January 2014: The occupation of northern Mali changed the lives of all those who lived under its militant rule, but children were the most vulnerable.
In Timbuktu, Plan Mali has created child-friendly spaces where children can safely play, dance and learn within a supervised space to help them recover from the conflict.
"We play to forget war," says Fatouma, a 10-year-old participant at one of the child-friendly spaces. "It has made me very happy. If you play, you forget."
To help children reclaim their right to education and a normal life, Plan's Water, Hygiene and Sanitation (WASH) programme is working to improve the facilities in 31 schools in and around Timbuktu.
From infrastructure projects and child-friendly spaces to early learning programmes, schools are at the epicentre of Plan Mali's emergency response strategy.
Find out more about Plan's work in Mali
Read about Plan's global emergencies work
