This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was prepared by Creative Associates International for the Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization and Reconciliation project, contract number 720-688-18-C-00002. USAID Point of Contact: Andrew Greer, COR, [email protected]Prime Partner: Creative Associates International Activity Name: Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization, and Reconciliation Contract #: 720-688-18-C-00002 Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization, and Reconciliation Quarterly Report – FY2020 April - June 2020 Implementation Period: April 16, 2018 - April 30, 2023 FY 2020 Quarterly Report April 1, 2020- June 30, 2020
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Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization, and Reconciliation
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This document was produced for review by the United States Agency for International Development. It was
prepared by Creative Associates International for the Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization and Reconciliation
VII. MONITORING AND EVALUATION ................................................................................. 25
VIII. GRANTS ............................................................................................................................... 27
IX. OPERATIONS ........................................................................................................................ 28
XI. COORDINATION AND PARTNERSHIP ............................................................................ 29
XI. LESSONS LEARNED ............................................................................................................. 30
XII. SUCCESS STORIES ............................................................................................................. 31
XIII. KEY ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR NEXT QUARTER..................................................... 31
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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ACRONYMS
ADR Agences de Developpement Regional (Regional Development Agencies)
AMSS Association Malienne de la Survie au Sahel (Malian Association for Survival in the Sahel) AQIM Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM)
CAF Conflict Analysis Framework
CAFO Coordination des Associations et ONGs Féminines (Coordination of Women's
Associations and NGOs)
CBO Community-Based Organization
CC Community Coordinator
CEC Community Engagement Committee
CEP Civic Engagement Program
CMA Coordination des Mouvements de l’Azawad (Coordination of Azawad Movements)
CMC Conflict Management Committee
COVID-19 Coronavirus Disease 2019
CSO Civil Society Organization
DDR Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration
DQA Data Quality Assessments
ECOWAS Economic Community of West African States
EWER Early Warning and Early Response
EWRS Early Warning and Response System
FAMA Forces Armées Maliennes (Malian Armed Forces)
FRAMe® Fragility and Resilience Assessment Methodology
FFP Fund for Peace
FOSC Forum of Civil Society Organizations
GOM Government of Mali
IDP Internally Displaced Person
M5-RFP Mouvement du 5 juin – Rassemblement des Forces Patriotiques
M&E Monitoring and Evaluation
MEL Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning
NGO Non-Governmental Organization
PMP Performance Management Plan
Mali PSR Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization and Reconciliation Program
PDESC Plan de Développement Économique, Social et Culturel (Economic, Social and Cultural
Development Plan) P2P People-to-People
P/CVE Preventing/Countering Violent Extremism
RECOTRAD Réseau des Communicateurs Traditionnels pour le Développement (Network of
Traditional Communicators for Development)
REWARD Reacting to Early Warning and Response Data in West Africa Program
SMC School Management Committee
SNGP Sub-National Governance Project
US United States
USAID United States Agency for International Development
USG US Government
V4P Voices for Peace
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Mali Peacebuilding, Stabilization and Reconciliation (Mali PSR) (herein referred to as the program),
is a USAID five-year $20 million contract with a $5 million Crisis Modifier that was activated on
June 2, 2020 to address the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic and its impact in
Mali. The program is implemented by Creative Associates International along with local partners
Association Malienne pour la Survie au Sahel (AMSS), facilitating implementation in northern Mali,
and Think Peace, facilitating implementation in the center of Mali. The purpose of this program is
to improve prospects for long-term peace, security, and reconciliation by building trust between
conflict-affected communities and their governments, strengthening the ability of communities to
mitigate and manage conflict, prioritize and implement community-led action around their most
pressing development needs, and training and empowering marginalized youth as change agents.
Program activities are being implemented in 46 conflict affected communes in the center and
northern Mali covering seven (7) regions, Ségou, Mopti, Tombouctou, Gao, Kidal, Menaka and
Taoudenit with linkages to regional and national policies intended to promote peace,
reconciliation and development. The goal of Mali PSR is to see measurable improvement in the
efficiency, effectiveness and capacities of local communities to be more resilient to conflict and
violent extremism. Fostering stability in target regions is not only a desired end unto itself, but a
necessary pre-condition for the full and complete implementation of the peace agreement and
the regional development plans- which, in turn, will create the conditions for more lasting, durable
peace. Mali PSR activities are integrated by three objectives which support this broader program
goal.
During the reporting period, Mali PSR submitted two proposals: 1) a rapid response proposal
aimed at pivoting existing activities to spread the word and provide accurate messages about
COVID-19 to help mitigate the spread of the novel Coronavirus and, 2) a Crisis Modifier to
address the first and second order effects of COVID-19. In June 2020, with the approval of the
Crisis Modifier, Mali PSR expanded programming to address the impact of COVID-19 and the
associated second order effects in the 46 intervention communes, Bamako, and the regions of
Kayes, Koulikoro, and Sikasso in the south of the country. A new international strategic
communications partner, Moonshot CVE, joined the consortium to identify and track inaccurate
and divisive information being spread about COVID-19. Moonshot will help to redirect social media users to accurate information; and will train youth to carry this initiative forward.
With the expanded programming, Mali PSR sought to balance the implementation of planned
activities with enhanced flexibility to respond to unfolding political/security events and the
COVID-19 pandemic.
Key achievements realized under the year 2 work plan during the quarter included: 1) the
continuation of conflict prevention, mediation training for 143 participants, including 27 women
and 23 youth in five (5) communes; 2) forums on reintegration and reconciliation in ten (10)
communes which brought together over 338 youth leaders, community representatives and
government officials; 3) capacity building for 50 participants to promote the rights of youth and
expand their agency; and 4) teachers trained in P/CVE participated in facilitated discussions to
share their experience in addressing violent extremism in five (5) communes for 97 people,
including 28 women and 15 youth from the School Management Committee (SMC), parents’
association, elected officials, teachers, students, and representatives of women’s associations. Mali
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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PSR continued to foster strong partnerships with the Regional Development Agencies (ADRs) in
an effort to support citizen participation in the Programme de Developpment Economique, Social et
Culturel (PDESC) development process. Finally, while the debriefing of the local councils on youth
assets mapping continued in five communes, Mali PSR began exploring alternative approaches for
reaching larger numbers of youth in a more sustainable manner.
Under the COVID-19 rapid response plan approved on April 23, 2020, Mali PSR completed
several initiatives with local officials to rapidly respond to community needs aimed at increasing
the legitimacy of elected commune officials. Interventions included radio call-in shows where
community health workers provided accurate facts about COVID-19. The program donated
approximately 174 handwashing stations to 36 communes, which filled a critical gap towards
helping communities mitigate the virus. A communications campaign was launched in April:
Understand to Withstand COVID-19 included peer-to-peer messaging and innovative ways to
engage youth and women through E-grins1 and E-tontines.2
Mali PSR launched the Crisis Modifier with the following activities: 1) Mali PSR completed a
preliminary desk-review mapping of USAID Democracy and Governance implementing partners and their local grantees as possible recipients for COVID-19 grant funding in the south of the
country; 2) two grants were awarded to conduct messaging to young people in Sikasso, and
Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Bamako; 3) staff recruitment was initiated for approved
personnel positions under the Crisis Modifier; and, 4) Mali PSR issued solicitations for baseline
surveys to examine citizens’ perceptions of various issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic,
governance, conflict, and civic engagement, and to establish baseline measures for key
performance indicators.
II. CONTEXT
At all levels, security in Mali deteriorated significantly during the reporting period. The country
experienced several ambushes and complex attacks against defense and security forces, there
was an increase in armed conflict between local ethnic militias, and brazen attacks carried out by
armed bandits. The political climate also took a sharp downturn with highly contested legislative
elections and mass demonstrations denouncing poor governance, corruption, the rigging of
elections, and the release of opposition leader Soumaila Cisse, who was kidnapped four days
before the first round of the elections on March 29. A seven-month teachers’ strike that ended in June also contributed to the tense security environment during the quarter.
Although heightened insecurity did not stall Mali PSR operations, program staff in the regions of
Ségou, Mopti, Gao, Timbuktu, Taoudéni, Menaka, and Kidal had to navigate not only increased
criminality, but also attacks by armed groups and the subsequent military response. On April 6,
in Bamba, a commune in the Gao region, a Malian army (FAMa) position was attacked resulting
in 35 fatalities, 25 of them soldiers, 10 assailants, and 6 wounded. On April 9, the Sub-prefect of
Dinangourou and two others in a FAMa military supply convoy, were killed when their vehicle
1 Grins are circles of friends - mostly men – who meet regularly to talk and drink green tea. They usually drink tea from the
same glass. 2 Tontines are mostly women of the same age group who contribute a set amount of money every month to a common “pot,”
that is allocated to a different member each month. They drink tea or soft drink from the same glass and talk during regularly
scheduled meetings where money is paid and shared out according to a set schedule.
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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hit an improvised explosive device. On May 3 in Diré commune, Timbuktu region, the local police
station was attacked by four armed individuals on motorcycles. Three days later, on May 6 a
drive-by murder of a businessman in front of his home led to youth demonstrations against
banditry, resulting in the closure of markets, financial institutions, and public services in the city
of Timbuktu. On the same day in Markala, Segou region, the Islamic Group of the Greater Sahel
attacked a military position reportedly capturing weapons and two vehicles. Between May 16-31,
fifty-six (56) people were killed in attacks linked to inter-community conflicts in the cercles3 of
Bankass, Koro and Bandiagara, in the Mopti region. The month was also marked by several
demonstrations against the results of the elections, curfew, untimely electricity cuts, and a
reaction to the killing of a young man by a policeman in Kayes. For several days, demonstrators
burned tires and blocked roads in Bamako and almost all major towns in Mali.
The killing of Abdelmalek Droukde, the leader of Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) on
June 3 by French soldiers in Kidal, led to reprisals by armed groups in the North and Center of
the country. The Malian army suffered the loss of 24 soldiers in an attack in Bouka Wéré, Diabaly commune on June 14. A FAMa checkpoint located at the northern exit of Bourem, Gao region,
came under attack on June 16. The next day in Diré, in the Timbuktu region, the Sub-prefects of
Dangha and Diré were kidnapped during an attack on their office. The former was released a few
hours later and was able to reach the locality of Goundam; the Sub-prefect of Diré was released
on June 20.
The attacks on the military and government offices in June were coupled by an increase in actions
by armed groups and inter-community violence in the Mopti region. In the first half of the month,
civilians in the localities where the Katiba Macina and Jama’at Nusral al-Islam operate were victims
of physical violence and racketeering. Twenty-four civilians were killed, including 15 at the weekly
market in Yangassadiou on June 3 in Mopti. Eight (8) were killed, and 53 injured, when a bus in
the Douentza cercle hit an improvised explosive device.
To exacerbate an already volatile environment, the second round of the legislative elections was
held on April 19 in a tense atmosphere due to multiple challenges to the results of the first round
and due to the fact that voting in several localities was disrupted or prevented by the intimidation
tactics of armed groups. Several demonstrations were organized in Bamako and in several cities
to denounce alleged tampering with ballot boxes, the poor organization of the elections, and the
controversial ruling by the Constitutional Court which reversed approximately 20 percent of the
results in favor of ruling party candidates. This situation created a climate of tension and mistrust
between the government and opposition political parties and galvanized a coalition of opposition
groups into mass protests.
The Coordination of Movements and Associations and Sympathizers of imam Mahmoud Dicko4;
the Front for the Safeguarding of Democracy; the Movement Espoir Mali Koura; the Forum of
Civil Society Organizations (FOSC); several opposition political parties; trade unions, drew
thousands of activists and ordinary citizens to two demonstrations. During the first protest on
June 5, security forces clashed with demonstrators, preventing them from reaching the
president’s office and his private residence. On the same day, four prisoners at Bamako's central
3 A cercle is the second level administrative unit in Mali. 4 Dicko is a former head of the national High Islamic Council, and leader of the Wahabi sect in Mali.
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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prison were killed in a failed jail break, allegedly to join the protests. By the second demonstration
on June 19, the organizers had formed the Mouvement du 5 juin du Rassemblement des Forces
Patriotiques (M5-RFP), a coalition representing the opposition groups. President Keita’s offer to
meet with M5-RFP was rejected, triggering a mission to Mali by the Economic Community of
West African States (ECOWAS) on June 18 to help de-escalate the situation. Joint meetings
were held with the African Union and United Nations representatives on June 24. An ECOWAS
press release was released and called for the government to reconsider the disputed results of
the elections. In a statement echoing the press release, U.S. Ambassador, Dennis B. Hankins,
reaffirmed the international community’s position that there should not be efforts to remove the
government of Mali by unconstitutional means.
These events not only highlighted widespread socio-political malaise, but the growing influence
of religious leaders in national politics.
COVID-19 in Mali On March 25, the first two cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Mali. As of June 27, there were
2,118 confirmed cases of COVID-19 of which 1,398 had recovered and 113 were fatal. Bamako
is the epicenter of the virus. However, in June, there was a sharp spike in the Timbuktu region
which resulted in emergency response led by the US Mission and other bilateral donors. Of the
2,118 cases in total, 488 were in the Timbuktu region, representing approximately 23%, behind
Bamako with 1,017 cases, or 48%. The region of Mopti recorded 216 cases, approximately 10%
percent. Since the outbreak of the first case on March 25, 2020, 13,908 people have been tested
out of a population of about 20 million, representing only 0.06% of the overall population.
As with many other countries, the Malian government struggled to address the immediate impact
and second order effects of COVID-19. On April 10, the president announced the following
assistance measures: 1) a government payment of water and electricity bills for the most destitute
households; 2) distribution of food for the most vulnerable; bonuses for health personnel; and 3)
a plan for mobilizing XOF 500 billion (approx. $883,000,000) to address the pandemic in Mali.
Commune Classification
Mali PSR’s commune classification remains an important context monitoring tool to regularly
update risks and conflict assessments. The classification responds to unanticipated changes in an
ever-evolving security context, and allows for Sequencing, Layering, and Integration adjustments
in activity design and implementation. In buffer and resilient communes, Mali PSR conducted
intervention activities around community stabilization and assisted communities to address
grievances that could become a source of conflict.
The 46 Mali PSR communes were reclassified during the quarter. The following nine (9) criteria
continue to be used to classify target communes as resilient, buffer or in conflict:
Under Objective 1
• Level of conflicts
• Status of the mechanisms to prevent and mitigate conflicts
• Existence of external threats
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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Under Objective 2
• Functioning of state services
• Do basic social services to the citizen
• Existence of communication and exchange mechanisms between the state and the citizens
Under Objective 3
• Existence of radical beliefs
• Engagement of youth in violent extremist activities
• Occupation by violent extremist groups
General patterns of commune’s designation
Communes are most vulnerable to and affected by ongoing conflict and insecurity. The absence
or weak presence of state officials continue to hinder the delivery of basic social services thus
widening the trust deficit between citizens and the government and rendering participatory
governance and collective action difficult. Although buffer communes have some resilience they
remain largely at risk for conflict because the presence of armed groups hinders the freedom of
movement and expression. Basic social services, particularly schools, are intermittently available.
In communes where the Malian army is absent, armed groups ensure the security of people and
property. However, these armed groups lack institutional accountability to the state, which could
cause some of the armed groups to commit abuses in their communities.
Communes without conflict and insecurity are classified as resilient. This means that the state is
present and basic social services are delivered. These communes are not subjected to violent
conflicts largely due to presence of the Malian army and/or international military forces. Joint
patrolling by the Malian Army/CMA/Platform and international armed forces also contributed to the security of residents. As shown in the graphs below, Mali PSR communes are mostly classified
as buffer and in conflict.
Out of a total of 22 communes in
the Center, eight (8) communes
remained in conflict, ten (10) as
buffer. During the quarter, the
communes of Niono and Bandiagara
improved from conflict to buffer,
conversely however, the situation in
Konna deteriorated from buffer to
conflict. Resilient communes four
(4) remain unchanged.
Q2, 9 Q2 9
Q2, 4
Q3, 8
Q3, 10
Q3 4
Conflict Buffer Resilient
Commune classification, Center Q2 & Q3.
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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In the North, the three communes of
the Taoudenit region, were classified
as buffer, while the communes of
Anderamboukane and Alata
degenerated from buffer to conflict.
By the end of the quarter, five
communes were in conflict; 14 in
buffer. Five (5) communes
determined to be resilient remain
unchanged.
Overall, 52% of Mali PSR communes
(24) are buffer, 28% are in conflict
(13), and 20% (or 9) are considered
resilient (9), which therefore
confirms the continuing fragility of
these communes to cope with
conflicts.
See Annex IV for a full commune
classification table.
Grants
During the quarter, USAID approved 50 grants worth a total value of $305,925 USD. The
program issued the following eight (8) solicitations:
• #MaliYouth2Youth for early warning COVID-19 messages.
• Production of a COVID-19 Early Warning slam in French and Bambara.
• Radio soap operas on the Pastoral Charter and the Agricultural Orientation Law for the
prevention and management of conflicts between herders and farmers are under
production.
• Development of a vlog to encourage participation of citizens with disabilities in the PDESC
process.
• Development of radio and or online campaigns that encourage citizen participation in the
PDSEC process is under review.
• Referral and support services for female survivors of trauma during confinement.
• COVID-19 Youth Social Enterprise Ideas Competition.
A list of the grants approved and/or awarded during the quarter are included as Annex V.
Q2, 6
Q2, 13
Q2, 5Q3,5
Q3, 14
Q3, 5
Conflict Buffer Resilient
Commune classification, North Q2 & Q3.
Q2, 15
Q2, 22
Q2, 9
Q3, 13
Q3, 23
Q3, 9
Conflict Buffer Resilient
All PSR communes Q2 & Q3 .
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IV. OBJECTIVE 1: RESILIENCE TO VIOLENCE AND CONFLICT REINFORCED
Establishing an Early Warning Early Response System
As part of the process to assist in the design and
establishment of an Early Warning and Response
(EWER) system at the commune level, Mali PSR
worked with CEC members and local authorities
in ten (10) communes5 to ascertain how
communities transmit information. The
communes were selected based on the findings of
the intersectoral analysis6 which identified that
trust in these communes is sufficiently high to
pilot an EWER system.
Communities identified traditional
communication channels that were mostly verbal
and informal. Many of the traditional
communication systems include a town crier, local messengers, and traditional communicators.
These actors were selected because they have demonstrated their ability to reliably convey
messages on specific upcoming events and/or share information within the community or to
selected recipients. Mobile phones and social media are used to report alerts or share information
in communes where internet connection is reliable. Local radios are the main and most reliable
communication channel, however, to disseminate mass information, such as announcements and
decisions from authorities. In Ouenkoro, respondents specifically identified women and youth as
key information and communication resources.
As a next step to piloting an Early Warning Early Response system, Mali PSR is preparing to engage Fund for Peace (FFP), a key partner under the USAID-funded Reacting to Early Warning
and Response Data in West Africa program (REWARD), to finalize the EWER strategy. In the
next quarter, FFP will complete its review on the appropriate EWER actors and will work with
CNAP to set-up a pilot system in select communes.
Training of Key Influencers in Conflict Mediation, Negotiation and Dispute
Resolution
During the quarter,143 people, including 30 women and 32 youth, were trained in groups of 10
on conflict prevention and mitigation in Soni Ali Ber, Anderamboukane, Ansongo, Djenne and
Tessit. Training participants included members of the: CEC, Conflict Management Committee
(CMC), Local Youth Council, Coordination des Associations et ONGs Feminines (CAFO), Jeune
Chambre Internationale, and political/administrative authorities.
The following points emerged from the discussions during the Tessit training held on May 14:
a) Women and youth were underrepresented in several structures aimed at managing and
preventing conflicts; thus, in the event of conflicts, they are neither consulted nor
involved;
5 Ouenkoro, Segue, Tenenkou, Segou, Markala, Bamba, Sony Ali Ber, Alata, Agouni, and Ber. 6 The intersectoral analysis is based on findings from the Conflict Assessment Analysis and the Fragility – Resilience Assessment
Methodology (FRAMe®), an instrument developed by Creative Associates International, to measure citizens’ perceptions on
the overall governance system.
A town crier walking through the streets
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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b) Some conflicts were not mitigated
because the influential people involved were
not always neutral. Some members of the
CMC for example, have waited to be
contacted instead of proactively addressing
the conflict(s);
c) Exchange visits must be organized to
allow members of conflict prevention and
management structures to learn and benefit
from the experience of other communes;
d) More youth and women should be trained
in conflict management/prevention to
ensure that they can play a more enhanced
and effective role within the community structures;
e) A public debate should be organized on the management and prevention of conflicts using a practical case such as the conflict between herders and farmers in Gassal.
During training sessions which were held May 14 and 15, participants in Djenne felt that the
approaches taught in the training would lead to effective conflict mitigation to address recurrent
herders-farmers and land conflicts.
Participants in the conflict prevention and mitigation training made the following
recommendations:
• Revitalize and equip existing conflict management committees;
• Plan awareness-raising and mobilization activities in the event of disasters and pandemics
such as COVID-19;
• Create a fund for mediation and reconciliation missions;
• Train mediators to manage conflicts in the commune;
• Set up a committee to follow up on the recommendations;
• The Government of Mali must implement the Peace Agreement;
• Restore the authority of the traditional leaders;
• Promote access to equitable justice;
• Train community leaders on their roles and responsibilities.
TESTIMONIALS FROM THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE TRAINING ON
CONFLICT PREVENTION AND MITIGATION
Bintou Walet Assaleh, CAFO member in Tessit stated, “I attended several courses in conflict
management, but this training was more original in terms of content and approach. I understood
how to analyze, manage, and prevent a conflict. It was really very interesting. I thank Mali PSR and
think that we must in turn debrief members of our organizations. I am sure that from now on
the local authorities will consider women and youth role in conflict management.”
A conflict prevention training session held in May 2020
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According to Baba Maiga, former council advisor and a member of the CMC, “The situation in
Djenné has been calm for some time. We must maintain this situation through local conflict
management mechanisms; this is why the CMC must exist and be functional.”
Haoussa Korobara stated, “The training allowed me to understand that a lot can be done at the
local level without necessarily possessing large resources to prevent conflicts.”
The President of the local CAFO and CEC member, Safiatou Kabango, stated, “There is no
community without conflict; conflicts are linked to our existence and it is therefore necessary to
prevent and resolve them. This training is welcome, and we women are ready to support men
wherever it is a question of peace and social cohesion. Mali PSR can count on us women.”
Mali PSR’s community engagement and entry approach emphasized the need for community
ownership and trust in the resolution and mitigation of conflict and the promotion of
peacebuilding. During startup, the program established CECs, which called for specific selection
criteria, responsibilities and composition that are different from the Conflict Management
Committees. However, in 23 of 46 Mali PSR intervention communes, members of CMCs also
serve on the CECs. Mali PSR will explore how the overlap in membership may be an opportunity
for sustainability of leadership in commune level conflict management. The program will continue
to support CEC and CMC members to apply their newly acquired skills to prevent/mitigate
conflicts. A listing of CMCs is included as Annex VI.
Forums for Reintegration and Reconciliation
Mali PSR organized reintegration and reconciliation forums in ten (10) communes7 to solicit
community perspectives on the opportunities for, and challenges to reconciliation and
reintegration to enable communes to prepare how these very important issues will be addressed.
The forums brought together a total of 338 participants, including 76 women et 62 youth. CEC
members, community advisors, government technical services, influential people and key actors,
youth, women, and religious leaders were in attendance. In an effort to observe COVID-19 social
distancing requirements, each forum was held over a 3-day period and training was conducted in
groups of ten.
In the Timbuktu forum held from May 8 -13, reconciliation was perceived as an overall framework
for peace and a means of bringing together two or more people who have been in conflict, while
reintegration was defined as a process where ex-combatants return back into society and armed
groups are disarmed and agree to stop using violence. Participants noted that while the
international community can assist by supporting and monitoring peacebuilding programs,
providing advice, expertise and training, reconciliation must be locally owned.
Some participants agreed during a forum held in Dire from May 7-9, that reconciliation was an
issue because of clashes between the community, the mayor and the police. Others stated the
commune did not have a reintegration issue because Sonrai, Tamashek, Bozo, and Peuhl
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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communities coexist peacefully. This perception contradicts the results of the FRAMe® data for
this commune which highlighted social cohesion as a source of fragility to be addressed in order
to prevent conflict. Yet other participants were skeptical and considered reconciliation and
reintegration to be mere words with no meaningful action.
The forum in Goundam, took place May 11-13. The community members acknowledged that the
commune was faced with challenges to reintegration and reconciliation, because social cohesion
was weak, and peace had not yet been obtained. Several participants also highlighted that the Algiers Peace Agreement was not yet fully implemented and that only a select few benefitted
from the absence of reconciliation and reintegration in the commune. Nevertheless, there was
strong agreement that reconciliation is a prerequisite to development.
Women in the Soboundou commune shared during the forums that were held from May 14-16,
that they not only had to adhere to a conservative dress code imposed by armed groups, but that
they were also subjected to body searches. Participants also stated that the prerequisites for
reintegration and reconciliation have not been met. For them, the conditions would need to
include the presence of the army; the return of displaced persons; an end to gender-based
violence by armed groups; compensation of victims by the State; and an effective return of the
government administration throughout the entire commune.
The forum in Agouni was held June 28 -30. The youth who were represented in forums noted
that they expected reconciliation and reintegration to provide opportunities for employment,
education, and a “peaceful life”. They added that they believe they are easy targets for armed
groups until reconciliation and reintegration measures are in place. Cultural barriers and shame
prevent young women from denouncing the acts of violence to which they fall victim regularly,
and which they note is an obstacle to reconciliation.
In Ber, the reintegration and reconciliation forums were held June 28-30. Participants defined a
process where combatants reintegrated into society and armed groups put down their weapons
and stopped using violence. Participants shared that they found it useful to understand how to
design peace and reconciliation initiatives in order to promote coexistence and social cohesion.
However, one woman stressed the importance of external partner assistance and key actors’
commitment in order to achieve peace and reconciliation.
As a follow-up to the February 2019 meeting on the return of displaced persons, CEC members
paired up and began a tour on May 18 of Soumouni, Kama, Komara, Tinema, Touara, and Macina8
to obtain community perspectives on reconciliation and reintegration. However, CEC members
were unable to complete the tour in Komara, which was the last stop due to the presence of
armed groups. The members went, instead, to the village of Merou, which is known for hosting
Peulhs during the transhumance period. In the villages, communities consider reconciliation and
reintegration as a return to normal life where everyone accepts each other regardless of their
ethnicity or origin. A Malian cannot be a foreigner in Mali, so the Peulhs are not foreigners in the
8 These villages have the highest numbers of Peuhls who were forced to flee due to inter-community violence.
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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community was a strong sentiment that was expressed. Similarly, the communities feel that people
who have been seen collaborating with, and thus supporting armed groups cannot return.
In Bandiagara, communities believe reconciliation and reintegration are only possible if there is a
minimum of security. Given frequent attacks by armed groups, participants stated they no longer
trust authorities or feel that the State can secure people and their property. Further, communities
believe Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration (DDR) must be addressed to fight the
proliferation of weapons. Other issues raised were the theft of livestock and ethnic stigmatization. Participants pledged that once the prerequisite of security is a reality, they will lead the task of
sensitizing the broader community to promote peace, social cohesion, coexistence, and
forgiveness.
From June 28-29, participants in Ouenkoro underscored the fragility of the commune because of
the location on the border with Burkina Faso where armed groups move easily and with impunity
between the two countries. Additionally, the stigmatization of this predominantly Peulh
community was a key obstacle to reconciliation because other ethnic groups consider them as
members of extremist groups. The last forum of the quarter was held in Niono between June
29-30. The community conflicts between farmers and herders emerged as the main obstacle to
reconciliation and reintegration.
Given the wide range of views, participants in the forums in Dire, Goundam and Soboundou
recommended the establishment of a six-member follow-up committee in each commune to lead
further discussion. Members of the committee will include religious, youth and women leaders.
Combined, participants at the forums discussed above identified the following obstacles to
reintegration and reconciliation that aligned with the four grievances identified in the Fragility and Resilience Assessment Methodology and Integrated Conflict Assessment intersectoral analysis:
• Competition for/poor management of natural resources;
reintegration one does not live in this commune, one survives. We are sad to observe the
precarious life of our communities. We have the impression that the State has forgotten us. Yet
we unanimously agree that peace is not possible without effective reconciliation and
reintegration.”
V. OBJECTIVE 2: INCLUSIVE GOVERNANCE AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
STRENGTHENED IN CONFLICT-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES
Support to the PDESC Development Process
In collaboration with the Regional Development Agency (ADR), Mali PSR officially kicked off the
process of developing inclusive and participatory Programme de Développement Economique,
Social et Culturel (PDSEC). The Regional Development Agencies are mandated by law to lead
the development of PDSECs. The ADRs have generally relied upon foreign donors to finance
consultants to write the PDSECs without community input or participation. The inclusion of
commune citizens and CEC members through Mali PSR direct support, is an innovation aimed at
promoting inclusive governance. With this goal, during the quarter, the ADRs began local planning
for nine communes in the region of Segou with the mayors of the communes of Mopti, Ouenkoro, Ségou, Niono, Diabaly and Pelengana; the representatives of the mayors from Segué, Matomo
and Youwarou; representatives of the Regional Directorate of Statistics in Applied Informatics
Planning, and technical staff from the USAID-funded Sub-National Governance Program (SNGP).
On May 29, the local planning process was launched through training led by staff from the ADRs
and the Mali PSR Governance Technical Lead. Mali PSR’s Community Coordinators and the
Regional Program Managers were trained on the development of a PDESC with an emphasis on
mobilizing community members and civil society representatives. The training was replicated on
June 2 in Ségou and covered the following topics:
• Ensure future PDESCs take into account the needs of communities, including climate
change, food security, conflict prevention and management, reproductive health. the fight
against VE, and gender.
• The improvement of local governance in the management of public affairs by inviting and
motivating CSOs to greater commitment and oversight.
• The new approach and complementary role of the ADR-PCP-SNGP which results in less
use of consultants in drafting the PDSECs.
• Enhanced understanding the PDSEC process for all community members.
• The mechanism for managing, coordinating and monitoring the activities of the PDSEC
elaboration process.
• Strengthening the capacity of civil society actors in local planning.
• The methodology for the PDSEC drafting.
• The PDSEC development timeline.
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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In order to adhere to the approved official methodology prescribed in the national guide for local
development planning, 15 facilitators, five from each commune in Niono, Diabaly and Matomo
were trained on the PDSEC analysis process, data collection tools and facilitation techniques from
June 20-23. The training of the 15 facilitators that included CEC and community members was
the first step in building the capacity of communes to imbibe local inclusive planning rather than
for communities to rely on external consultants who are unfamiliar with the issues within the
community.
Assessing next steps for data collection, participants proposed that because of insecurity, the risk
of COVID-19, and the start of rainy season, the Youwarou, Segué and Ouenkoro workshops be
relocated to the town of Mopti. Similarly, the Matomo and Diabaly workshops were proposed
for relocation to Macina and Niono, respectively. Because of the relocation which takes the
process outside of the commune, CEC and Village Development Committee members,
communes will designate civil society and community-based organizations representatives to
participate in the preparatory and data collection phases. In the Mopti, Ségou, Niono, and Pelengana communes, the workshops will be held in situ as planned. Initial data collection is
anticipated in both Segou and Mopti regions for the week of August 6. The findings will be
presented in each commune, security permitting.
Preparations for the PDESC process in the North has moved slowly due to coordination
challenges between the Regional Development Agencies for Gao, Menaka, Kidal, Taoudenit, and
Timbuctou9 .At the close of the quarter, the ADRs and the program had agreed upon a budget;
and, the proposed implementation schedule was under review.
At the conclusion of each phase of the PDESC development, Mali PSR will issue a report on
challenges, solutions, recommendations, and next steps.
Grants to Facilitate Citizen Inclusion
To further support citizen participation in local
planning, Mali PSR awarded a grant to Derhane,
a woman-led national organization to develop
and diffuse an online vlog campaign encouraging
people with disabilities to participate in the
PDSEC process. The program also issued two
additional grants for slam and radio public
education campaigns that complemented the
program’s direct support for citizen
participation in local planning.
A full list of program activities and targets reached is included as Annex I.
9 The Directors of the Regional Development Agencies in the north designated the Gao Director to lead coordination and to
serve as the interlocuter with the project.
A Dehrane vlog on the PDSEC process
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VI. OBJECTIVE 3: EMPOWERING YOUTH AND BUILDING THEIR RESILIENCE
TO VIOLENT EXTREMISM
A key activity achieved during the quarter was the presentation of findings for the youth assets
mapping that took place the previous quarter. A key activity achieved during the quarter was the
presentation of findings for the youth assets mapping to elected officials of Kidal, Bourem, Koro,
Bandiagara and Douentza. In both Koro and Bandiagara, the officials found that activities selected
by the youth were aligned with the activities included in the commune's PDESC. Participants
attending the presentation made the following recommendations: Train the selected ten (10)
youth in project management; Monitor and support the implementation of projects; Provide
funding to the projects within a short time. In Douentza, Bourem and Kidal, livelihood activities
selected by the ten (10) young people in each commune included pastry making, small trade,
goods and computer equipment trade. At the end of the presentation, in Kidal, the Mayor,
Arbakane Ag Abzyack, stated, “Some of the proposed activities are included in the current
PDESC. We will take into account the other findings of the youth assets mapping in the next
development/revision of the PDESC scheduled for 2021. The main thing is to ensure the
implementation of the proposed activities by the youth. Grants to youth will provide an
opportunity to address the threats such as radicalization and banditry that young people face
today.”
During the quarter, another mapping exercise was done of existing cooperatives in the communes was done in order to engage the private sector to engage more holistically in
developing market-based approaches to address youth livelihoods through training-to-work
transition support for youth.
Youth Advocacy Training
During the reporting period, advocacy training aimed at strengthening the capacity of youth
organizations to promote the rights of and expanded the agency of youth was conducted in
Markala and Macina. A total of 41people including two (2) young women and 39 young men were
trained on concepts and techniques to influence decision-makers. Through an interactive process
using training modules developed by Mali PSR, participants were provided with practical examples
of how to advocate for inclusion in the distribution of the Office du Niger10 irrigation schemes. A
draft advocacy plan for Macina is included as Annex VII.
TESTIMONIALS FROM THE YOUTH ADVOCACY TRAINING
The Mayor in Markala stated: “There are no young people among the 29 members of the
Communal Council. This is a crisis of shared responsibility. I have no doubt that these three days
of training in advocacy techniques will allow young people to acquire advocacy skills in local
development, including their participation in the development of the Plan de Developpement
Economique, Social et Culturel. If it is true that youth represent the future, then the future must
be discussed with the effective involvement of youth. Obviously, they are best placed to claim
10 The Office du Niger is a semi-autonomous government agency in Segou, responsible for building irrigation systems and for
recruiting and settling farm families in the regon.
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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their rights. I hope that the knowledge acquired will also be shared with their peers to address
young people's grievances in communal development.”
Markala participant Dephine Ki shared his experience from the training and stated: “This training
will strengthen our communication capacity to assess and discuss the problems and solutions that
affect us. This is the change we are expecting.”
Mohamed Tahirou Traoré, a young participant in Markala, attested, "This training has allowed us
to learn the meaning and the mechanisms for claiming our rights. In the future, we are now well-
equipped to identify our problems, discuss them and claim all our rights without violence before
the communal and administrative authorities.”
Addressing Violent Extremism
Under the program’s efforts to engage community institutions to strengthen youth resilience to
violent extremism, CEC members, the School Management Committee (SMC), the parents’
association, elected officials, teachers, students, representatives of women’s associations, CAFO,
the Commune Youth Council, and the Centre d'Animation Pédagogique11in Bankass, Mopti, Djenne,
Konna and Tongue came together during a community dialogue to share their experience in
addressing violent extremism. The meetings, facilitated by the Community Coordinator and CEC
members, brought together 39 participants, including nine (9) women and four (4) youth. The
main objective was to provide a safe space for teachers and other community actors trained on
preventing violent extremism to partner with parents to identify behavioral changes in young
people that suggests radicalization. During the meeting in Konna on May 12 for example,
participants identified warning signs that signaled for them, youth’s leaning toward extremist
behavior. These signs include such things as: “dubious” associations, self-confinement, lack of
supervision of youth and the absence of dialogue between children and their parents. In Bankass,
the teachers committed to raise awareness among students in formal schools and medersas12.
Women and youth pledged to share the outcome of the meetings in the grins13 and tontines14.
Participants in Mopti and Djenne respectively on June 27 and 30, recommended increased dialogue between the SMC and the Association des Élèves et Étudiants du Mali.
The SMC president from Konna testified, “Through this meeting, we’ve learned that partners
really want to help us. The crisis has meant that young people have lost their bearings. To deal
with the problem, we need to build everyone's capacity. This is what Mali PSR has just started.”
Participants of the violent extremism teacher-parent community dialogue meetings in Bankass,
Mopti, and Djenne made the following recommendations:
• Inform and sensitize communities on the threats of violent extremism.
11 The Centre d'Animation Pédagogique oversees public school structures. 12 Places of worship and religious instruction. 13 Grins are circles of friends - mostly men – who meet regularly to talk and drink green tea. They usually drink tea from the
same glass as a solidarity ritual between members. 14 Tontines are mostly women of the same age group who contribute a set amount of money every month to a common “pot,”
that is allocated to a different member each month. They drink tea or soft drink from the same glass and talk during regularly
scheduled meetings where money is paid and shared out according to a set schedule.
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• Initiate activities that can promote forgiveness between communities.
• Initiate cultural activities to encourage the communities to value the customs of their
commune.
• Support local initiatives for youth employment.
• Establish dialogue between the youth and traditional and administrative authorities.
• Sensitize youth and their families to value the customs of their commune.
• Strengthen youth education within the family as well as in school to avoid bad behavior.
• Create opportunities for youth to avoid idleness and risk of enrolment.
• Implement awareness-raising activities with Mali PSR support.
• Broadcast awareness messages to community leaders.
Following this meeting, Mali PSR began to integrate into its interventions activities that address
the community recommendations. The recommendations will also serve as an avenue for
providing information for the Peace Lab initiative that is designed to capture lessons learned in
preventing and countering violent extremism.
Activating Mali PSR’s COVID-19 Rapid Response Plan
Within 30 days of the first outbreak of the Coronavirus in country, Mali PSR submitted a proposal
to address and respond to awareness needs of the pandemic. Mali PSR obtained approval from
USAID to implement a rapid response pivoting existing activities in the Year 2 work plan to
activate immediate awareness and response activities. Under the Mali PSR rapid response plan,
activities ranged from launching a Communications Campaign called: Understand to Withstand
COVID-19; to donations of handwashing stations with liquid soaps and gels; distribution of masks;
E-grins and E-tontines; peer-to-peer messaging; and countering disinformation by commune
officials and youth.
Launching the COVID-19 Public Health Communications Campaign:
Countering Disinformation. Mali PSR partnered with COVID-19 commune focal points, health
workers and local radio stations to spread general awareness about COVID-19 counter
disinformation being spread about the virus and efforts to promote knowledge and understanding
about the pandemic in ten (10) communes15. Live radio call-in shows were sponsored in an effort
to provide accurate information in local languages on the symptoms, modes of transmission, the
need to respect social distancing as a preventative measure to mitigate the spread of the virus
and where listeners can find available masks. The call in shows also provided information on
where citizens can go for screening and/or to isolation sites should they contract the virus. Radio
was the chosen medium to begin the communications campaign because it reaches a large portion
of the population, it reaches both literate and less literate community members, and is a reliable
mechanism for conveying accurate COVID-19 messages.
TESTIMONIALS
“At the first suspicious signs, I confined myself without any outside influence. I stop going to the
mosque and avoid attending social events such as weddings. I informed and limited interaction
with my family, and, received care from my doctor at home. After I was officially diagnosed of
15 Youwarou, Soboundou, Ansongo, Bourem, Tessit, Menaka, Goundam, Soni Ali Ber, Timbuktu and Bamba.
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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COVID-19, my physician transferred me to the treatment center, where I was consulted three
times a day. The doctor also monitored whether I was taking my medication correctly.
However, no one took care of my family. I feel also stigmatized because I have found that
people don't want to come close to me. As health experts have not yet revealed the immunity
of a person who has had the disease before, I continue to respect all the protective measures
to avoid contracting this nasty disease again,” testified Haradane Toure, a COVID -19 cured
patient.
Mali PSR’s Understand to Withstand Communications Campaign
#MaliYouth2Youth. Under the rapid response Mali PSR is awarding small grants to youth to
develop and disseminate COVID-19 early warning messages to their peers on blogs, Facebook,
Twitter, and WhatsApp. Youth bloggers, who are working in alignment with the OneHealth
Platform16 include CEC youth members, Voices4Peace Tech Camp graduates, Community
Empowerment Project jeunes collecteurs de données, and Young African Leaders Initiative alumni.
During the quarter 25 small grants totaling approximately $15,356 were awarded under the
#MaliYouth2Youth COVID-19 early warning campaign.
Peer-to-peer Messaging. In eight17 communes, the program’s Community Coordinators
worked with members of the local CEC’, the Local Youth Councils (CCJ), CAFO, the
Traditional Communicator Network (RECOTRADE), religious leaders, elected officials,
community actors, and administrative authorities to identify peer messengers who have
influence with targeted unique identity groups18. Each peer-messenger delivered two-minute messages which were recorded and broadcast in Bambara, Peulh, Dogosso, Sonrai, and
Tamasheq.
Slam Poetry. Innovative Slam Poetry was rolled out as a critical element of the COVID-19
Communications Campaign. The Slam help to reach a critical mass of Mali’s large youth
population. Produced under a Mali PSR grant, the popular poet, Sacca Rose, developed a slam19
that was posted and on the U.S. Embassy and USAID websites. The Slam was also aired on
community radios in Mali PSR target communes. The Slam, messaging about the need to take
preventative measures against COVID-19 received appreciative feedback from listeners and
viewers. The PoëKan poetry was also developed in Bamanakan, Peulh, Sonrai and Tamashek.
Following discussions with Breakthrough Action, in Year 3 Mali PSR will support PoëKan poetry
in Peuhl and Tamashek.
E-Grins and E-Tontines. In order to demonstrate that cherished social rituals can be maintained
safely during COVID-19, Mali PSR facilitated online social media interactions between the
members of three (3) grins and of two (2) tontines using Duo and WhatsApp in Soboundou
(June12-14); Timbuktu (June 14), Djenné (June 17), and Markala (June 20-22). During these online
conversations, 15 young men and 20 young women, while staying at home, discussed COVID-19
preventive measures. Normally, the preparation of the tea and drinking from a communal glass
16 The OneHealth Platform is the combined government and donor partner initiative to address COVID-19 in Mali. 17 Timbuktu, Segue, Tenenkou, Koro, Youwarou, Segou, Matomo and Niono. 18 The six identity groups are: adult men/women; young men/women; elected officials and religious leaders. 19 https://www.facebook.com/113932096655967/videos/261157788357294/
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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is part of the solidarity ritual of grins and tontines. In Markala, poor internet connection and the
incompatibility of some phones with the Duo app made it difficult for all participants to be online
at the same time. In Soboundou, peers assisted each other to use Duo for the first time. The two
female presidents of the tontines appreciated being the first recipients to use the concept of E-
tontine and called on others to do the same. Amssetou Sidibé, president of the Saramaya women's
tontine in Markala testified, “Thanks to Duo and WhatsApp, we were able to hold our tontine
at a distance. Everyone stayed home, drank tea while participating in our regular social gathering.
People paid their membership fees using Orange mobile payment. We were even able to agree
on the name of the next beneficiary of the fees. It is very practical during this period of COVID-
19. I invite other women to use this approach.”
Support to Local Commune Officials
Handwashing stations and Personal Protective Equipment
Mali PSR provided 83 handwashing stations, 167 hydroalcoholic
gels, 840 bars of soap, 115 bottles of liquid soap, 1,400 masks
and 1,000 pairs of gloves in public places such as markets,
mosques, churches, and bus stations in sixteen communes20. In
most communes, members of the CEC, local authorities,
COVID-19 Focal Points and or health workers provided a
demonstration during the donation ceremony on the correct
way to clean hands and maintain the handwashing stations. In
other communes, the town crier drew attention to the
demonstration and the distribution of hygiene kits by conveying
messages on protective measures and compliance with the
advice of health experts. A full list of donated handwashing
stations and personal protective equipment is included as Annex
II.
TESTIMONIALS OF PARTICIPANTS AT THE DONATION CEREMONY
The head physician of the health center explained in Tenenkou, “The disease is real and is
spreading, rapidly. Only barrier measures can prevent it. Our concern is to save lives even in
public places. This donation will effectively serve to prevent the transmission of COVID-19 in
public places.”
According to a woman leader, “We have been wanting to fight the COVID-19 for three
months. Unfortunately, our means are limited. The reliability on partners has become
increasingly rare because of insecurity. Today we received these stations from Mali PSR. It is a
great relief.”
In Tessit, during the weekly market where there are traders from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger,
the town crier during the distribution in the market sang out, “Washing our hands regularly
20 Mopti, Konna, Bandiagara, Markala, Agouni, Soboundou, Bourem Inaly, Djenne, Douentza, Soni Ali Ber, Bankass, Kidal,
Tessalit, Timbuktu, and Dire.
An administrative official using one of the
handwashing stations donated by PSR.
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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with soap, respecting social distances, wearing a mask are gestures that will save us. So, let us
protect ourselves, our families, and our loved ones.”
The village chief of Touwal, Mr Sidna Ali Ould Baba Ahmed, stated, “Every day we hear that the
Timbuktu regional hospital is full of people infected by COVID-19. Our traders cannot
therefore travel to this region to buy supplies. So please understand all my satisfaction to
welcome the first project that has donated handwashing stations and conducted sensitization
sessions.”
Hamadoun Dicko, the Mayor of Youwarou commune opined, “At the beginning of the
pandemic, many people did not believe this disease existed. But, after the first cases of COVID-
19, people started to wear masks.”
In Ansongo, the Mayor stated, “During difficult situations, people recognize their friends. Mali
PSR continued to give assistance to our commune to promote peace, social cohesion, and health. We thank USAID for funding this project.”
The Ouattagouna Sub-prefect stated, “It is certain that these handwashing stations will be useful
for our commune. I would like to point out that these are the first ones received by our
commune. We sincerely thank USAID and Mali PSR.”
A woman who received a mask added, “I thought that my [dark] skin would protect me from
the disease. Now, I know that anyone can catch this disease. Thank you for the awareness and
with the mask I protect myself and my family.”
Strengthening health services
During the quarter, the program team convened a meeting with the regional Ministries of Health,
COVID-19 focal points and/or Directors of Regional Health Delegations in Timbuktu, Mopti,
Menaka and Gao to provide a briefing about Mali PSR’s Rapid Response activities. During the
meeting, discussions focused on the proposed Strengthening Social Services activities and
specifically how the program can obtain leadership, buy-in, and alignment with Mali’s One Health
Platform. The main objective in strengthening social services activities is to support the non-
health related capacity of community health workers and civil society organizations to address
the mitigation efforts and impact of COVID-19.
Timbuktu Mini-Response Plan
In response to a soaring number of COVID-19
cases in Timbuktu, USAID approved a plan for the
region on June 4 for Mali PSR to partner with the
Ministry of Social Affairs to identify needs and
targeted interventions for local leaders to
respond to COVID-19. Mali PSR activated the
following activities aimed at providing support to local commune officials. Activities included: a
radio roundtable to provide accurate information
in local languages; training of 55 community
COVID-19 Insight
When asked why he wears a mask, a 10-year-old
beggar in Savare responded: I wear the mask in town
but hide it when I return home for fear of being
flogged for showing the difference with the other
Talibés. The story of this Talibé illustrates the
social challenges of COVID-19 prevention in Mali.
*Talibé is a boy who studies the Quran and begs.
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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members on COVID-19; and the deployment door-to-door of newly trained community
members to educate residents on how to protect themselves against the Coronavirus.
Launching the Crisis Modifier
On May 19, 2020, Mali PSR submitted a proposal to activate the program’s Crisis Modifier to
address the immediate impact and second order effects of COVID-19 in Mali. On June 2, 2020
Mali PSR received approval to expand its programming to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic
in the 46 intervention communes in the North and Center, in the district of Bamako, and the
regions of Kayes, Koulikoro, and Sikasso in the south of the country. Under the Crisis Modifier,
Mali PSR added a 4th Objective: Impact of COVID-19 and the associated second order effects
on Malian communities mitigated.
During the quarter, the following activities were undertaken to launch activities under the Crisis
modifier:
• Conducted a desk review mapping of USAID’s Democracy and Governance implementing
partners and their local grantees as possible recipients for expanded COVID-19
programming in the south of the country.
• Awarded a grant to a youth coalition for COVID-19 messaging to young people in Sikasso.
• Awarded a grant for COVID-19 messaging in Internally Displaced Persons camps in
Bamako.
• Issued solicitations for the Crisis Modifier baseline surveys and developed the draft survey
questions.
As part of its enlarged scope of work under the Crisis Modifier, Mali PSR was designated to
lead the COVID-19 Secondary Effects Working Group which brings together all government
agencies and donor partners to discuss coordination of COVID-19 programs and to identify
priority areas of need.
VII. MONITORING AND EVALUATION
In addition to the regular monitoring of
planned Year 2 activities, the Monitoring and
Evaluation (M&E) Manager travelled to Mopti
to supervise the newly hired field-based M&E
Officer and support quality data collection
for the first activities under the program’s
COVID-19 rapid response. These activities
included peer-to-peer messaging on Radio
Saghan in Mopti, followed by the hand
washing stations demonstrations by CEC
members and local authorities in Sevare from
May 6 to 10. Additionally, on May 7 and 8,
Mali’s Government Coronavirus Focal Point,
Dr. Dramane Samake, of the Sominé Dolo
Hospital in Mopti, was the guest of Baroni, a very popular program of Radio Jamana, which is
A taping of Radio Jamana broadcast
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broadcast daily between 8 am and 12 noon in
Bamanakan. During the broadcast, Dr. Samake
discussed the importance of protective
measures and the dangerous skepticism that
questioned the very existence of COVID-19.
This call-in program provided space to air peer-
to-peer messages and most importantly, it
provided the opportunity to deliver accurate
facts about the virus, information about the
various symptoms of the virus, what were
minimal protective measures and gestures, and
the importance of social distancing. Dr. Samake also de-bunked popular social media
disinformation that high temperatures in Africa prevents COVID-19. To ensure diversity in
messaging, messengers were representative of a number of peer groups, and, peer-to-peer
messages were accurate based on scientific facts and guidance provided from the OneHealth Platform. A full list of radio programs is included as Annex III.
Crisis Modifier Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan
Mali PSR’s Crisis Modifier Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Plan was submitted during the
quarter and approved by USAID on June 24.
Following the approval of the Crisis Modifier, Mali PSR issued solicitations for two baseline
studies: one for a face-to-face survey in the 46 program intervention communes in the north and
center regions; the other for a telephone survey in the newly added regions of Kayes, Koulikoro,
Sikasso and the district of Bamako. The surveys will establish baseline measures for key
performance indicators and examine citizens’ perceptions of various issues related to the
COVID-19 pandemic and to governance, conflict, and civic engagement. Surveys topics will
include:
• Awareness of COVID-19 and ability to identify misinformation
• Practice of protective measures and access to handwashing/ masks
• Effect of COVID-19 on livelihoods, economic situation, and gender issues
• Trust in local government, community leaders, and other key actors on COVID-19
response
• Exposure to COVID-19 messaging and use of media and social media
• Participation in Mali PSR activities and awareness of Mali PSR, Creative, USAID, and Mali
PSR partners
• Prevalence of commune conflict and opinions on conflict management in commune
• Perceptions of inter-ethnic relations
• Perceptions of local leadership, service delivery, and civic engagement
• Opinions of ex-combatants and acceptance of their reintegration
• Perceptions of violent extremism and rejection of violent extremist rhetoric
COVID-19 Insight
“The hardest part will be to convince people to
adopt these behaviors which are contrary to the
daily life of our communities. These preventive
measures, as valuable as they may be, are difficult
for nomadic groups, who are very social. Thus, we
will need support to help us convince them.”
Mohamed Mahmoud Ould Cheiyak, CEC president
and vice-president of the communal authorities of
Touwal.
of the communal authorities of Touwal.
Insight
When asked why he wears a mask, a 10-year-old
beggar in Savare responded, “I wear the mask in
town but hide it when I return home for fear of
being flogged for showing the difference with the
other Talibés.” The story of this Talibé illustrates
the social challenges of COVID-19 prevention in
Mali.
*Talibé is a boy who studies the Quran and
begs.
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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As follow up to the 2019 Data Quality Assessment and short-term technical assistance from
Creative’s Washington-based Associate Director for Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning during
Quarter 2, the following performance indicators were modified to align with USAID’s definitions:
• Number of new groups or initiatives created through USG funding, dedicated to resolving
the conflict or the drivers of the conflict (Output, Standard USG PS.6.2-1)
• Number of USG-supported events, trainings, or activities designed to build support for
peace or reconciliation among key actors to the conflict (Output, Standard USG PS.6.2-3)
• Number of USG-funded events, trainings, or activities designed to build support for peace
or reconciliation on a mass scale (Output, Standard USG PS.6.2-2)
• Number of people participating in USG-supported events, trainings, or activities designed
to build mass support for peace and reconciliation (Output, Standard USG PS.6.2-4)
• Number of local women participating in a substantive role or position in a peacebuilding
process supported with USG assistance (Output, Standard USG GNDR-10)
• Number of adjusted PDSECs or new PDSEC elaborations that address findings from
FRAMe® analysis (Outcome, Custom)
• Number of individuals receiving civic education through USG-assisted programs (Output,
Standard USG DR.3.2-5)
• Number of youths at risk of violence trained in social or leadership skills through USG
assisted programs (YOUTH-1)
At Mali PSR’s request, USAID approved the removal of the following indicators that no longer
align with the current context of the program:
• Number of peace-building structures established or strengthened with USG assistance
that engage conflict-affected citizens in peace and/or reconciliation process (Output,
USAID Mali PMP)
• Number of ex-combatants who receive support and resources from CSO grantees (Output, Custom)
This quarter’s Performance Indicator Tracking Table is attached as Annex VIII.
VIII. GRANTS
Grants remained a critical component of Mali PSR programming to supplement activities that
are implemented directly by the program. Grants to civil society organizations and community-
based associations enabled Mali PSR to begin assisting communes to carry out
recommendations issued by community members who participated in direct activities. For
example, grants to the Groupe de Réflexion et d'Actions Patriotiques pour le Développement and the
Orchestre Kanaga de Mopti sought to facilitate dialogue mechanisms between youth and their
communities while providing opportunities for young people to lead civic engagement activities.
Muso Ni Baara’s grant enabled the organization to bring together village chiefs, religious leaders,
youth and women leaders to develop conflict prevention and mitigation strategies in the 28
villages of Segou. Association Sahel Espoir used its grant to carry out key recommendations from
farmer-herder dialogues to disseminate accurate information on the Pastoral Charter and the
Agricultural Orientation Law in local languages on community radio stations, and, identify
resources for resolving land disputes in the commune. In order to accompany Mali PSR direct
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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support for citizen input and participation in the PDSEC process, Derhane is implementing an
online vlog targeting citizens with disabilities.
By the end of the quarter, USAID had approved fifty (50) grants for a total value of $305,925.
Of the grants approved, Mali PSR awarded forty-one (41) grants in the amount of $273,198.
Nine organizations preferred to delay the start of implementation until quarter 4. These nine
(9) grants total value $32,727. A list of the grants approved during the quarter are included as
Annex V.
IX. OPERATIONS
At the onset the COVID-19 pandemic in March, Mali PSR immediately pivoted its operations to
adhere to the mandated, protective health measures issued by the Government of Mali on
March 18, 2020. Measures included:
• The suspension of commercial flights from the countries concerned, except for cargo
flights
• The closure of public, private, and religious schools;
• The suspension of all public gatherings, including workshops, symposia, seminars,
meetings in excess of 50 people;
• The banning of social activities including sports, cultural and political events until further
notice.
As a result of these government directives and the desire to minimize exposure to the program
team, Mali PSR staff were authorized to work from home until further notice, effective March
23, 2020.
To support the telework stipulation, the following measures were put into place:
• Provision of additional telephone credit for staff to access the internet.
• Full staff access to all of Creative's communication technologies, including, but not
limited to, Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
• Relocation of desktop computers in homes to facilitate teleworking.
• Limiting to 10 the number of individuals present when office work is required.
• Equipping all co-located offices with hydroalcoholic gel. The main office in Bamako was
provided with hand cleaning equipment, masks, and gloves;
• Reducing the number of participants per activity, requiring implementation over multiple
days in order to respect social distancing measures in force.
• Including the cost of handwashing stations, gloves, and masks for all Mali PSR directly
implemented face to face activities;
• The revision of grants agreements to incorporate the purchase of masks, gloves, and
handwashing stations in budgets.
• Limit the number of individuals to three (3) in program vehicles, requiring car rental
when four or more staff have to travel.
• Disinfection of vehicles after each usage.
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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Despite the requisite adjustments in general operations caused by COVID-19, Mali PSR
commenced recruitment of the following approved positions under the approved Crisis
Modifier:
• COVID-19 Director (Bamako)
• Grants Assistant (Bamako)
• Finance Assistant (Bamako)
• Driver (Bamako)
• Grant Development Officer (Bamako)
• Grant Development Officer (Tombouctou)
• Grant Development Officer (Mopti)
• Senior M&E Manager (Bamako)
• Finance Administrator (Bamako)
• Health Communications Specialist (Bamako)
• Grant Development Officer (Gao)
• Community Outreach Coordinator (Bamako)
Doing No Harm
To ensure that safety measures were followed in order to curb the spread of COVID-19, Mali
PSR limited its face-to-face activities to approximately 30 participants each day. This meant that
the program activities had to be implemented over several days. While staggering implementation
in small groups allowed adherence to prevention directives, it was time consuming and increased
the cost of venue rental, and facilitators/trainers. The need for handwashing stations, hydro-
alcoholic gel, masks and gloves also added to increased costs for all Mali PSR directly implemented
and grant-funded face-to-face activities.
XI. COORDINATION AND PARTNERSHIP
Sequencing, Layering and Integration
During the quarter, Sequencing, Layering and Integration examined through the findings of the
intersectoral analysis and combined with the commune classification led to programmatic
interventions that responded to communes’ sociopolitical context. In Bankass, Mopti, Konna, and
Tongue, for example, where armed groups and self-defense militias are present, Mali PSR built
on the newly-acquired skills of teachers trained on P/CVE to organize community dialogues to
identify joint actions by teachers, parents, and other influential persons to address violent
extremism. Participants at the dialogues made the following recommendations for joint actions:
• Inform and sensitize communities on the threats of violent extremism;
• Initiate activities that can promote forgiveness between communities;
• Initiate cultural activities to encourage the communities to value the customs of their commune;
• Support local initiatives for youth employment;
• Establish dialogue between the youth and traditional and administrative authorities;
• Sensitize youth and their families to value the customs of their commune;
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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• Strengthen youth education within the family as well as in school to avoid bad behavior;
• Create opportunities for youth to avoid idleness and risk of enrolment;
• Implement awareness-raising activities.
Under its #MaliYouth2Youth activity, the program awarded grants to beneficiaries of other
Program Jeunes Collecteurs de Données; and Young African Leaders Initiative, leveraging on US
Government past investment to engage youth in early warning and response on COVID-19.
As a follow-on to the initial discussions for integrating rights-based advocacy and access to justice programming during Quarter 2, Mali PSR disseminated the ICAF-FRAMe intersectoral findings to
the local partners of Community Empowerment Program (CEP) and the Mali Justice Program.
Conducting envisioned workshops for the local partners on the intersectoral findings was not
possible during the reporting period due to pivoting under COVID-19. However, Mali PSR
Technical Leads will provide online technical assistance when needed as the newly hired Grants
Development Officers work with the local partners to develop grant activities which expand
advocacy and access to justice initiatives
XI. LESSONS LEARNED
Implementation of COVID-19 Response
The COVID-19 pandemic provided an
opportunity to explore alternative means
for programming where face-to-face
activities were not possible. Activities
requiring more time for implementation
and that were higher costs in order to
adhere to COVID-19 guidance were put on
hold and other activities were held with a
reduced number of participants per event
All in-person activities respected social
distancing requirements and the program
pivoted most of its efforts to address
information needs on COVID-19 through slam poetry, radio programs, and social media. These
mediums were essential to disseminating rapid messages to Mali’s population rather than through
face-to-face community meetings.
The program’s approach with placing youth, women and local leaders at the helm of Mali PSR’s
COVID-19 response fostered a strong collaboration between these target groups. This approach
also enabled local authorities to develop stronger relationships with their constituents and
enhanced credibility in their communes. Youth and women’s agencies were enhanced through
their leadership of COVID-19 messaging to their peers and by working with the commune leaders
to conduct hand washing demonstrations. Youth and women have been and will remain at the
forefront as avant-garde leaders for the program’s COVID-19 activities ranging from placing
Women going door-to-door providing accurate information on COVID-19
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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handwashing stations in public places, distributing masks, going door-to-door to provide accurate
information, and delivering accurate, reliable public health messages.
XII. SUCCESS STORIES
See the attached Annex IX for this quarter’s success story.
XIII. KEY ACTIVITIES PLANNED FOR NEXT QUARTER
Quarter 4 of Year 2 of Mali PSR represents a pivoted integration of regular programming and
accelerated Coronavirus (COVID-19) Rapid Response and Crisis Modifier implementation.
Anchoring the transition are the following key activities envisioned for the last quarter of Year 2:
• Develop and pilot an Early Warning Early Response (EWER) strategy and identify the
appropriate actors to interface with the system in select communes;
• Disseminate the ICAF and FRAMe® intersectoral analysis to the local Community
Empowerment Program (CEP) partners in the 10 communes where Mali PSR and CEP
overlap. On-line meetings will be held in place of face-to-face to discuss the FRAMe®
findings and to promote that findings be integrated into rights-based advocacy initiatives;
• Contribute to joint efforts by USAID partners (CEP partners specifically), to support
robust citizen participation in the development of the Plan de Developpement Social,
Economic, et Culturel (PDSEC);
• Train aspiring youth entrepreneurs in enterprise development training for start-up grants
to facilitate their inclusion in COVID-19 messaging and response activities;
• Develop a White Paper that analyzes how conflict and governance are being impacted by
COVID-19 and its outlying impact on the GoM Stabilization, Development and Security
Plans for the North and Center;
• Launch a multi-pronged public information communications campaign through Moonshot
that includes a disinformation tracking and the development of accurate messages on
COVID-19 to counter dis and mis information.
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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Annex I: Quarter 3 FY2020 Summary of Program Activities and Targets Reached
Activity Communes Number of
Men
Number of
Women
Number of
Youth21
Conflict Prevention and
Management Training Soni Ali Ber 19 7 4
Anderamboukane 22 3 5
Ansongo 19 4 7
Djenne 14 6 3
Tessit 19 7 4
Forum on reintegration and
reconciliation Timbuktu 12 12 6
Dire 14 8 8
Goundam 20 5 5
Soboundou 16 7 7
Ber 17 13 5
Agouni 23 3 5
Macina 55 16 14
Niono 12 3 5
Bandiagara 20 3 2
Ouenkoro 11 6 5
Sharing experience on VE Konna 2 6 5
Tongue 18 4 2
Bankass 10 8 4
Djenne 13 5 2
Mopti 11 5 2
Youth advocacy training Markala 5 1 19
Macina 4 1 20
21 Youth include young men and women ages 18 – 29 years old.
MALI PEACEBUILDING, STABILIZATION, & RECONCILIATION QUARTERLY REPORT III FY2020
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Annex II: List OF Mali PSR Health and Personal Protective Equipment Donations
# Communes Handwashing stations Gels Soap Masks Gloves
(pairs)
Qty Locations
Liquid Bar
1 Mopti 5 Health center (2); mosques (2); church. 8 8 0 70 900
2 Konna 5 Health center (2); mosques (2); Town Hall. 8 8 0 70 900
3 Bandiagara 5. Mosque; bus station; health center; Church; Town Hall. 10 10 0 60 0
4 Markala 3 Youth Center, the Maison de la femme; Town Hall. 3 3 0 25 0
5 Bankass 5 Bus station; health center; Town Hall; market; a medersa. 7 5 0 48 250
6 Djenné 5 Health center (2); mosques (2); Town Hall. 8 8 0 70 900
7 Douentza 5 Health center (2); mosques (2); church. 8 8 0 70 900
8 Tongué 4 Health center; Town Hall; Mosque; CEC 4 4 0 40 0
9 Macina 4 Health center; mosque; CEC; Town Hall 4 4 0 50 100
10 Matomo 5 Town Hall; Health center (2); CEC; school. 10 10 0 0 250
11 Ségué 5 CAFO; church; Town Hall; mosque; health center. 5 5 0 100 250