You enlighten us on how to take care of ourselves and safeguard our lives.
Weekly radio show Ya Take Ne Arewa (What鈥檚 Happening up North) aims to improve family health by tackling health issues facing women, families and communities. The programme has been on air for over 10 years and is listened to by 8.6 million people in 15 states.
With a target audience of parents and caregivers, the 30-minute weekly show focuses on topics such as; antenatal care, diarrhoea treatment or birth spacing, exploring them from a number of viewpoints.
Guests include those affected by the topic in question, alongside medical experts, community and religious leaders and government officials.
Listener led
The programme is so popular in northern Nigeria that people have formed their own listening groups in three states to discuss the issues it covers. YTNA has a Facebook page and listeners are also invited to participate via SMS.
One listener took the opportunity to text their appreciation, 鈥�Hakan take. Greetings to producers of YTNA. I wish you all the best because you enlighten us on how to take care of ourselves and safeguard our lives.鈥�
The producers use input from listeners to help determine the topics covered in future programmes and to identify potential guests.
The pre-recorded show is broadcast on 38 radio stations in northern Nigeria and one station in Lagos. Listening groups, for those who lack access to a radio, occur fortnightly in four states.
These groups are led by local facilitators trained by 大象传媒 Media Action to help make a difference in their community.
When Senior Project Manager, Esther Ijeaku, returned to meet the facilitators after their initial training, she already noticed a change.
鈥淭hey are more confident, proactive and motivated to make a difference in their families and communities because of the knowledge and experience they have gained from being part of the listening groups. They are empowered! It鈥檚 not a clich茅, knowledge is indeed power.鈥�
Ya Take Ne Arewa was first broadcast in 2012 and builds on a previous Hausa-language programme called Ya Take Ne, which targeted young Hausa speakers and dealt with HIV- and AIDS-related issues.
Project information
| Funder | USAID |
| Dates | 2009-2017 |
| Themes | Health |
| Outputs | Ya Take Ne Arewa (What鈥檚 Happening up North) |
| Partners | 38 broadcast partners in northern Nigeria and one in Lagos. |
Our projects in Nigeria
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Challenging attitudes on disability: The return of Story Story
Our popular radio drama reflecting the lives of ordinary Nigerians is back on air across sub-Saharan Africa with a new focus 鈥� to transform attitudes around people with disabilities, with storylines, actors and writers that reflect their experiences. -
Inclusive Futures: media for a fairer world
As part of the Inclusive Futures consortium, we鈥檙e working through media to improve knowledge of the rights of people with disabilities, and challenging stigma, discrimination and negative social norms related to people with disabilities. -
Leave no one behind: Improving participation in the 2019 Nigerian Elections
We鈥檙e helping people in Nigeria become more involved in political processes and hold their leaders to account. With an emphasis on reaching young people, women, and people with disabilities, our content aims to ensure traditionally marginalised groups are heard. -
Helping improve child health through radio in Nigeria
Helping families and the wider community make informed decisions about childhood immunisation - with the aim of reducing preventable death and disability. -
Encouraging accountability in Nigeria
大象传媒 Media Action's radio dramas and discussion shows are encouraging political accountability in Nigeria. -
Tackling pneumonia and diarrhoea in Nigeria
A multiplatform media project - running between 2014 and 2016 - aiming to stop two of the biggest killers of children under five in Nigeria. -
Improving family health in northern Nigeria
Weekly radio show Ya Take Ne Arewa (What鈥檚 Happening up North) tackles health issues facing women, families and communities. -
Responding to HIV and AIDS in Nigeria
Between 2009 and 2014 大象传媒 Media Action provided accurate information about HIV and AIDS and tackled stigma through radio shows, short films and training for media professionals.
