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Mali

In Mali, HI runs projects to help strengthen the resilience of populations affected by conflicts, to promote and support sustainable and inclusive development and to support inclusive education initiatives.

Children in an inclusive school - HI Mali

Actions in process

In a very worrying security context, HI supports victims of the conflict and defends the rights to health, education and vocational inclusion of people with disabilities.

The programme is currently implementing both humanitarian and development activities in the regions of Sikasso, Bamako, Mopti, Timbuktu and Gao. These activities are wide-ranging, and include functional and physical rehabilitation, mental health and psychosocial support, education on the risks of explosive devices and assistance to the victims of armed conflict.

The programme further supports the improvement of health centres and care provision for pregnant women, with a view to making these services accessible to all. HI’s teams also work with young children with multiple disabilities and malnutrition, providing them with comprehensive care and helping communities to set up stimulation activities.

To enable all children to have access to education, HI is strengthening the capacities and providing training to education staff to help them include children with disabilities in their classrooms, as well as carrying out awareness-raising activities in communities and supporting building transformation projects. HI is also working to develop vocational inclusion for young people and supporting microfinance projects.

In addition, through the support of community projects and prevention actions, HI’s programme in Mali is seeking to strengthen the resilience of communities in the regions of Ségou, Koulikoro and Mopti to the risks of food insecurity and to ensure greater protection for women and girls in particular.

 

Situation of the country

In recent years, Mali has been affected by droughts, political crises and armed conflict, which have led to massive population displacements and weakened its institutions.

In January 2012, the country was plunged into an armed conflict that led to the proliferation of small arms and explosive remnants of war in populated areas. The Algiers Agreement signed in June 2015 was intended to restore peace and security to North Mali. The agreement provides for the disarmament of armed groups and greater powers for the regions. Since the beginning of 2018, however, central Mali has been the theatre of armed conflict between radical groups. Since 2020, the peace agreement has been challenged by a part of Malian public opinion. Strong opposition to its application regularly causes tension between the various parties. 

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, combined with a coup d’état in August 2020 and the economic and banking sanctions imposed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) during the first half of 2022, the country has gone from strong economic growth to a period of recession. Poverty is wides-spread and the unemployment rate is high.

People with disabilities are excluded and often victims of discrimination or prejudice. They have little or no access to health care, education, social services or employment.

Number of HI staff members: 176

Date programme opened: 1993

 
Map of HI's interventions in Mali

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© S. Rieussec / HI