Mali: report 2007

May 2007: Thursday 3 rd May, arrival time, the vehicle resembles a beehive it is so full of women and children all laughing and arguing. Everyone presents their ticket at the same time, without waiting for their turn, it is a shambles. Once again it is necessary to reinstate discipline in the women. It is impossible to blame them as it is extremely hot with temperatures approaching 50° and basic foodstuffs are in terribly short supply. This leads to a climate of tension and aggression.

The children cope well with the heat and the cartons of milk are here, which is the main thing. How long this will continue, no one knows. There is a general shortage of milk and prices are very high. A carton which cost 24,000 FCFA last year, is now 32,000 FCFA (80 FRS for 24 boxes, which is 3.35 FRS per box). When you consider that the average salary is 35,000 per month and each child needs 4 boxes of milk a month you can see that most large families are unable to afford this 'luxury'.

Malnourished children continue to arrive, some very close to being emaciated. Sudden weaning is very often the cause of this. Luckily the WFP reassures us that there will be no problems with future supplies.

Thanks to the AAG, Sophie and her team, the CSCOM has become the UREN (Nutritional Recovery Unit) which is linked to the Health Centre. This is proof that our work is needed, useful and, above all, recognised.

June 2007: The price of milk rises again to a new high of 36,000 FCFA. During the distribution the atmosphere is very tense and we explain to the women that they must respect and co-operate with us in the interests of the children. They understand that we are not obliged to do this work and the programme could stop at any moment.

Many thanks to our visiting Italian friends who were impressed with the services we offer and kindly donated many welcome things; pasta, tomato sauce, biscuits, sweets, baby weighing scales, nappies, books, pens, a box of vitamins for children and antibiotics. Euro 300 was also given to Sophie to help with the purchase of an air conditioning unit for the room which houses the undernourished children.

It is now the rainy season. As a preventive measure the CSCOM receives 1,672 impregnated mosquito nets to donate to families to protect them from mosquitoes. This is a government effort which we applaud.

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"My name is Moussa and I am approximately 5 months old. I was abandoned but found by a young man who gave me to his mother to look after. She is a kind, gentle woman who wants to help me but is very poor and has no income. I was admitted to the centre less than a week ago with moderate malnutrition but am gaining strength under the guidance of Sophie and her care team. It is so hot that I am under a tree in the courtyard. I am recovering and regaining my zest for life. Tomorrow I will leave the centre but will return for check-ups".

Twins in a state of moderate to severe malnutrition under the nutritional programme. Their mother has a breast abscess and is unable to feed them at the moment.


Aliou, 1 month old has lost her mother due to eclampsia. We are teaching her aunt to feed and care for her.