Children Under Attack
The conflict in Mali is intensifying with more violent attacks driving waves of displacement and heartbreak. The impact on children is devastating. Loss of their homes and their loved ones has left children vulnerable and in urgent need of support. This collection invites you into the lives of four Malian children and helps us better understand the complex crisis and how it’s tearing childhoods apart.
According to the Government and IOM, nearly 70,000 displaced people are registered in the Mopti region. The region of Mopti now accommodates 70% of all displaced people in Mali, most are children.
Drawings of home from children displaced by the crisis.
Sala was injured in the crisis. He was arrested and thrown in the truck on to broken glass. After three days of driving the desert, he was so badly injured his arm had to be amputated. He's now trying to get back to his home. Sala also lost two fingers on his remaining hand so he’s in recovery and UNICEF teams are trying to locate his family so he can be reunited.
Fatou is 13 and she has a two-month-old baby. Like many girls affected by the crisis in Mali, she's out of school, which exposed her to sexual violence and exploitation. Fatou was homeless for part of the pregnancy after being kicked out by her family. After the birth, UNICEF helped her reconcile with her aunt so she's back home. Fatou dreams of going back to school so she can open her own business.
Ahmed’s father was killed a month ago in a raid by bandits. They stole everything that he owns. His wish is to go back to what it was like before the crisis, when he looked after the animals for his father. Now he’s the oldest boy in the family and he feels the burden of responsibility to look after his mother and his little brothers and sisters.
Abdoulaye has suffered a lot because of the crisis. He witnessed violence when he saw his family killed in front of him. He got caught up in a militia and was put to work cleaning vehicles after combat. He escaped from the militia and because of UNICEF support he's opened up his own boutique in the market of Gao. His biggest wish is to protect other children from what he's been through.
A poetic meditation on children in flight.
We asked children displaced by the crisis in Mali to write down their wishes and dreams in chalk. These photos tell a story of loss and longing for home, but also of hopes, resilience and recovery.
Children caught in the crisis in Mali are determined to get back to normal in the midst of conflict and ongoing violence.