The Beseya Blon project:

The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and the One Drop Foundation are supporting the transformation of lives through access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene in health centers and communities across two districts in Mali.

Called “Beseya Blon,” or "A Space for Hygiene," this four-year project will respond to the systemic causes of poor access to water, sanitation and hygiene in Bla (Segou Region) and Kati (Koulikoro Region). The goal is to provide inclusive, sustainable services throughout both districts. In collaboration with government and local partners, WaterAid will support strengthened systems, good hygiene practices, improved accountability and citizen engagement.

We expect to reach 36,500 people with sustainable and inclusive access to clean water, 47,000 people with access to basic sanitation and 36,000 people in communities and healthcare facilities with improved hygiene. 

The project builds on lessons learned from previous community led initiatives supported by the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and the One Drop Foundation. We are scaling up and fine-tuning successful approaches such as One Drop Foundation’s Social Art for Behavior Change (SABC) approach, while addressing key barriers to accessing water, sanitation and hygiene. Our strategy relies on health centers as entry points into communities.

When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, the Beseya Blon partners quickly developed and implemented a response plan in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Public Hygiene in Mali. The plan aimed to slow the spread of the virus and support communities through the provision of hygiene kits to health centers, training healthcare staff and communities about how to prevent infection including with support of Centre Culturel Kôrè and One Drop Foundation’s SABC approach.

The project and COVID-19 response plan were based on solid partnerships and collaboration with local and national stakeholders in Mali including management committees of the health centers; health agents; local technical service providers, the Kôrè Cultural Center; local partner organizations, the National Institute of Public Health; the Directorate General of Health and Public Hygiene; the World Health Organization; and with technical and financial support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Hilton Foundation and the One Drop Foundation. In addition, we would like to thank Latter-Day Saint Charities for their support of this project. 

"I have been at the health clinic with my 4 year old child who has been sick for a week," Alimata says. "Thanks to the intervention of WaterAid, we now have easy access to protective equipment and use it regularly. The availability of handwashing kits and masks means that patients and caregivers can follow  prevention measures."