Mali

From Cairo to Dakar: Population Dynamics in Mali

November 2011 by Sara Pacqué-Margolis
TAGS: Family Planning, Gender, Mali, Reproductive Health

This post was originally published on the IntraHealth International blog.

Twenty yeSara Pacqué-Margolisars ago I arrived in Bamako, Mali, and discovered a capital city settling into relative calm following a military-led coup. My first images of Bamako were of cows, cars, and citizens grazing, grinding gears, and gridlocked on Bamako’s main artery through town—the Route de Koulikoro. 

One did not have to travel far on this road to experience the full spectrum of Malian culture and economy. Brand-new, shiny Land Rovers shared the road with bush taxis, mopeds, bikes, an occasional chicken, and many, many pairs of shuffling feet. Read more »

Discrimination in Law: Putting Female Health Workers at Risk

June 2011 by Max Seunik
TAGS: Gender, Health Systems Strengthening, Health Workers, Mali, Training

Max SeunikThe temperature is stifling, red-tinged dust seems to coat every surface, and the whir of many fans fills the air with a rhythmic pulsing. I am seated on a bench in a small community center in Kati, Mali, observing a training meeting for all of the relais (health care volunteers) from the surrounding villages, sponsored by CapacityPlus.

The room is packed with women wearing bright and colourful boubous. Some are cradling babies, others are scribbling down notes—but they are all intensely attentive.

Relais are the backbone of Mali’s healthcare system. They are most important in remote underserved villages that lack health infrastructure, where they provide advice on prenatal and postnatal care. The training session focused on a picture book developed by the Malian government and a host of NGO partners.

The innovative guide has everything from images of a woman dragging her daughter to be excised under the word “NON” in a bold red to an illustration of a couple and their baby sleeping under a mosquito net. Read more »

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