Mali Program

The Mali program is a water, sanitation and hygiene program carried out by an experienced provider (Water Aid) to communities throughout Mali. This is not a program we are going to carry out but shows you an example of the sort of program we might donate to in the future. This is a large scale community Program. We intend to update this program with a currently functioning program later in the year. You can read more about WaterAid here. The aims are to raise £3000 which will partly fund the following program:

  1. Work with local partners to increase access to safe water and reduce incidences of water-bourne diseases for over 17,000 people through construction and rehabilitation of modern water points. In addition, alternative water sources such as rainwater harvesting systems which make water available through the whole year and small dams which replenish water tables will be made available.
  2. Improve access to adequate sanitation. Communities will be encouraged to install simple latrines and will be taught good hygiene practices. Around 44,000 people may be affected.
  3. Eighteen schools will be provided with improved sanitation facilities. This will reach 5,200 children.
  4. There will be training in maintenance of facilities, and training in general to allow people to learn how to construct such facilities.
  5. Influence the local government to spend more money on water and sanitation.

Implementation

Water Aid, a large international charity will be undertaking the Mali program. Water Aid has been in business since 1981, and has since created thousands of water services, sanitation equipment and provided training in maintenance and construction of these systems as well as provided advocacy work to millions of people. Water Aid also empowers the poor to demand their rights to water and have trained staff to appropriate technologies for disabled people.

Example

Here is an example of one of the programs we are supporting in Mali through Water Aid. For more examples, visit this link.

Location: Sanankoro, in the commune of Tianfala

Partner: AMEPPE

Background: Micro dam project
The main sources of income in this village are fishing, farming, trading and cattle raising. Before WaterAid built the micro dam and wells the community struggled to find a reliable source of water and often had to travel 1.5 km to get water from open wells. Two new water points have been constructed and the third is being built.

The micro dam aims to replenish the water table as well as the underground aquifers, while at the same time providing a source of water to allow irrigation of crops. It is easier for us to measure the impact of the micro dam on the water table because measuring any changes in the aquifers is very expensive.

This community decided to grow rice from the water from the micro dam and in the first year the crop yield was very good but this year (2009) they decided to plant rice on both sides of the dam which was a mistake. It meant they had to release the water earlier than expected which meant that when we got there it was dry.