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Drought costs Drought is a persistent risk in Koro ADP. Last year, the harvest in Koro District was 45 percent down on average, forcing many farming families to use their remaining food stock from the previous year.
Millet is the staple food of the area, used to make a kind of porridge called dèguè or pounou. The Government grant enabled World Vision to distribute 60 tonnes of millet among 15 of the worst affected communities, encompassing about 3000 families. It purchased a further 15 tonnes as a buffer stock for five communities. Disaster mitigation Koro ADP established Village Warning System Committees in each of the 15 communities receiving food aid. After training in disaster mitigation in May 2003, the committees assumed responsibility for distributing relief supplies of millet among their respective communities. The committees’ training included examining the causes of different disasters (e.g. food shortages, floods and epidemics) and the traditional community responses to these disasters. The committees learnt ways they could lessen the impact of these events, such as establishing cereal banks as a buffer during periods of food shortage. Child nutrition Twenty percent of Koro ADP’s population is under five years of age. Although there are ten community health centres in the area, there has been no official emphasis on improving child nutrition. Therefore, the food shortage last year increased the number of malnourished children. World Vision trained 24 health volunteers to identify malnourished children in their respective communities. The mothers of the selected children learnt about the causes of malnutrition and how to improve their children’s diet. To educate mothers on the importance of child nutrition, the ADP distributed protein supplements such as oil and enriched cereal. Social costs During times of food shortage, many people in Koro are forced to leave their village to search for food or work elsewhere. A large percentage of these are young men and the loss of manpower in their villages is keenly felt. There is also a danger that while away from their families they will be tempted to engage in risky sexual behaviour, and return home infected with HIV. Agriculture is the main income activity in Koro, so reduced harvests affect families’ ability to pay local body taxes. Under Mali’s policy of decentralisation, these taxes are essential for the continuance of social services such as community schools and health centres. Community contributions to development projects also reduce, sometimes forcing the ADP to postpone some of its planned activities until the next financial year. |
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KORO STORY ARCHIVE 2008 In their own words Fixing it Snippets 2006 Well pleased Snippets 2005 Precious liquid Snippets 2004 School days Progress to-date 2003 Drought costs Gone with the wind Snippets Closing the door 2002 “She walks!” Lifting mountains Dramatic impact Keep it clean Building abilities
Togogana: Welcome to Togogana Yangasso: Time in the garden
Chitalmari: Reaching out Kaliganj: Turning point Laudob: Tailor-made Sariakandi: No bride price Tarash: Extra tuition brings top results Cambodia show on map Koh Andaet: Savings scheme Oudong: Making water safe Samrong Tong: Better sanitation means better health Stong: Welcome to Stong Honduras show on map Concepcion: Changing for the better Nueva Vision: Mobilising youth Valle: Farewell to Valle India show on map Banswara: Snippets Dahod: A man with a vision Dumaria: Snippets Gajapati: Snippets Girideep: Good news from India Mayurbhanj: Snippets Mumbai West: Working woman Ratlam: Snippets Malawi show on map Blantyre Urban: Charity and Aisha Chata: Plenty to smile about Mikolongwe: Trying it out Myanmar show on map Myeik: Snippets Nicaragua show on map Aguas Azules: At the helm Tlilican: School gets new lease of life Niger show on map Chadakori: Welcome to Chadakori Goulbi N'Kaba: Successes Papua New Guinea show on map Port Moresby: Snippets Vadavada: Snippets Rwanda show on map Kabuga: Welcome to Kabuga Tubehoneza: Building a better world for children Tanzania show on map Budekwa: Snippets Bugabo: Clinic has water at last! Bukene: Snippets Dakama: Conserving the future Ibuga: Snippets Ibwera: Snippets Iselamagazi: Good News from Iselamagazi Magugu: Snippets Nkoma: Snippets Nshamba: Snippets Uganda show on map Buyamba: Taking care of your own Ngogwe: Welcome to Ngogwe Pakwach: Farewell to Puvona Panyimur: Snippets Rakai-Kooki: Cool school Vanuatu show on map Tafea: Snippets Zambia show on map Mporokoso: Community leader Nakonde: Good news from Nakonde Siachitema: Time to know the truth |
