World Vision Carries out Vital Food Distribution in Mali

Food Community of Practice & Evidence coordinator, Yejin Oh came to WV-Mali late June 2015 to see evidence in having direct contact with beneficiaries and staff working in the field. Her visit activities based on accountability to beneficiaries concerned Sevaré office and the ADP of Tominian.

 In Sevare, Yejin went to Bandiangara General Food Distribution. It was amazing for Yejin to see women and men mixed together in the meeting of Bandiagara General Food Distribution Project. She said that: “I was impressed about how the Help Desk Members in Bandiagara GDF shared openly and equally between women and men. To be honest, I did not expect this to be the case in Mali”.

Yejin believes that the involvement of women and men together in the distribution process without any consideration of sex difference is the result and impact of open and persistent dialogues of WV-Mali staff with the community through gender sensitization. “I am thankful for our field monitors, community mobilizers, accountability and M&E colleagues and other field colleagues who interact with the community regularly for this change”, she added.

Giving the floor to the Help Desk Members and Complaint Committee Members and beneficiaries, they expressed various reactions, and appeals to Yejin. The population of Bandiagara through beneficiaries expressed their gratitude to WV. Brehima started in saying: “We really thank WV for the different distributions; we received foods in the conditions respecting our dignity. Still we want more food for Bandiagra. Each year, we receive the first rain falls late and it stops early”. In Bandiagara people are very hardworking but do not have any possibility to grow enough crops for their nutrition because only 10% of the soils of Bandiagara is arable, the rest of 90% constitutes in cliffs. 

Answering to the questions of Yejin regarding beneficiaries’ satisfaction and conditions during food distribution; Altiney Telly said: “We received the right information on the selection criteria, the venue, the type of food, the ration, etc., before the distribution. With food distribution, WV brings love in our families and communities indeed. If there is no food at home, wife is not willing to talk to her husband; children are very unhappy and cry all the time. With food everybody is happy inside the family”. Beneficiaries also explained to Yejin that during distribution priority is always given to vulnerable persons. Elderly, pregnant and lactating women are served first before the others. That demonstrates WV is always keen to preserve fully the respect of beneficiaries population dignity.