Supporting young people and stabilising Central Mali

Context

The political situation in Mali is having a serious impact on society in the country, especially on young people. Violent conflicts in the north and central regions are spreading to the rest of the country. Increasing violence is damaging social cohesion and the socio-economic fabric. The Malian population is losing its resilience. Young people, who make up the majority of the population, are particularly badly affected by the crisis. In some cases, they live in alarming poverty. As hundreds of schools have had to close, there is a lack of opportunities to gain an education. In addition, people have few career prospects and are faced with increasing food insecurity.

Objective

Socio-economic reconstruction and social cohesion in Central Mali have been strengthened.

Approach

PROJES focuses on two main components and a cross-cutting component:

It supports the construction and rehabilitation of infrastructure projects in order to improve the population’s access to basic socio-economic services. This includes, for example, reconstructing and equipping schools and community health centres, as well as building latrines and systems to supply drinking water. In addition, Secours Islamique France, the programme’s implementation partner, carries out socio-educational measures for the benefit of Qur’an teachers and pupils in order to optimise the educational activities on offer.

PROJES promotes training, integration into the labour market and the creation of economic opportunities for young people. Its cooperation partners, Swisscontact and Welthungerhilfe, offer technical and management training for young people, giving them a chance to acquire new skills, learn to generate an income and join the labour market. Young people are also mobilised through employment-intensive measures. PROJES works closely with local companies to carry out the construction work financed by the programme. Young employees are also involved in these projects, for example in building wells.

In addition, the programme strengthens social cohesion by supporting initiatives by local organisations for peace and reconciliation.

Last update: June 2023