The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is starting an emergency relief project that will improve health and provide food to malnourished children and their families in Mali.

The project aims to meet the nutritional needs of children under the age of five in the Gao region by distributing food and supporting food security projects, such as Food for Work and Food for Training.

“Approximately 2.2 million people–20 percent of the Malian population–are likely to suffer from food insecurity if ongoing actions underway come to a stop before the end of the lean season,” said Karla Leitzke, country director for ADRA Mali. “The northern pastoral areas of Gao region have been among the most affected. In the Ansongo and Gao districts, the distance between pasture and water points becomes more critical every day. Herds have to walk up to 19 to 24 miles a day; that expends more caloric energy than they ingest in a day. In two months’ time, our resources for food may be exhausted,” Leitzke continued.

The proposed intervention aims to meet the immediate nutritional needs of approximately 26,000 children through food distribution, and to support the livelihoods of 27,000 women and men in the targeted communities through Food for Work and Food for Training programs.

"Some 5,000 Malian children in the north already suffer from acute malnutrition, with infant mortality reaching record levels in some northern areas. I am glad we are able to intervene immediately. But as the situation is critical, we continue pursuing other funding possibilities to expand our intervention and help more children and their loved ones," stated Leitzke.

The four-month project, which is valued at $41,623, is funded by the World Food Programme (WFP) and ADRA International. It is scheduled to run until mid-January.

ADRA Mali also has three ongoing emergency responses funded by WFP in the Kolokani district and the Koulikoro region. They include food distribution for refugees from Cote d'Ivoire, food distribution for four community health centers, and Food for Work and Food for Training projects for communities affected by drought and locust infestations.

ADRA is present in 125 countries, providing community development and emergency management without regard to political or religious association, age, or ethnicity.

Additional information about ADRA can be found at www.adra.org.