The Carter Center

Published purpose

This project aims to facilitate trust-building between rural communities and government representatives. This project seeks to build trust and cooperation in an area currently inaccessible to the government or NGOs due to violence and mistrust around pragmatic and shared health objectives with local communities actively engaged in the design of activities and dialogue. Project activities include: (1) training local health professionals, community representatives and traditional networks in dialogue, mediation, gender sensitivity and conflict mitigation; (2) facilitating dialogue sessions with targeted communities, including rural communities and government representatives, on grievances, needs, the nature of violence and health priorities; (3) developing a health package that includes a collection of public and animal health activities with communities and health actors; and (4) establishing the conditions necessary for sustained periods of calm during which access to the targeted communities is guaranteed by community representatives, including for the delivery of health packages. This project allows government health actors, including Bamako and Mopti, to remain in the target zone of Tenenkou in the Mopti region for extended periods, which currently impossible. This project delivers services and nurtures trust between government officials and civilians. The targeted communities in 5 districts of Tenenkou are co-designing the intervention and are co-partners in securing and guaranteeing access and decreasing violence.