To mark International Women's Day, we share a story from Mali, where the Canadian Red Cross is working to improve women and children's health.
Guest entry by Tahina Rabezanahary, Program Manager for Africa, Canadian Red Cross
Over 274 Malian children under the age of five die every day, mainly from preventable causes. Since 2012, the Canadian and Malian Red Cross Societies have been working together to implement a
maternal, newborn, and child health project to deliver Basic Healthcare in the Community.
So far, 224 community health officers have been recruited, trained, equipped, and deployed to various communities to provide basic healthcare to children under five for malnutrition, diarrhea, pneumonia, and malaria.
During my visit to Kolokani, in the Koulikoro district, the community was busy preparing for the arrival of their first community health worker. There was a big celebration in the village. Men and women were dressed in their Sunday best, musicians were humming along to enchanting rhythms played on traditional instruments, and children were dancing in unison. Not far from the excitement, the village elders sat in the shade of an old tree, visibly proud of their accomplishment.
The Kolokani community in Mali welcomes their Community Health Worker
This ceremony was the culmination of several months of work in which the community, Ministry of Health, town councils, and Red Cross tirelessly prepared for the community health worker’s arrival. All stakeholders are involved in the selection of the community health worker, but it is the community’s responsibility to put a roof over their head and provide them with food and a health centre for receiving patients. The new community health worker, wearing traditional dress, arrived to a hero’s welcome from the Kolokani community. After a ceremony and all-day celebration, she has officially assumed her position.
She promises to provide care to children under five, and the village promises to take her in as one of their own. Like they say, it takes a village to raise a child.