On May 3, USI and CECI management travelled to Kayes, Mali, to take part in the handover ceremony for eight community health centers (CSCom) and two maternity waiting homes (MA) as part of the Yellen project “Rights and Innovations in Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Kayes Region of Mali”. This project aims at contributing to the transformation of unequal gender relations in terms of sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) for women and adolescent girls.

The first phase of construction began in 2023 and involved the rehabilitation/extension and construction of eight CSCom and two MAs. These health centers feature new buildings designed to meet the needs of the populations concerned, specifically women. These include a separate dispensary and delivery room for greater privacy, accommodation for the maternity ward manager and a basic water supply. The MAs will enable women far from the referral health center, and who have a pregnancy deemed “at risk”, to be comfortably housed close to the referral health center.

This new structure will bring us a lot. The old center was cramped and many women didn't come for lack of space and the shame of being overheard during childbirth. Manouma Dembélé, President of the Baléa motorcycle ambulance management committee (CGMoA).

These improvements will facilitate access to health services, particularly for women and teenagers. They will also provide better conditions for healthcare professionals and the general public.

Now that the Maternity Ward Manager's accommodation is in the courtyard, this will reduce intervention and care times. AWA Kiabou, Maternity Ward Manager, Sagabari Central.

These new facilities will enable us to increase the level of consultation and reassure the population. Boukari Kiabou, Health Advisor, Baléa Town Council.

The Malian authorities, NGOs, health and civil society organizations present thanked the Government of Canada and its partners for all the actions taken to improve the health of women and adolescents in the region. Since its launch, the Yellen project has reached 1,255,940 people in seven districts, including 540,000 women, thanks to 509,600 awareness-raising sessions given by partner NGOs. 6,158 social-health and education workers have been trained on various topics relating to reproductive health and rights, gender equality and gender-based violence. Some twenty health vehicles have also been made available to referral and community health centers.

The extensive involvement of CEPRIS at national level, and of our regional partners and technical departments in all regions, who took part in all stages of monitoring and controlling the construction process. This guarantees local and regional ownership and commitment. The leadership of the districts and the various initiatives that support them are already having an impact on maternal mortality, and the arrival of these new centers can only support progress at this level in the target regions,” emphasized Karina Dubois-Nguyen, Director of USI.

Left: The Yellen project field team with Karina Dubois-Nguyen, USI Director, Geneviève Rouleau, Yellen Project Director and USI Senior Coordinator, Bonaventure Wakana, CECI Director of International Programs and Innovation, Maïmouna Dioncounda Dembélé, CECI Country Director - Mali and Ndeye Laïty Ndiaye, CECI Project Manager and Gender Equality Specialist. Right: Bonaventure Wakana, CECI Director of International Programs and Innovation, and Hamadou Yacouba Diallo, representative of the Governor of Nioro. Credit: Projet Yellen.

Find out more about the Yellen project:

The Yellen project “Rights and Innovations in Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Kayes Region of Mali” is a bilateral cooperation project between the governments of Mali and Canada. It is implemented by a Canadian consortium made up of the Unité de santé internationale of the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (USI - CHUM) and the Centre d'étude et de coopération internationale (CECI).

This project aims at contributing to the transformation of unequal gender relations with regard to the sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) of women and adolescent girls in seven health districts in the Kayes region (Bafoulabé, Diéma, Nioro, Oussoubidiagna, Sagabari, Séféto and Yélimané). It is based on the hypothesis that increasing the decision-making power of women and adolescent girls to take greater control of their own health will encourage greater demand for quality sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, including gender-based violence (GBV) and family planning (FP).

The project proposes an innovative model of collaboration aimed at harmonizing the work of actors from the health services, civil society, in particular women's groups, and decentralized communities. The Yellen project receives financial support from the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.