Flood victims in Mali regain hope

Severe flooding devastated Mali in July and August 2024, damaging health centers, schools, and some 30 roads, bridges, and culverts. For flood-affected households already grappling with a lack of food and access to sanitation, the poor road conditions further threaten their livelihoods.

The figures provided by Colonel Assa Badiallo Touré, Mali’s Minister of Health and Social Development, on the damage caused by the floods are alarming. The minister noted that “During the punishing rains of 2024, there were 729 cases of flooding, 47,306 houses collapsed, 2,915 granaries and warehouses were destroyed, cattle numbering in the several thousands were swept away, and hundreds of thousands of agricultural land were lost, affecting 88,083 households.”

An immediate response at scale

The exceptional scale of the flooding prompted the Malian government to declare a national state of disaster in August 2024. Since then, an action plan estimated at $73 million (CFAF 43 billion) has been implemented to help Mali restore affected urban infrastructure and services in the sanitation, health, transport, education, and agriculture sectors. The plan also covers emergency response capacity building for the Civil Protection Service and the other relevant sectors. One of the most urgent actions is to support the livelihoods of flood victims by providing them with food, school kits, temporary housing, and proper medical treatment with adequate supplies of medicines and vaccines, as well as medical instruments and heavy equipment.

Urgent rehabilitation of destroyed infrastructure

In addition to food distribution, the Contingency Emergency Response Component (CERC) was activated under the Bamako Urban Resilience Project (PRUBA). This component will support the implementation of other components of the action plan, which is expected to last another 14 months. World Bank and government teams are working together to rehabilitate the roads to restore connectivity and mobility throughout the country. The CERC will also rehabilitate health centers and schools and restore access to services. There is also provision for equipment for the government’s disaster response entities and for commissioning studies on improving and rehabilitating vulnerable areas. The goal is to better prepare for future extreme events.

But how can beneficiaries be identified quickly when so many of them are scattered far and wide because of the sheer scale of the damage? Diarra Maimouna Famanta, the Regional Director of Social Development, indicated that a thorough and inclusive census of flood victims had been conducted. Social service workers, neighborhood chiefs, young people, women, and commune-level and traditional authorities worked together, going door to door to conduct headcounts of households.  “This approach helped us obtain accurate data and ensure that aid was more equitably distributed by using the actual number of persons in each household, which sometimes has more than 15 people,” said Ms. Famanta.

Welcome relief and a long-term vision

Ministers, development partners, community leaders, and flood victims attended the official launch ceremony for the Emergency Response component. A number of the beneficiaries shared their experiences at this ceremony. Djeneba Sissoko, a widow and mother of four adult children who lost her home in the floods and now lives in a rented room, is one such beneficiary. “I’m extremely grateful today for the assistance I’ve received, and I truly believe that this support will really make my life easier. It’s been a huge relief.” 

Aminata Diarra, also a widow and mother of six, was unable to enroll her children in school this year because the floods swept away her mint leaf crop. “The support I’ve received has been very helpful. I really appreciate it and would like to thank all the partners, volunteers, and our country,” she said. Ibrahim Bah, an educator and father of seven, suffered extensive damage to his home. He underscored the importance of long-term solutions to improve neighborhood sanitation and prevent future disasters. “We all need to take steps to avoid reliving this tragedy during the next rainy season. I sincerely hope our authorities will take the appropriate action,” he noted. All told, nearly 350,000 beneficiaries will receive food and basic necessities. This is the first step toward regaining hope.