Mali: report 2008
April 2008 : The economic situation has worsened and the average Malian is becoming increasingly concerned for the future. There are strikes and demonstrations in some neighbouring countries. The region around Gao is becoming more insecure and the atmosphere in the north of the country remains very tense.
Prices for basic foodstuffs have soared with the price of fish doubling and that of rice tripling within the space of one month. The price of milk, however, is largely unchanged as demand for it has dropped as people's incomes are needed to buy more basic foods.
As a result, the World Food Programme (WFP) is also finding it very difficult to maintain it's stocks of goods needed to treat malnutrition. The threat of famine, widely reported by the media, hangs over Gao.
Luckily, thanks to Sophie's hard work and skill at maintaining stock levels, our orphans are somewhat protected but it is impossible to say for how long.
May - June 2008 : Good news for the AAG and the people of the Gao region, UNICEF has agreed to provide financing for the work of the 17 community health centers not currently supported by the World Food Programme (WFP), which has agreed to provide supplies. Sophie, on behalf of the AAG, will be responsible for overseeing malnutrition work, she will plan and evaluate the work of health centres as far away as the border with Niger . These centres are many kilometres away and often very dangerous to reach. In most of them the staff lack motivation and do not fully understand how to apply the national protocols.
There is still a long way to go to make people realise the importance of this programme. However, we remain optimistic despite the ever worsening economic situation.
Following a full evaluation, it has been decided that the community health centre at Boya will be renovated by local staff and re-equiped using material sent from Switzerland in our container.
The end of May saw a large fire in the market at Gao, all the stalls went up in smoke. It is principally women who own these stalls and they have lost everything.
In conclusion, the orphans are doing well and the malnourished children are recovering quickly. Even the most extreme cases are becoming happy, round infants, to the joy of their relatives and the whole care team.
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Ousmane (kwashiorkor) on arrival at the centre
Ousmane has now recovered
Below : Rabiétou, before and after
