CARE International’s history in Mali
CARE began working in Mali in 1975 to help address the devastating impacts of the 1973-1974 drought. Our work was a response to the government’s call for support to meet people’s needs amid a major humanitarian crisis.
We initially focused on emergency aid, providing food assistance and basic services to affected communities. Over time, CARE’s work in Mali evolved from short-term humanitarian relief to long-term support, focused on improving livelihoods, food security, and communities’ ability to endure and recover from crises.
Today, CARE combines humanitarian response with development programming to help communities cope with recurrent crises such as conflict, climate change impacts, and economic instability.
CARE and partners’ work in Mali today
CARE and our partners work with communities across Mali to strengthen resilience, improve food security, and increase economic opportunities, particularly for women and young people. Our work focuses on:
Gender equality
CARE works to strengthen women’s leadership, agency, and economic empowerment. Through initiatives such as Powered by Women, we support women’s entrepreneurship, savings groups, digital and financial inclusion, and participation in community decision-making.
CARE is also a leading actor in coordinating emergency responses to crises in Mali. Through Women Lead in Emergencies, more than 48 women’s groups involving over 1,200 women have been supported to design and lead community-based emergency responses.
Food and water
CARE works with farmers and pastoralist communities to strengthen food security and nutrition through climate-smart agriculture, improved market access, and nutrition models fit for communities’ capacities and needs.
Programs such as PRO-ARIDES, PIRSA, and Sugu Yiriwa support farmers, producers, and market actors to strengthen value chains, improve agricultural production, and increase income opportunities.
Climate
CARE supports communities to adapt to climate change through sustainable agriculture, access to climate information, and community-led approaches to natural resource management.
Crisis response
CARE provides humanitarian aid to internally displaced people and vulnerable host communities. Programs include emergency food assistance, cash transfers, protection services, and support for livelihoods during crises.
CARE works through strong partnerships with Malian NGOs and community-based organizations, including YAGTU, CAID, ARDIL, AMAPROS, ASSAFE, CAEB, AMPRODE Sahel, and TASSAGHT, as well as networks of savings groups, farmers’ associations, and women’s coalitions.
CARE also collaborates with decentralized technical services and local authorities to ensure programs align with national priorities and strengthen local systems.
Focus on women and girls
Women and girls are at the centre of CARE’s work in Mali.
CARE works closely with women-led organisations, youth groups, and community structures to ensure that programs respond to the needs and priorities of women and girls.
CARE and our partners support women and girls to:
- Strengthen economic independence through savings groups and entrepreneurship
- Participate in leadership and community decision-making
- Access services to prevent and respond to gender-based violence
- Build resilience to climate and economic crises
CARE also works with men and boys through community dialogue initiatives that aim to change harmful social norms and create safer communities for women and girls.
For recent updates on CARE Mali’s work, see here.
