Families displaced from the Faladiè market in Bamako are facing dire conditions ahead of Tabaski, struggling to prepare for the festival after their makeshift camp was dismantled. The evacuation has left hundreds without adequate shelter or resources, forcing them to improvise in an already devastated space.

Among them is Aminata, a mother of four who fled violence in Bankass, Bandiagara region, seven years ago. She now shares a cramped, unfit space in the former Centre amis des enfants with other displaced households. The site, originally designed for educational activities, offers no proper living conditions. As she prepares for the holiday, Aminata reflects on the immediate needs of her community.

“The lack of a suitable relocation site is taking a toll—not just on our living conditions but on our health. We urgently need food supplies, medicine, cooking oil, and even festive clothing for the children,” she shares, her voice heavy with concern.

lost livelihoods and dashed hopes for Tabaski

Just half a kilometer away, two young shepherds, Fousseyni (14) and Oumar (15), watch as a butcher slaughters a sheep. Their usual income—preparing and transporting livestock for Tabaski—has vanished since the market’s eviction. The boys used to earn around 2,000 CFA francs per task, a crucial supplement for their families.

Fousseyni, his face etched with disappointment, recalls last year’s bustling trade. “This time last year, we were busy selling sheep and delivering cattle. The money helped us buy essentials. Now, we’re left idle, waiting in vain for scraps of work,” he admits, his words underscoring the economic ripple effects of the displacement.

Local and international aid groups, including social development authorities and humanitarian organizations, continue to monitor conditions at the temporary center. However, with no designated relocation site in sight, the displaced remain in limbo, their future uncertain as Tabaski approaches.