Help Build a Future for IDP Women & Children

As part of the ATEG program to limit the spread of Covid-19 among the street children of Bamako, Mali, we donated 33 portable hand wash stations. We distributed them to schools, facilities that shelter abandoned children, and IDP Camps. During this process, the Falhadie IDP Camp reached out to us seeking help with severe food insecurity at their camp.

The Falhadie Camp is home to 1,000 IDPs who fled the violence in Northern and Central Mali.  Over half of them are children. They are living under the most deplorable conditions. The site was built on an active garbage dump, next to the livestock market. The small from the market is horrible and the garbage at the dump is always being burned in an attempt to create more space. The fumes from the burning garbage are toxic, causing many in the community to suffer from upper respiratory illness. To add to their suffering, the government has no social safety net, and they have no reliable source for food.

In response to their outreach, ATEG has formed a team of agricultural and livestock experts, including some of the world’s greatest authorities on the subject of food insecurity. We initiated our intervention by ensuring we had community buy-in. We ran a series of gender specific Focus Groups. There were groups were participation was limited to only women, others for men only, and some were mixed groups. We are analyzing the data from this input and will be developing a plan. The community understands that aid is not a permanent answer, and their long term survival is dependent on them achieving a sustainable solution. Together we will work towards establishing food security and economic independence through community led programs for agricultural and livestock. We are also exploring the possibility of relocating the community to a more environmentally friendly site.