Mali

Near East Foundation began its work in Mali in 1984 in response to a severe drought that left the country in crisis. NEF’s subsequent work in the country has largely focused on combating endemic poverty, improving food security, peacefully resolving conflicts, managing shared resources, and mitigating climate change impacts.

NEF has built enduring relationships and trust in northern Mali by providing effective and successful initiatives at multiple scales - from isolated villages to local governments to national policy arenas. NEF's programs have directly improved the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and contributed to durable improvements in the regions of Mopti and Timbuktu.

NEF has become a leader and innovator in Mali. Combining rights-based institutional development, policy research and advocacy, and capacity building for local governments and community-based organizations, the models for sustainable natural resource management developed by NEF in rural Mali have spread across Africa.