Mali: report 2009

January -  February  2009  :  The AAG has taken a big step in signing partnerships with UNICEF and the World Food Programme.

The team of six people trained in malnutrition management by Sophie and salaried by the AAG, has been joined by a new logistics administrator, Pierre. During February we will recruit another trainee who, with Badra and Darha will bring the team to ten.

Sophie is still confined to bed for health reasons so the Thursday milk distributions have been moved from the townhall to Sophie’s house so she can oversee health checks on the children.  The cold season has been especially intense this year increasing the need for vigilance following bouts of colds and diarrhea.

The construction of the enclosing wall of our new Reception Centre has begun and should be complete by the end of March.  We are very pleased as, within a few months, we will be laying the first brick of this new building.  Our small charges will then have some shelter from the wind and dust.

March 2009  :  Two weeks early, the perimeter wall is finished.  We are very happy with it.   The colour of the plaster and the molded gates are a great success.  Through the difficult rainy season and until the building is finished, we will undertake the milk distributions in one of the two buildings offered to us by the townhall.

We are currently caring for 161 children; 136 between 12 and 59 months old; 23 babies up to 12 months old; and 2 in the Nutritional Recovery Unit, 5 month old Ibrahim and 23 month old Azahara.

Sophie has restarted her activities and her trips into the countryside as part of the programme to fight against malnutrition.  The contract with UNICEF is being renegotiated.  This should secure the future of the children until the end of 2009.

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