Children in Mali are in urgent need of support. They are living in some of the most fragile conditions in the world and face risks from several sources, including civil conflict, climate change and food insecurity.

Orphans in Need provides essential support and care to Malian children, but we need your help as the situation worsens. There are an estimated 5.9 million people in Mali who require humanitarian assistance, many of whom are women and children.

The Result of the Mali Conflict

In 2020, approximately 347,000 Malians were newly displaced as a result of the conflict between warring sides in the north and the south of the country which has been ongoing since 2012. The conflict has forced many families to leave their homes and has left thousands of children orphaned, with nothing but handouts to see them through. Through displacement, many children do not have access to nourishing food.

In addition to the ongoing civil war, Mali is increasingly suffering from unnatural rainfall as a result of climate change which is only adding to the food shortages throughout the country. Over 1.2 million Malians are living in a state of food insecurity caused by conflict and changing climate patterns, with an estimated 670,000 children having been treated for severe malnourishment between 2011 and 2020 alone.

It’s thought upwards of 26% of Malian children are stunted because of chronic malnutrition. Our team works round the clock to provide life-saving food and medical attention to children affected by hunger in Malia, but we rely on your donations so we can continue our essential work.

Food shortages and war are sadly only two of the risks facing Malian children, with lack of education affecting 391,000 children in the central and northern parts of the country. According to UNICEF, two million 5 to 17-year-olds are not in any form of education. The reasons for this include familial poverty resulting in child labour, few schools (especially in rural areas), and ongoing political tension.

Child marriage is common in Mali and this is another reason why a child may be denied an education. On top of this, 70% of girls in Mali are subjected to female genital mutilation, resulting in deadly infections and illness.

Mali’s healthcare system is in a fragile state, with most Malians lacking access to essential medical care. Preventable diseases such as pneumonia, malaria and diarrhoea spread rapidly amongst communities, with infections easily spread through poor sanitation.

Three-quarters of Malians have access to clean water, yet only one third have access to a toilet. Disease is common, and with only 45% of Malian babies vaccinated, that means more than half are vulnerable to entirely preventable infections and illnesses. As a result, only 10% of Mali’s children live to the age of five.

Many Mali families send their children to orphanages for a chance at more stability and safety, but with conflict and food shortages getting worse, many orphanages are overrun and cannot provide children with the support and care they need.

Our Mali Charity Appeal

Orphans in Need works tirelessly with communities to distribute aid provisions, but we also work with local orphanages to help them care for all the children they are responsible for. With your kind donations, we are able to provide food, clothing, medical care and education to children in Mali.

Please help us continue our life-saving aid work in Mali and donate to our orphan appeal today. Just $36 a month will make all the difference to a vulnerable child’s life. Please give what you can.