Quarterly Report: Integrated Program to Increase Resilience of Vulnerable Populations in Mopti, Gao and Kidal Regions

The program aimed to increase the resilience of vulnerable individuals, households, and communities in the Gao, Mopti, and Kidal regions of Mali through enhanced capabilities and resources. The program had four main objectives: to increase knowledge and awareness on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Child Protection, improve access to psycho-social services, support and advocate for protection and promotion of the rights of children and women; to increase access to basic water and sanitation facilities, promote awareness to control and prevent WASH-related diseases, and promote resilience for future shocks; to increase awareness, knowledge, create behavior change, and advocate on nutrition issues for communities and authorities; and to enhance women's livelihoods through a pilot program of direct support using VSLA methodology and business skills. The program reached a total of 9,597 beneficiaries through its Child Protection, GBV, Nutrition, and WASH programs. The Child Protection team set up five children's centers during the quarter and identified 112 cases, 92 of which already had a case management plan and had received at least one visit. The GBV team celebrated the '16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence' and organized discussion groups, radio broadcasts, and workshops in Menaka, Touloupe, and Bamako. The program also implemented various activities to increase awareness and knowledge on GBV and Child Protection, including training sessions for administrative authorities, health structures, teachers, women's associations, protection committees, and children's governments. The training enabled participants to understand the different notions of child abuse and the importance of their participation in the protection of children in their communities. In addition, the program established children's clubs and child protection committees in Ansongo, which played an important role in psychosocial activities and facilitated the mobilization of other children in the participation of various activities. The referral system was set up in the intervention sites, but its proper functioning and use remained a challenge. The Protection Cluster, Sub Clusters, and technical working groups continued to advocate to ensure that the various organizations coordinated their work to exchange information and facilitate a holistic response for different beneficiaries. The program also implemented psychosocial activities in Mopti, Ansongo, Kidal, and Menaka, which included creative and recreational activities to help children express themselves in places where they felt safe. A study of the level of the children's resilience was underway, and an evaluation would be made at the end of the project to help determine the impact of psychosocial activities on the emotional well-being of children. The program reached a total of 10,508 people in Ansongo, 2,078 people in Menaka, and 330 people in Kidal through awareness-raising activities, which included education, the right to a birth certificate, abuses and violence against children, corporal punishment, abuses against children, and emotional abuse towards children. The program also identified and selected a local partner, CRADE, who would assist the GBV program in implementing prevention and response activities in Gao. The program's geographic focus was on the Gao, Mopti, and Kidal regions of Mali, and the implementation details included training sessions, establishment of children's clubs and child protection committees, referral system, psychosocial activities, and awareness-raising activities. The program's timeframes were from July 1, 2014, to December 31, 2015, and the recommendations included continued support for the program to ensure its sustainability and effectiveness.