Holidays
January 1
New Year’s Day
Date varies*
Ramadan
February*
Prophet’s Birthday
Date varies*
Tabaski
May 1
Labor Day
May 25
Africa Day
September 22
Independence Day
*date varies
Religion in Mali
The people of Mali are largely Muslim (90 percent).
Roughly 9 percent of the population hold indigenous
beliefs, and the remaining 1 percent are Christian.
Muslims are followers of Islam. Islam is an Arabic
word meaning “submission to the will of Allah (God).”
Muslims believe that Allah’s will was revealed to the
prophet Muhammad more than 14 centuries ago
Animism is the term used to categorize the plethora
of localized indigenous religions throughout the world.
Animists live in a world dominated by a complex
interplay of spiritual powers—those of the creator or
creators (gods), the destroyers (demons), the forces
of nature, the deceased (ancestors), and the living
(healers or witches). The manipulation of such powers
through magic, to benefit humans, is subject to strict
rules, including rituals, sacrifices, and trance. Animists
believe that when people die their life force (soul) leaves
the body, joining the invisible world of ancestors. The
invisible world is also populated by nature spirits of the
wind, rain, forest, animals, and earth.
Additional sources include the CIA World Factbook and State Department websites.
Plan International USA is part of a global organization that works side by side with communities in 50 developing countries to
end the cycle of poverty for children. We develop solutions community by community to ensure long-term sustainability. Our
level of community engagement, long-term outlook, and constant focus on the needs and priorities of children is unique among
international development organizations. Our solutions are designed up-front to be owned by the community for generations to
come, and range from clean water and health-care programs to education projects and child-protection initiatives.
Promising Futures,
Community by Community
Plan International USA
155 Plan Way • Warwick, RI 02886
1-800-556-7918 • planusa.org
mali
Celebrations are very important to your sponsored child
and family. The most important ones have religious or
political significance:
and was captured in the Islamic holy book, the Koran
(Qur’an). Together with the Sunnah, a collection of
sayings attributed to Muhammad, these texts provide
a firm basis for religious and social life for all Muslims,
including rules for diet, dress, hygiene, and more.
Islam is a religion of peace and prayerfulness. A devout
Muslim prays five times daily. If possible, Muslims pray
in a mosque, and on Friday do so with common prayer
and a sermon. Islam also requires that Muslims make
a pilgrimage, called the Hajj, to the holy city of Mecca
at least once in their lifetime. Islamic holidays include
Ramadan, the holiest month of the Muslim calendar,
which commemorates the month in which Muhammad
received the revelations that became the Koran. Eid
al-Fitr is a joyous feast celebrating the end of Ramadan
and the month of fasting. Al-Hijra celebrates the Islamic
New Year.
Population
Capital City
14.8 million
Bamako
Official Language
French
Per Capita Income
US$660/year
Youth Literacy Rate
56% male/39% female
Access to Safe Water
89% urban/53% rural
Under 5 Mortality Rate
128/1,000 live births
Source: The State of the World’s Children 2014 (UNICEF)
Mali is a landlocked West African country located in the Sahel, the region bordering
the Sahara Desert. The northern third of the country lies within the Sahara. Pasture and
croplands fed by the Niger River lie in the center of the country. The seemingly endless
savannas are occasionally interrupted by sandstone mountains and foothills. Mali is roughly
the size of California and Texas combined, and it is home to the famous starting point of the
mysterious Timbuktu camel route that brought Arabians to Western Africa via the Sahara.
Gold, ivory, produce, and slaves from the central area of West Africa were transported
north, eventually making their way to Europe and the Middle East. This ancient travel route
has established Mali as a mecca of African culture.
A Brief History
Before the arrival of Islam, present-day Mali was the
site of three great empires: the Ghana Empire around
700 AD, the Empire of Mali (Malinke) until the 13th
century, and the Songhai Empire. However, by 1883
France had annexed the entire region from the west
coast to Bamako. The area of present-day Mali was
administered by France under a variety of names during
the colonial period. After independence in 1960, Mali
became a single-party state under the leadership of
President Modibo Keita. Single-party presidential
and legislative elections were held in June 1979, and
General Moussa Traoré received 99 percent of the
votes. After a series of coup attempts and a period of
military rule, Alpha Oumar Konare was inaugurated as
the president of Mali’s Third Republic on June 8, 1992.
Retired General Amadou Toumani Touré, former head of
state during Mali’s transition (1991-1992), became the
country’s second democratically elected president as
an independent candidate in 2002, and was reelected
to a second five-year term in 2007. The next round of
presidential elections was scheduled for April 2012,
but in the aftermath of a March 2012 coup, deposed
President Touré resigned to facilitate the naming of
an interim president and to transition back toward
democratic rule.
Plan’s work in Mali covers four core
areas, all of which are rooted in the
rights of the child:
Child survival and maternal health
Education and development
Child protection and participation
Livelihood security
Child survival and maternal health
Plan works to reduce child mortality and improve
maternal health by providing health clinics for
parents and their children, as well as guidance during
pregnancies. Communities actively participate in
promoting the dangers of child and maternal health
during pregnancy. Plan also supports children to take
an active role in regular radio broadcasts, to raise
awareness of health issues in the community.
Education and development
Plan has been supporting communities to better
understand the advantages of girls’ education and
early childhood development. Plan is working with
communities to emphasize the importance of education,
holding workshops and training sessions for teachers
to enhance their skills. Committees have been set up
within these schools with Plan’s support, allowing
children and adults to ensure that their schools are run
effectively.
Child protection and participation
Plan has achieved encouraging results in terms of child
protection and participation. Female genital cutting,
which used to be a taboo subject, is now openly
discussed within communities. Children are also now
more active in preparing their communities should a
disaster occur, and they are empowered to take part
in the recovery process of their communities. Through
our Universal Birth Registration campaign, which works
to provide children with an official identity, Plan is
committed to provide children greater protection and
access to education and health services.
Livelihood security
Through microfinance projects, Plan has developed and
supported savings and loans systems for communities,
helping members to set up their own businesses, save
income, and provide for their families.
Economic Security
Mali was once considered the granary of West Africa.
Most farmers cultivate their land in a traditional way,
with the aid of a tool called the daba, used for hoeing
the soil. However, more and more farmers are moving
toward modern ways of cultivating the soil, with the
assistance of animal-drawn equipment such as plows,
rototillers, seeders, and carts. In many cases, these
implements are drawn by oxen or donkeys. It is an
extremely serviceable but very expensive investment
for most farmers, and not every cultivator has the
opportunity to own or use such tools.
Family Structure
Malian villages are made up of family groups living
within compounds. Compounds usually include many
distant relatives and may house as many as 35 people.
Malian families are usually a polygamous unit, consisting
of a man, his several wives, and children. Within the
compound, each wife has her own hut where she lives
with her children. Women bear a substantial amount of
the family burden, working as many as 16 hours a day
caring for children, preparing meals, pounding grain,
hauling water, and gathering wood. Community matters,
however, are decided by the men. Children are expected
to help their parents. Young boys work in the fields,
tend animals, and help with the rebuilding of houses.
Girls help their mothers with household tasks and look
after the younger children.
Ethnic Diversity
The population of Mali is made up of about 23 distinct
ethnic groups. About 50 percent of Malians are Mande,
a group consisting of Bambara, Malinké, and Soninké
ethnic groups. In addition, there are many other smaller
groups. Most live and trade together in harmony.
Language
Although French is the official language in Mali, most
sponsored children speak Bambara. It is very likely that
you will encounter a language barrier in communicating
with your sponsored child, as the majority of the
children do not know enough English to write a letter.
Those who do not know English will be assigned
community workers or volunteers who will explain your
letters and help the children compose their responses.
Here are a few phrases in Bambara that you might
want to use in your correspondence with your
sponsored child:
I ka kene wa?
How are you?
So mnogow ka kene?
How is your family?
Soro kera?
Did you have a good harvest?