During the 2012 Crisis in northern Mali, many were forced to flee their homes and businesses after they were attacked and invaded first by Tuareg Separatists and then Islamic Jihadists. These people became refugees in their own country.
Aissiata, a restaurateur, Nahoum, a farmer, and Hamaye, a carpenter, were all forced to flee their businesses for months to years. When they returned, they were not alone. NEF, in partnership with USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), were among the first responders to help all those displaced by the crisis rebuild their livelihoods through innovative initiatives to develop long-term sustainable economic recovery in Mali.