Family Empowerment Media – On Air and About to Launch our RCT

Family Empowerment Media is an evidence-based nonprofit whose mission is to reduce unintended pregnancies and the maternal and child mortality and morbidity they can cause. We do this by enabling informed family planning decisions through clear, engaging, and accurate radio-based communication.

Our work is estimated to generate a Couple-Year of Protection (one year of contraceptive protection) for 7 USD, compared with GiveWell’s best-guess benchmark of 20 USD per CYP. Our model of reach and cost-effectiveness was independently validated by Rethink Priorities. 

Updates

• Our campaigns are on air in Kaduna, Nigeria, and Niger. We conducted formative research to produce a campaign in Benin (campaign production is next). Read more about current and upcoming campaigns in our latest blog. 
• Our RCT is launching. Baseline data collection for a randomised controlled trial begins this month for two-year campaigns across 11-13 states in Nigeria,. The first wave of the campaign will launch to 14.9 million potential listeners on Dec 1.
• Support Our Work. We’re currently fundraising to launch content production in Togo and for our RCT in Nigeria. 

Some Updates from Family Empowerment Media 

• Kaduna, Nigeria: We’re on air, reaching ~500,000 potential listeners with life-saving family planning content
• Niger: After conducting audience research with ~1,000 potential listeners, we’re airing on 22 stations reaching ~444,040 potential listeners across three regions
• Benin and Togo: We completed successful proofs of concept, FEM’s first radio broadcasts in both countries. In Benin, we received IRB approval for audience research and conducted data collection. 

We’re currently fundraising to deliver campaigns in Nigeria and Togo, conduct an additional proof of concept in 2026, and strengthen the evidence needed for future scale. 

You can read more updates in our latest blog post.

Thanks, Esben! We appreciate the support. 

Thank you for the support!

Thanks so much! 

There have been some government programmes raising awareness about reproductive health and contraception. They have been limited due to fund limitations. There has been no precedent of the government of Nigeria taking over NGO high-intensity media campaigns as far as we are aware, and we expect to be a good partner for the government even at scale. 
 

The independent survey was done by PMA Data, here's a link.