January 2020 marked eight years since a violent conflict broke out in the west African nation of Mali, between the government and several insurgent groups in the north, throwing the country into a spiral of seemingly never-ending violence. Though a peace agreement was signed in 2015, conflict in one shape or another has persisted, with …
In this post, Azahra WIt Ichrache—a 30-year-old mother living in the village of Boya, in northern Mali—shares the story of her son’s recovery from malnutrition, and how International Medical Corps doctors and nurses helped her at the Rharous Health Center in October 2018. “I am married and the mother of three children. In October 2018, …
A group of mothers in northern Mali have developed an invaluable skill: the power and knowledge to screen and detect early signs of malnutrition. Utilizing their unique standing in the community and armed with a color-coded paper band, they are determined to win the fight against malnutrition. Mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) is a fast and …
Despite enormous humanitarian needs, Mali’s northern region remains in the periphery of most people’s attention. In spite of devoted efforts by local government, supported by regional and international missions, violence and instability persist in northern Mali and vulnerable community members are badly affected. The conflict together with several years of drought has sparked a silent …
Timbuktu, a city in Mali’s northern region, was once a distinguished centre for Islamic scholarship. In the 13th – 16th centuries, the country enjoyed political stability and was the epicentre of Islamic study with scholars from all over the Muslim world visiting it. Today, Mali is a country in crisis. After a coup and clashes …
The call came in just after 5 pm: a 30-year-old man in Sélingué, a town in southern Mali not far from the Guinean border, was sick. His symptoms were frighteningly similar to Ebola—high fever and bloody vomit and diarrhea. When he sought care at a local health facility, the clinic staff called International Medical Corps’ …
Aguissa was my best friend. Starting out as neighbors, we soon became far more than that with Aguisssa spending most of her time around my house because her husband was often away travelling. She could always make me laugh and I was pleased for her when she told me she was pregnant for the first …
International Medical Corps is deploying an Emergency Response Team (ERT) to Mali where the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported three deaths attributed to Ebola. Consisting of medical personnel and experts in water, sanitation, hygiene and logistics, the ERT will work rapidly to establish an Ebola Treatment Unit (ETU) to contain the spread of the …
“Without art, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable.” -George Bernard Shaw In January 2013, Mali made headlines when rebel armed forces from the north began moving south, triggering French military intervention. Nearly a year later, over 300,000 Malians remain internally displaced from the conflict, with an estimated 4.2 million in need of …