Emergency Program to Support 4,000 People for Six Months

BAMAKO, Mali, July 19, 2012 – Catholic Relief Services (CRS) has provided 1,334 people, who were displaced from the north of Mali by internal conflict, with vital cash assistance. The program, which started on July 18 and is set to run for six months, reaches people living in Bamako, Mali’s capital, where they have sought refuge with host families and were identified as extremely vulnerable.

“Political instability caused by different armed groups controlling the vast North of the country as well as high levels of food scarcity as a result of drought have increased the vulnerability of many poor Malians,” said Sangere Moussa, acting country representative for CRS in Mali.

“After being displaced from northern Mali for more than two months, most families have depleted their resources and are starting to exhaust the hospitality of the families who took them in.”

U.N. agencies estimate that more than 200,000 people have fled Mali to neighboring countries since April, while another 155,000 are displaced within Mali. A CRS-led survey and registration estimates that around 12,000 people have taken refuge in the capital city of Bamako. These families are living with host families there, and despite ongoing efforts to register them, many people remain below the radar and in need of critical assistance.

The people participating in CRS’ project received approximately $16 for each family member for the month of July, and will continue to receive this amount each month through December to meet their most urgent needs, including food, clothing, personal hygiene materials, and medical care.

The project is funded by IrishAid and Electric Aid and is implemented by CRS and TrocAire in close collaboration with the Department of Civil Protection, Caritas Mali and other groups representing the displaced community. CRS’ overall Mali emergency response includes distribution of food, cooking and hygiene materials to displaced people in the Mopti region. With this latest emergency intervention, CRS has delivered direct assistance to 63,219 people affected by the conflict since it erupted in March 2012. 

For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Kim Pozniak.

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Catholic Relief Services is the official international humanitarian agency of the U.S. Catholic community. The agency provides assistance to people in nearly 100 countries and territories based on need, regardless of race, nationality or creed. For more information, please visit crs.org or crsespanol.org.