <strong>media literacy initiatives aimed at young people<\/strong>, to develop their critical thinking and communication skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, <strong>co-productions between radio stations in Benin, Chad, and Togo<\/strong> will stimulate creativity, promote regional exchanges, and generate ambitious content designed by and for young people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information about our activities in Benin, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/en\/our-work\/projects\/geographic\/africa\/benin\">consult the dedicated page.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information about our activities in Chad, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/en\/our-work\/projects\/geographic\/africa\/chad\">consult the dedicated page.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>M\u00e9diAOS (2024\u20132028) 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 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":0,"parent":14244,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-24522","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-20 20:52:39","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"translation_priority","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24522"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24522\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25200,"href":"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/24522\/revisions\/25200"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/14244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hirondelle.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}