The devastation of displaced families from Kouakourou, Mali

“When we arrived in Mopti, we were settled in a school,” recounts a displaced resident of Kouakourou with deep gratitude. “We received so much—rice, tea, sugar, oil, powdered milk… All of it came from an anonymous donor, and the local government coordinated the distributions.”

“But living in a school is unbearable,” he continues. “Some sleep outside in the courtyard. When it rains, we’re all crammed into classrooms. It’s unbearable. We’re not lacking food, but this isn’t a life. Over 400 of us are squeezed into this school.”

The village of Kouakourou now lies completely abandoned. After an ultimatum issued by Jnim jihadists, residents had no choice but to flee. “Being forced from our homes, leaving everything behind—it’s horrific,” shares another displaced villager. “What we want most is to return home. Some left with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The terrorists even took our phones. Worse, we were in the middle of preparing for the farming season when this tragedy struck. We’ll have to forgo this year’s harvest, and that’s devastating.”