From a women’s soap-making collective to a motorbike mechanic - stunning photos reveal Mali’s progress towards clean water for all
“The arrival of clean water has improved my working conditions a lot. The mortality rate has fallen because water-related diseases have been drastically reduced.”
These are the words of 58-year-old Oumou Traore, a larger-than-life matron at the Diaramana Health Centre, situated in the dusty plains of Bla district, in the semi-arid Ségou region of south-central Mali.
Until recently, Oumou and the rest of the staff at the health centre were forced to treat their patients without access to clean water to wash their hands between patients; their sanitation facilities too, in disrepair.
Today, with the help of international development charity, WaterAid, alongside partner organisations, each of the health centre’s consultation rooms has clean water pumping into it. Oumou, known fondly as ‘ma, ma, ma’ or ‘my mother’ by the local community on account of the ‘thousands’ of babies she has delivered, is finally able to do her job with access to this life-saving resource.
Oumou is just one of several people whose stories have been captured in a series of stunning photographs by award-winning documentary photographer, Guilhem Alandry, demonstrating how access to clean water is transforming the lives of ordinary Malians.
Mali is on the front line of climate change with vast swathes of the country exposed to prolonged drought. Meanwhile, internal conflict combined with continued jihadist insurgencies make for a fragile peace.
Against the odds, this land-locked West-African nation is making great strides in providing clean water to its population of 18 million people. To date, 74 per cent of Malians now have access to clean water, meaning that at the current rate of progress, Mali should reach its population with clean water close to home within a generation. Communities across Mali are for the first time experiencing the powerful ripple effect water can bring; improving health, wellbeing and livelihoods.
On the day Guilhem met Oumou, she was giving 31-year-old, Fatoumata - pregnant with her seventh child – an antenatal check-up. Oumou had not only delivered Fatoumata, she has also delivered all six of her children. But this will be the first of Fatoumata’s babies she will deliver using clean water.
Oumou, who has been working in the community for 38 years, says:
“We used to have up to seven deaths per month, but with the intervention and the hygiene awareness activities that we also teach the mothers, we now have between one and two deaths per month. I am happy to see this change. It means the health conditions are improving and this is something we should maintain”
Meanwhile, in the village of Samabogo, 54-year-old, Ruth Diallo, has been able to develop a successful soap-making and shea-butter female-led cooperative. Every week she, and a group of 30 women, put on green jackets – their uniform - and meet under the shade of trees behind the local church to make soap together, singing as they go.
Ruth says:
“I think when a woman joins this group she feels empowered. This is very important because when a woman is empowered she is independent and can do many things for herself. Relying on your husband for everything creates problems in the marriage, and if the woman can match the husband this creates harmony and they stay together for a very long time.”
Also in the village of Samabogo lives 56-year-old father of eight, Souleymane Diallo. Souleymane, is one of four newly-trained water technicians who, when a leak is discovered or fault uncovered, travels on his motor-bike to fix it.
Softly spoken and dressed in a mismatched suit, Souleymane says:
“I am proud the community chose me to be trained as one of the mechanics – this means they trust me. When I go up the water tower I remember when we were waiting for this facility for a long time, and now we’ve got it, I stand up there and I’m very happy.”
Yet while this vast nation is making significant progress, according to data from the WHO and Unicef’s Joint Monitoring Programme for water supply only 31% of Malians have access to sanitation facilities, meaning the country may not reach everyone, everywhere with a toilet until 2102 – 72 years behind target.
Photographer, Guilhem Alandry says:
“This was my first time in Mali and what really struck me was not only how friendly, warm and welcoming the people were but also their wonderful, vibrant culture. Theatre, music and performance is an enormous part of village life; with people dressing up and entertaining the community.
“I think the work that WaterAid is doing there is really valuable; it’s just such a simple thing that makes a really big difference. What really struck me is the expertise that it is bringing; ensuring that the infrastructure is put in place to ensure water goes further and reaches more people and you can see the impact that is making; the communities we met have a real understanding of the value of clean water, decent sanitation and good hygiene; it is making a real difference to their lives.”
WaterAid Mali Country Director, Mamadou Diallo, says:
“These photos capture the poignant, uplifting and inspiring stories of ordinary Malians and provide a colourful insight into a country making great strides in improving access to clean water. The images demonstrate the true spirit of Malians – from a health centre matron or enterprising business leader to a motorbike-riding mechanic - and highlight the transformative effect that clean water, decent toilets and hygiene can have on people’s lives.
“However, we cannot afford to be complacent. According to the WHO and Unicef’s Joint Monitoring Programme for water supply, there are still 4.5 million Malians – a quarter of the population – without access to clean water and two thirds of the population – 12 million - are without decent sanitation. This week, world leaders will come together at the United Nations headquarters in New York to review the progress that has been made on Goal 6 – the provision of clean water and decent sanitation for everyone, everywhere by 2030. This is a unique opportunity for all governments, including Mali, to redouble their commitment towards achieving clean water, decent sanitation and hygiene for the world’s poorest people by ensuring political prioritisation and financing so that faster progress can be made.”
ENDS
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Rosie Stewart, Senior Media Officer, [email protected], +44 (0)20 7793 4943 or Yola Verbruggen, Senior Media Officer, [email protected], +44 (0)207 793 4909.
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Notes to Editors:
WaterAid
WaterAid is working to make clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene normal for everyone, everywhere within a generation. The international not-for-profit organisation works in 28 countries to change the lives of the poorest and most marginalised people. Since 1981, WaterAid has reached 25.8 million people with clean water and 25.1 million people with decent toilets. For more information, visit www.wateraid.org, follow @WaterAidUK or @WaterAidPress on Twitter, or find WaterAid UK on Facebook at www.facebook.com/wateraid.
- 844 million people in the world – one in nine – do not have clean water close to home.[1]
- 2.3 billion people in the world – almost one in three – do not have a decent toilet of their own.[2]
- Around 289,000 children under five die every year from diarrhoeal diseases caused by poor water and sanitation. That's almost 800 children a day, or one child every two minutes.[3]
- Every £1 invested in water and toilets returns an average of £4 in increased productivity.[4]
- Just £15 can provide one person with clean water.[5]
- To find out if countries are keeping their promises on water and sanitation, see the online database www.WASHwatch.org
