The situation in these regions is critical and humanitarian aid is still very limited
Since the start of the conflict in Mali, the population in the North of the country has been in a desperate situation, as humanitarian aid is still very limited in this region. There is no administration, nor public service, and medical centres as well as schools have been sacked and partially destroyed. Markets are working at a slow pace and economic activity is stalling. ACTED is one of the few organisations present in the region, and carries out food distributions to tackle alarming food insecurity problems for the most vulnerable families.
While many people have fled North Mali to take refuge in the Southern parts of the country or neighboring countries, others have stayed by choice but more often by lack of means or other alternatives. In the Menaka Circle, located in the Gao region in the Northeastern part of the country, families that have stayed behind have suffered from violence occurring between different armed forces in the region. Thousands of displaced people have also come to take refuge in the towns of Menaka and Anderamboukane, where local communities have shown great solidarity. But resources that have been scarce for many months of conflict are becoming nearly depleted, rendering the overall living situation very precarious.
Nowadays, economic activity is still at a standstill
Markets are not well supplied, due to the unstable security situation in the region and the transporters who are less willing to take the risk of traveling. Household food stocks are slowly dwindling, making them more and more dependant from markets, where prices are skyrocketing. Many farmers have not been able to grow their crops or have lost their livestock, and have therefore lost their main sources of income and food supplies. The poorer households have become very fragile and cannot cover their basic nutrition needs. The risks of a rapid deterioration of food security are alarming.
Distribution of food supplies
To tackle this dire situation, ACTED is distributing food supplies in Menaka and Anderamboukane with the help of the World Food Programme (WFP). This immediate assistance programme helped meet the vital needs of 25,000 displaced persons and local families. Beyond this emergency aid programme, it is essential to help local families hosting displaced persons to recover their livelihoods. To this end, there are two crucial elements: supporting agricultural production and livestock farming as well as reviving the local economy. This will be ACTED’s leitmotiv for the coming months in Mali.