Mali: report 2010
January 2010: On the first Thursday of the month, we receive a visit from the newspaper ‘Graine d’Espoir’ (Seed of Hope) who want to write an article about our activities. All the children are there with the exception of a few who are harvesting rice at the river. Due to the very low rainfall the river water is very low.
At the Nutritional Recovery Unit it is also calm. We are worried that the rice harvest is keeping children away.
The security situation continues to be dangerous with several abductions. To take their minds off the situation and avoid the general depression affecting people in Gao, Sophie and her team throw themselves into their work.
We are very saddened to learn of the arson attack on the Bamako children’s nursery.
February – March 2010 : Sophie is greeted with great warmth by the heads of the Community Health Centres that she covers. She has been unable to visit them for 4 months and they ask her not to abandon them.
The perilous shortage of food has worsened. We have noticed an increase in the number of malnourished children in our centres and our food stocks are running low. We have therefore asked for help from the WFP.
The unusually early receding of the river waters has led to drought which threatens thousands of men, women and children. Livestock is dying due to a lack of adequate pasture.
January passed without the habitual dusty winds but they have now started. One day of freshness is followed be the next of heat. We are advising adults on the necessity of covering children and protecting them from the low temperatures.
The weekly milk distributions are being conducted in an atmosphere of calm. The children are all there every Thursday with their hands extended in greeting. Several of them bring us gifts of eggs or rice, both precious items in these difficult times.
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Aïssa 30 months old, 6kg
Aïssa after 11 days of treatment
