Vaccinate Children and Prevent NINE Diseases

Mali continues to face tremendous challenges due to wide spread poverty, instability and conflict.  Our motivation is grounded in the belief that building “human capital”—the potential of individuals—is the most important long term investment we can make for the villagers’ future prosperity and quality of life. 

Families, villagers and the communities we serve have many health risks.  Not all of them have access to clean water and electricity.  Many children die from simple causes such as diarrhea, measles and pneumonia.  Having accessibility to vaccinations and proper health care training can change everything for a young child.   The Alliance provides vaccinations for nine life threatening illnesses to children under the age of five and to expectant mothers.  Women wait for long hours and sometimes even days to make sure their children are vaccinated.  The Alliance partners with the local government to provide nine vaccinations which include: polio, yellow fever, measles, tuberculosis, diphtheria, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, the flu, and tetanus. 

The Alliance also provides health training through Health Matrons & Agents  in Ouelessebougou and its surrounding 24 villages.  Education about disease prevention is key to enhancing the quality of life.  One of our Health Matrons stated, “Since the village of Farani started receiving vaccinations they have only had one infant death in several years.”          

Last year, 48 village Health Matrons and apprentices received training.  Twenty out 25 villages have active Village Health councils.  Last year 12,952 children 0-5 were vaccinated and 2,619 expectant mothers received maternal immunizations which is an increase of 83% from 2017/2018.  Vaccinations continue to save live in Ouelessebougou and give villagers hope for a healthier future for their children.  Thank you for your donation to our vaccination program, it makes a direct impact in the lives of many families in Ouelessebougou. 

Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world. The government is unable to provide vaccinations to all its children and infants, particularly in rural areas of Ouelessebougou. The Alliance provides vaccinations for children and infants in its partner’s villages to save life of thousands of children and pregnant women each year. In rural areas, some children still die before their fifth birthday celebration because of the preventive diseases, including measles, polio, yellow fever, tuberculosis, tetanus, diphtheria, hepatitis A and the flu. The Alliance vaccinates pregnant women in the Ouelessebougou region, which save mothers and babies’ lives.

What makes Ouelessebougou Alliance’s vaccination program in our villages is our Health Agents and Matrons. They know everybody in their villages including pregnant women, infants, and children, and are the main actors during vaccination period. They organize vaccinations with the Alliance staff and make sure children, infants and pregnant woman receive the vaccinations they need to prevent them from preventable diseases. Since they come from the same village, our Health Agents and Matrons know where to find those who do not show up for their vaccinations. The Alliance goal is for nobody to be left behind during the vaccination campaigns. These Health Agents have a strong relationship with their people, and villagers trust them because they are part of their communities and they are excited to serve.

The Alliance vaccination program helps villagers to save time and money. They do not need to worry about rides to reach the nearest clinics or walk several miles to see local doctors. Additionally, villagers have limited of the income sources, and most of them live on less than a $1 per day, which is the extreme poverty line. When their children do not get vaccinated, they get sick. As a result, they have to sell their family crops to pay for medical bills, which cause famine, malnutrition, and extreme poverty in their families. The Alliance vaccination programs enables villagers to save money for their children’s schooling, clothes, and food.

Our vaccination program is making a huge difference in our villages. It has an impact on children and women health in the Ouelessebougou region. Several women told me this in their villages: “because of the Alliance vaccinations, our babies and children death is reducing and we are saving money. Children and pregnant women who are vaccinated are healthier than those who are not vaccinated. Vaccinated children do not get sick much and do not miss classes because of illnesses, and they are physically strong. We would like other organizations in our villages to look at the Alliance work as an example of effective program which is saving lives every day.”

The Alliance vaccination is the best way to save children lives in rural areas, alleviate poverty, and give hope to healthy future generations. Thank you for your donation to our vaccination program. You are blessing the lives of many families in Ouelessebougou.