Initially for Mafele school but possibly for other schools in the Manankoro area. Standard desks in Mali accommodate two (sometimes three or four!) children and incorporate benches attached to the desk. While in theory the state aims to provide free primary education for all, in practice it doesn’t yet have the resources to do so and parents are frequently asked to make contributions to school maintenance and equipment. With increasing primary school enrolment there is a growing need for desks to accommodate growing pupil numbers, in addition to the need to replace old equipment. J&D helps meet this need.

For Reflect circles teaching adult literacy and for primary schools in the Manankoro area. J&D supports communities to set up Reflect circles to discuss local issues and develop initiatives to improve life in their villages. These circles also provide literacy teaching based on the needs of the participants. J&D has started to sponsor accelerated learning for a number of children who have dropped out of school or passed the normal age for enrolment. This involves training teachers and providing classroom equipment until the children can rejoin the formal system

Schools often cannot provide enough text books and stationery so again parents have to provide equipment that they can often ill afford. School starter packs containing exercise books, pens and pencils, a slate and basic text books with a school bag to carry them in can enable a child to go to school. Such packs can be offered as prizes to encourage achievement or to support particularly poor families.

For schools and village teams. Sporting events for both boys and girls provide valuable leisure pursuits, encourage cooperation and enhance the life of the community.

For the Reproductive Health Programme in Bamako and the Manankoro health initiative. Offering access to condoms to young men and women in urban areas enables them to protect themselves from HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections as well as avoiding unwanted pregnancy. While contraception is available in towns it is not always easily accessible to young unmarried people. J&D supports and trains a group of young educators who work in their local schools and communities to provide information, advice and contraception to their peers. In rural areas access to condoms is less widespread. J&D health workers train and support health volunteers in villages where they provide health advice and sell condoms. This enables couples to plan their families thus improving the health of women and children as well as offering greater protection from HIV/AIDS.

For the clinic in Wogoma village and for J&D health workers. Health clinics are few and far between in remote areas such as Manankoro. Women and children often have to travel many kilometres to access health care. J&D works to facilitate better access to health care and this includes supporting community health centres with equipment and management training. In addition J&D health workers fairly minimal equipment needs replacing. Items to be purchased include:

in the Manankoro area – women’s groups have developed gardens to grow vegetables both to eat and to sell. This has multiple benefits in that it improves the nutritional content of their families’ diet, increases their income and enhances organisational and management skills. J&D recognises that women play an essential role in the well being of their children and are also playing an increasingly important role in public life so supporting local women’s initiatives is an effective approach to community development. Money will be used to buy seeds and equipment for the gardens such as watering cans .

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provide protection against malaria which is one of the most serious health problems and kills many people every year, particularly young children. Nets impregnated with insecticide are more effective than ordinary nets.