Teen Peer Education in Mali

A month and a half since the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Mali, there are now 730 cases and 40 deaths in the country. COVID-19 has impacted life across the globe, from metropolitan cities to rural areas. As communities shut down to prevent the spread of this lethal virus, schools across the world have closed and education has suffered, particularly for those whom remote learning is not an option. 

In Mali, all schools closed in March in favor of pupils staying at home with families. While this measure may be necessary to prevent further spread of COVID-19, many students may never return to school, especially girls. 

The Teen Peer Education program at Hope Center Clinic continues to operate during these times and is more critical than ever in providing education to teenagers when they may not be able to learn in the classroom. In April, 100 adolescent girls and boys attended the program. 

GAIA VF is working to implement telemedicine at Hope Center Clinic which would keep patients out of the clinic while maintaining communication with their doctors. If funding for telemedicine and expanded internet bandwidth becomes available, the Teen Peer Education would be able to move online by providing phone cards to teens to be able to “Zoom” into these weekly sessions and participate remotely. A donation to GAIA VF through GlobalGiving can help make e-learning a reality for Malian teenagers. 

Thank you for your support to GAIA VF!

As 2020 begins, Mali continues to face insecurity that threatens the safety, wellbeing and education of children and adolescents. 

A 2019 report by UNICEF describes the situation in Mali. “ Over 451,000 children require emergency education support across the country, with 920 schools closed, including 598 in Mopti region. Mali is also vulnerable to climate change and prone to natural disasters such as flooding and droughts.”

Many children, especially those displaced by the security crisis in the north lack adequate access to food. UNICEF estimates 190,000 children to be at risk of severe acute malnutrition.

The attacks have been located in northern Mali, but the region around Bamako remains stable. However, many displaced by the conflict have fled to Bamako and the surrounding suburbs. From January - April 2019, more than 87,000 Malians fled their homes according to the Norweigian Refugee Council. 

Many displaced children have been forced away from their schools. The Teen Peer HIV Education program holds classes every week for teenagers to learn about HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and other topics related to reproductive health. These free classes are especially important for those displaced by conflict who may be unable to attend school. 

In 2019, over 1,300 teenagers attended Hope Center Clinic’s Teen Peer HIV Education programs and GAIA Vaccine Foundation aims to increase participation in 2020. A donation of just $15 provides enough food for an entire class of students.

Thank you for your support to GAIA Vaccine Foundation!

Links:

• http://www.gaiavaccine.org/