Mali

Mali is the 5th poorest country in the world, and over 90% of Malians live on less than $2 a day.  Heavily dependent on foreign aid, Mali is vulnerable to fluctuations in world prices for cotton and gold which are its main exports.

Mali is a vast, landlocked country. It covers over 450,000 square miles and is the second largest country in West Africa. The name ‘Mali’ comes from the Bambara word for ‘hippopotamus’ and the animal appears on Mali’s five franc coin.

Two thirds of Mali’s landmass extends into the Sahara desert. Although the ground is rich in gold, uranium, phosphates, salt and limestone, 90% of its 11.6 million population survives upon agriculture such as nomadic herding or sedentary farming. Mali faces many environmental challenges, including desertification, deforestation, soil erosion, and inadequate supplies of drinking water.

International Service has been placing Development Workers with local partner organisations in Mali since 1978. The main thematic areas in Mali are HIV/AIDS, young people and disability. Our Development Workers seek to promote organisational development and capacity building as a means to support the development of strong civil society. We also seek to provide specific expertise in regards to our thematic areas.


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