Canadian Red Cross

Published purpose

The project aims to decrease illness and death among mothers, newborns and children under-five in the regions of Sikasso and Koulikoro. It is designed to strengthen life-saving interventions and services to better address critical childhood illnesses, including malaria, diarrhea, and pneumonia. Reaching around 875,000 beneficiaries (150,000 children under the age of five), the project uses a community-based approach to deliver proven, high-impact, cost-effective interventions, with a complementary focus on improved community capacity to prevent illness, and provide access to services for mothers, newborns and children. Activities include: community-based health and first aid training; radio broadcasts on illness symptoms and treatment; and establishment or reinforcement of village health committees to support volunteers and community health workers and liaise with various decision makers. The Canadian Red Cross is working with the Croix-Rouge Malienne to implement this project. This project is part of Canada's Maternal, Newborn and Child Health commitment.