NRC in Mali

 
NRC's operation

We strive to provide lifesaving short-term and long-term aid to displaced people in Mali, as well as the most vulnerable among those who remain.
We advocate for the international community to increase engagement in Mali, focusing not only on security, but also on humanitarian access and the needs of those affected by displacement.

Education

 
In 2020, more than 1,344 schools shut down and over 403,200 children were deprived of their education in Mali. We work together with local communities, parents and education authorities to provide quality education to children and youth affected by displacement and conflict. Our education teams:

• provide catch-up classes for out-of-school children, giving them an opportunity to jump back into the formal education system
• support community-based learning in areas where no schools are functional
• provide vocational training for vulnerable youth, so that they can earn a living
• support the formal education system through teacher training and distribution of school materials
   

Information, counselling and legal assistance (ICLA)

 
We provide legal assistance to conflict-affected people through our services in central and northern Mali. By using mobile teams, we also extend our assistance beyond these areas. We:

• help people to acquire civil documentation, such as identity cards and birth certificates, so that adults can access basic services, and children can be enrolled in schools
• give training to local authorities on the needs and rights of internally displaced people
• help internally displaced people and returnees to access their land and property rights by assisting those who have lost their documentation or whose claims to land are contested
   

Livelihoods and food security

 
In the regions most affected by displacement and food insecurity, our teams:

• build stores in vulnerable communities and supply them with grain
• help people earn a living and rebuild their future through income-generating opportunities like community gardens, village savings and loan associations
   

Shelter and settlements

 
Our shelter teams:

• provide emergency assistance to people affected by displacement by handing out essential household items like blankets, mosquito nets, kitchen sets, clothes and soap

Our shelter activities also go hand in hand with our education activities. We:

• construct and rehabilitate schools, classrooms and latrines in areas where we have education activities to make sure that children have a friendly and safe learning environment
         

Humanitarian mediation and protection

Conflicts between communities have contributed to the humanitarian crisis in Mali. These conflicts generally stem from small disputes related to land ownership and the sharing of natural resources that have become scarce because of the climatic effects and conflicts limiting the movement of populations in remote areas.

Our humanitarian mediation teams:

• prevent and resolve conflicts between communities through a neutral restoration of communication between the parties to a conflict
• hold regular training sessions for local actors involved in conflict resolution
• ensure regular monitoring of the implementation of action plans drawn up by the parties to a conflict following mediation

All these activities, among others, are carried out in order to strengthen the protection of civilians in Mali.

Rapid response mechanism (RRM)

Through RRM, NRC addresses the urgent needs of populations affected by sudden shocks, such as displacement due to violence. Following a multisector rapid assessment to identify the needs, NRC distributes immediate relief assistance before regular humanitarian programming takes on the next steps.