"The hunger that threatened my children is no more"

Mali agricultural campaign have been severally affected due to the lack to sufficient rains in last two years. As a consequence, many families in circle of Djenne (Mopti region) are facing food insecurity that persists in the area. This situation has a negative effect on the lives of families and communities, provoking severe malnutrition among children under five, rural exodus of young people, and increases the frustration of the heads of families, who can’t provide the basic for their households.

To support these families, World Vision Mali has established a partnership in March 2018 with the World Food Programme (WFP). The partnership has already brought food assistance to nearly 11,000 vulnerable persons (1086 households) in Mopti and approximately 2000 persons (330 households) in Senossa Village.

Kadia Sow, a mother of five boys confirms that without the distribution of food more men would have departed to the city to find work and that if would have been difficult her to provide food for her family. “I know people who have already died,” she shares. “. To be honest I used to suffer watching my children be hungery, and my husband seem so helpless, " Says Kadia holding one of her children.

Today Kadia is unable to do any housework or physical work as she is recovering from a Cesarean section. Her husband, a farmer suffering from the scarcity of rain, feels the pressure of providing to his family. 

"Before the food distribution, we did not have enough to eat, because the harvest was rarely successful in our area. The family ate once a day, but today and thanks to your institution, we eat until we are full. The children are happier, the quarrels between me and my husband are less, and the exodus of men to the city is controlled" Says Kadia.

Kadia’s family now enjoys a well-balanced diet and according to her children, they have discovered new foods such as powder milk and pasta. " On the day of the distribution, the children put their hands in the milk powder to find out what it was and they had pasta for the first time in their lives, " Says Kadia with a contagious smile.

In the past and with the exception for my little one, all my children were malnourished to the point that their bodies become very dry and you could see their bones. The malnutrition that threatened my children has run away and they are rarely ill. " adds Kadia,

Kadia’s eldest son has told her that he goes to school because he wants to study to fight against hunger in the village. He also encourages his little brothers to study too.