When armed men attacked their village, Ramata and her four children had to flee for their lives. They reached safety and found a school to shelter in, but food and water were in dangerously short supply.
Fortified flour and hope: responding to urgent needs in Mali
Longstanding violence and insecurity in Mali continue to affect communities. More and more are being displaced as a result of conflict, with hundreds of thousands of people affected.
The village of Nerekoro is one such community. Unidentified armed men carried out an attack on the village, forcing the population to flee towards Madiama, in the Mopti region of central Mali. They made the trip on foot and had no time to gather any possessions. Many of the villagers were frightened and spoke of their painful ordeal.
Longstanding violence and insecurity in Mali continue to affect communities. More and more are being displaced as a result of conflict, with hundreds of thousands of people affected.
The village of Nerekoro is one such community. Unidentified armed men carried out an attack on the village, forcing the population to flee towards Madiama, in the Mopti region of central Mali. They made the trip on foot and had no time to gather any possessions. Many of the villagers were frightened and spoke of their painful ordeal.
We lacked everything – blankets, clothes, food, and so onRamata, mother of four
When they reached Madiama, the villagers had no option but to seek shelter in schools. Here they lived without adequate facilities in overcrowded classrooms. Men, women and children were housed in the same rooms.
Living in classrooms
Ramata was among those forced to flee Nerekoro. She describes what she found when she arrived in Madiama.
“I was in a very difficult situation. I was living in a classroom with several other families. We lacked everything – blankets, clothes, food, and so on,” she says.
“My child was constantly suffering from diarrhoea and sickness. We even spent the winter in the classrooms before leaving when the new school year started.”
Only one water pump was available in the school and it was not enough to supply everyone with water. The less fortunate had to make do with water from the well, leaving them vulnerable to disease and infection.
To make matters worse, the displaced population had no means of buying food. Children and adults were not getting enough to eat. “We could barely eat. The host community often served us meals that we shared,” recalls Ramata.
Emergency assistance
Help was at hand. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) operates a project in Mali called “Mechanism for rapid response to population movements and strengthening coordination”, funded by the European Union. The aim is to improve the living conditions and protection of people affected by displacement or movement restrictions following a conflict or disaster.
The project provided cash assistance over a three-month period to meet the urgent needs of Ramata and others from Nerokoro. It also supported children aged between six and 24 months with fortified flour containing vitamins and other nutrients. Mothers typically use the flour to make porridge for their children.
The enriched flour has enabled my child to put on weightRamata
“Consumption of the enriched flour has enabled my child to put on weight and grow well. He was very undernourished before. What’s more, I received cash which I used to buy food, a blanket, a mosquito net and many other essential items,” says Ramata.
The assistance brought great comfort to Ramata and her children, as well as many other displaced people from Nerekoro. A total of 41 families – over 100 people in total – received cash to buy food and other essentials. This helped them to integrate more easily into their new host community.
Ramata is willing to go back to her village, but it is not yet possible because of the insecurity. “Up until now, we have not been able to go back home, because the place is not safe. After three months’ assistance, we are in need of more assistance. We need an activity that will help us to make money because we are facing some expenses,” she explains.
Ramata remains hopeful for a better life and to one day return to her village.
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