Niger

The Sahel, a complex region with the fastest growing population in the world, struggles with increasing socio-political instability and diverse environmental shocks and stresses, along with resultant high levels of poverty, food insecurity and security threats. Equal Access International (EAI) currently implements the strategic communications component of the Sahel Communication and Collaboration (SCC) project, a USAID-funded $16 million four-year program, which works with the governments of Niger and Burkina Faso to help their citizens adapt to shocks, thereby breaking the cycle of poverty.

Equal Access Increases Resilience in Niger and Burkina Faso with Technology, Media Campaigns

In partnership with Mercy Corps (prime implementer) and Tulane University, and with support from the Center for Democratic Governance in Burkina Faso, SCC uses innovative user-friendly tools to facilitate the collection and transmission of information and learning. This approach facilitates the sharing of tools, lessons, and resources among USAID implementing partners and government partners in Burkina Faso and Niger through digestible and practical use of technology to access and collect information around food security, value chains, agriculture, water security, livestock, gender and youth, conflict and peace, livelihoods, sanitation and nutrition.

Through workshops, mapping, learning and collaboration working groups, knowledge management platforms, and communication campaigns, SCC identifies practices that can improve the livelihoods of vulnerable populations, improve coordination in areas of shared geographic interventions, and provide sustainable and integrated solutions.

SCC also conducts extensive media outreach to build awareness of community-led resilience practices and procedures. For example, its press caravans in Niger work with journalists to understand and share resilience interventions with the public. EAI also assists targeted groups (youth engagement groups, bloggers and radio listening clubs) with production and dissemination of content around USAID interventions, including a podcast that currently has more than 100 episodes.

A midterm evaluation of the SCC project highlighted that 87% of USAID resilience partners now implement collaborative actions as a result of SCC’s efforts. Among them, 51% of partners reported improvements in how local government, nongovernment organizations and communities collaborate to address development priorities and 98% reported that collaboration “adds value” to their work. Approximately 65% of partners reported to have applied knowledge gained through trainings on collaboration, communication, and knowledge management mechanisms to adapt their programs, activities, or practices.

Also, since the project’s launch in 2019, EAI has produced and widely disseminated nearly 200 communication products. Beyond these numbers, EAI engaged directly with communities benefiting from these USAID projects to understand how they have impacted people’s lives and livelihoods. EAI collected inspiring stories of transformation made possible as a result of skills building training, mentorship, and access to resources that empowered women and young people to achieve financial independence and become leaders in their communities.

Projects

The Sahel Collaboration and Communication (SCC) project aims to increase the impact of USAID's work in Niger and Burkina by acting as the convener among implementing partners and sharing best practices in support of effective collaboration.
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Burkina Faso, Niger, Sahel

Sahel Collaboration and Communication

Supporting community leaders by building tech and advocacy skills and amplifying moderate voices through high-impact media programming in Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso, Niger, and Cameroon. 2016-present
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Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Niger, Sahel

Voices for Peace (V4P)

The PDev program, from start to finish, connected people and empowered them to build their own network for peace.
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Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Sahel

Peace Through Development II (PDevII)

Communications are a vital tool in addressing the drivers of violent extremism (VE). EAI delivered a range of communications activities designed to foster stability, resilience, peace, and prosperity in Niger and Chad between 2009-2011.
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Burkina Faso, Niger, Sahel

Peace Through Development I (PDevI)

Striving to achieve greater community resilience, self-sufficiency, accountability, and community health by empowering communities through decentralized authority and deconcentrated resources while increasing public information flow.
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Niger, Sahel

Responsive media development for democracy in Niger

Transforming Extremism in the Sahel

Is it possible for a community to peacefully challenge Boko Haram's decade-long destabilization? Voices for Peace’s (V4P) strategy to address the root causes of vulnerabilities to violent extremism through issue-based programming is working.

Examining social media, smartphone and internet use among youth in these three African nations enabled EAI to work more effectively to bring much-needed information youth.
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Burkina Faso, Chad, Niger, Sahel, Building Peace & Transforming Extremism, Governance & Civic Engagement, Participatory Media & Technology, Research & Learning

Researching the use of new media by youth in Burkina Faso, Chad and Niger

The goal of this listenership study was to measure the size and listening habits of the audience of V4P's 53 priority partner radio stations in Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, Cameroon, and Mali. See below for links to the summary and the full study.
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Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Mali, Niger, Sahel

Voices for Peace: Listenership Study Findings

This valuable resource for communication for development practitioners aims to incite discussions on what it means to deepen communication for action and promote positive social change.
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