Mali: report 2009
April 2009 : The temperature has been rising continuously for several weeks now and we are all beginning to feel the pressure of it. This year the heat has come too quickly and we are concerned for the months to come. Animals are losing weight, family reserves are being depleted and Sophie reports that the feeding areas for animals are drying up.
It is also the season of winds, often violent, which raise dust, causing allergies, pulmonary infections and conjunctivitis.
Everyone is very anxious for the rains to begin. Despite this, overall the children are doing well.
Throughout the Community Health Centres there has been a reduction in the number of cases of infant malnutrition since February. We see this as a hopeful sign. Mohamed will continue to support the centres around Ménaka two weeks every month.
May 2009 : Our contract with UNICEF, which expired on 30th April, has been renewed for another year. It has been extended to cover costs for; pregnant and breastfeeding, malnourished women; the CSREF hospital unit at Ménaka for malnourished children; and training and retraining sessions on malnutrition including essential actions necessary for nutrition to reinforce the capacities of health workers. As a result of the work of Sophie and her team we can see the plague of malnutrition slowly start to recede.
There are no major concerns about the children but times are hard so we encourage the women to supplement their diets with rice, millet and sugar. The rice and millet are less popular but the sugar puts a smile on their faces and makes their eyes shine. We take advantage of a lull at the Nutritional Recovery Unit to distribute clothes and shoes. It’s a pleasure to see the joy on the faces of the children.
June 2009 : The calm period was short lived. The nutrition unit is full with 9 children, among whom there are 3 pairs of twins. Each time one child recovers, another is admitted. All of them have painful histories, like Alhousna, a little girl of 5 years old. Her mother died when she was a baby and she has since been raised by her paternal grandmother who has neglected her badly. Finally her maternal grandmother brought her to us. The child was in a pitiful state, unable to talk, alone with her misery. She received extensive treatment and after a month with Sophie she was finally able to talk and smile. Now, Alhousna is fully recovered and able to return to her family. We will ensure that she is placed in the care of her maternal grandmother. The joy on her face is a true gift to us all.
A new mayor has been elected, he is a good friend of ours and works very closely with the whole population. We are very happy to be able to work with him for the benefit of the children.
In Gao, cleanup work has started. Gutters have been unblocked and the piles of rubbish removed. At last we have a clean town.
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Daouda, a little boy who has recently recovered
Distribution of clothes
Alhousna, before and after
