UPDATES FROM THE MALI HEALTH TEAM 
Improving community awareness and confidence in COVID-19 vaccines with local women-designed technology
As the world has seen and experienced during the pandemic, vaccinating populations requires much more than a vaccine. While the availability of a vaccine is one important component, a variety of factors can influence vaccination rates and coverage. Some, like...
Meet Bintou and her twins
In West Africa, and especially in Mali, it is customary to go door-to-door when multiples (twins, triplets, etc.) are born, collecting support from neighbors. The birth of multiples can be a significant challenge for families with limited resources. Through this porte...
Training and supporting a high-impact team of community health leaders
In January, our community health worker team celebrated another year of not losing a single mother or child in their care. Their achievement is remarkable in any given year, but the disruptions posed by the pandemic makes these past two years particularly...
How women build the support and solidarity they need to stay healthy
For four years, the savings group Belle Dame, or Beautiful Lady, has met every Thursday as a part of Mali Health's women's health financing program. Their story begins with Mme. Koné Djénèba Ballo, the group’s founder and treasurer: Ever since I was a little girl, I...
Come along to a SHARE meeting
It's a Tuesday afternoon and the monthly SHARE group meeting in Sotuba is about to get started. SHARE is our special savings program for pregnant women. At each meeting, women not only save funds for their maternal care and delivery, they also receive maternal health...
Keeping communities informed about COVID-19
Mali Health is dedicated to working with communities to strengthen local health systems, so that all mothers and children can stay healthy and have access to quality care. During the past eight months, we have continued to mobilize communication events and activities...
Access by any other name: Equity and the COVID-19 vaccine
This post was written by Mali Health board member, Lisa Nichols. Lisa has served on the Mali Health board since 2014 and worked in Mali for 15 years. She is a Principal Associate in the International Development Division at Abt Associates Inc. The word “access”...
Meet Haby Koné Kouyaté, midwife at the health center in Boulkassoumbougou
Every year, 5 May is dedicated to one of the most important professions in the world – the midwife. No matter where you live, the work of midwives is at the very heart of a family's health. Their roles are multifaceted and comprehensive, but often underappreciated. No...
Dr. Sogoba serving as a voice for community health at the highest levels
At the end of April, Dr. Sogoba attended a weeklong workshop in Fana. It was the latest meeting for the development of the national plan for the extension of community-based epidemiological surveillance (SEBAC). Dr. Sogoba, the director of our Health Department, is...
How a strong community health system keeps mothers at the heart of primary care
In March, one of our health center partners, CSCOMSEKASI, reported 2 new malnutrition cases. That may not seem like many, but malnutrition is one of the leading causes of preventable deaths among children under age 5 in Mali. One of the areas served by CSCOMSEKASI is...