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Make a real difference...
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to communities across Africa.
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Share skills and knowledge...
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and sponsor children...
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...and change lives forever!
As
with so many countries across Africa, independence
from France in 1960 did not bring the long awaited
freedom and chance for self fulfilment, but coups,
rebellions and decades of military dictatorships
until the 'soldier of democracy', Amadou Toumani
Toure, overthrew military chief Moussa Traore and
installed a transitional committee which held
elections seeing Alpha Konare installed as Mali's
first democratically elected president in 1992. This election ushered in a period of relative
political stability for a number of years, however the economy and
infrastructure of the country had been badly
mismanaged for decades so, although the country
opened up to outside trade and investment, life in Mali only slowly began to
change for the better with many of its natural resources underexploited. That progress has again recently stalled.
With a population of 20.25 million (2020), life expectancy in Mali is 59.31 years (2019) and there are 58.923 deaths for every 1000 births which the World Health Organisation in 2019 mainly attributed to unsafe water, sanitation and hygiene. Under 50% of the population is
illiterate (overall 35.47%. Male literacy is 46.18%, female literacy is 25.74%) against a backdrop of Mali being one of the poorest countries in the world ranked in 184th place out of 189 countries and territories in 2019 in terms of life expectancy, literacy, access to knowledge and the living standards of a country. Despite this, Mali is working closely with international organisations and its economy is now growing although 80% of its population rely on
subsistence farming and fishing in a country where 65% of the
land is either desert or semi-desert.
Life in Mali remains tough particularly for its children made worse since 2020 amid ongoing abuses by armed Islamist groups, ethnic militias, and government security forces which saw the recent toppling of the government in a military coup with ethnic self-defence groups, formed to protect villages from attacks, killing hundreds, leading to widespread displacement and hunger. Even before these troubles, school and education was not available for all children, Mali had
thousands of youngsters living on the streets, and there are some
94,000 children orphaned through AIDS alone. In rural areas, where over 80% of the country's population live, the electrification rate is just 15% and, while 80% of Mali's population now has access to improved sources of drinking water, this number drops to 70% in rural areas making treks to water wells part of a daily routine of
struggle. 'A ye wuli! A ye wuli!' is the first thing families in
Mali villages will hear at the dawn of a new day then, after a
few domestic tasks, it's time for morning prayers in this mainly Muslim
country.
After the water has been carried back to a
home made from mud bricks with a thatched grass roof (or a log
roof filled with mud), the preparation of breakfast on an outside
stove fuelled by firewood starts in a compound shared with the
family's animals including goats, sheep and chickens. Then the village children
who actually attend will set off for school, often many miles away in more rural
areas and the man
of the house will go off to work on the land whilst the mother carries out
household chores or makes things that can be sold at market.
Many children, nearly half, also stay away from school to help
with these chores which doesn't help Mali's already poor
literacy levels. Dinner then consists of rice, normally with some sauce, or porridge
made from flour and water. Another trip to the well for water
and the evening is closed with supper. Then it's sleep until the
next cry of 'A ye wuli! A ye wuli!' ~ everyone wake up! The video (below) provide insights into life in Mali for its
children and adult population while the following two article explores life for childrne in Mali in more detail.
Life in Mali: Volunteer in Mali
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Life in Mali: Mali Children
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Life in Mali: Street Children in Mali
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Life in Mali: Child Sponsor Mali
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Life in Mali: Mali Country Profile
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