Malian President Amadou Toumani Touré visits Helen Keller International at SIDEAU

Nearly One-Third of Mali’s People Don’t Have Access to Adequate Drinking Water, Putting Them at Risk of Blindness and Disease

Bamako, Mali, March 12, 2006 – As a collaborating partner in the West African Water Initiative (WAWI), Helen Keller International participated in the second SIDEAU (International Water Show), organized by the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Water of Mali from February 18-22, 2006. A visit from President Amadou Toumani Toure was a highlight of the exhibition.

According to a study by the National Water Supply Division, more than 3.1 million of Mali's 11.5 million people don’t have access to adequate drinking water. The link between access to water and human health is well established. The bacterium that causes blinding trachoma, for example, is prevalent in poor communities with limited access to adequate sanitation and clean water. Better management of water resources addresses critical health needs, and can encourage sustainable development and alleviate poverty.

Trachoma, the leading cause of preventable blindness in the world, is a painful infection of the eye that leads to a build-up of scar tissue, forcing the eyelid to curl inward and rake the cornea, eventually blinding the sufferer. Better management of water resources addresses critical health needs and can encourage sustainable development and alleviate poverty. (For more information about HKI's trachoma programs, please click here.)

This SIDEAU focused on developing a plan of action for the integrated management of water resources; topics discussed included strategic planning, institutional framework, and economic considerations.   WAWI, funded by The Conrad N. Hilton Foundation and USAID, collaborates with organizations, including HKI, to improve the health and well-being of families and communities in Ghana, Mali and Niger. WAWI works to strengthen existing alliances and foster new collaborations to help achieve the Millennium Development Goals. WAWI’s main objectives address: Safe Water and Sanitation, Disease Reduction (trachoma, guinea worm and diarrheal diseases), Water Management, and Effective Partnerships.  

On behalf of all the WAWI partners, Mr. Kourounko Keita, Eye Health Coordinator of HKI Mali, welcomed His Excellency President Amadou Toumani Touré, and provided information about WAWI and its goals and objectives. Mr. Keita also gave a presentation about HKI’s programs in Eye Health and Nutrition, including HKI's rural radios initiative ( or Nieta Kunafoni), food fortification projects, and trachoma school health activities.

President Touré expressed gratitude for WAWI’s and HKI’s hard work on behalf of Malians and encouraged a continuation of activities that contribute to Mali’s efforts to reach the Millennium Development Goals.

Kourounko Keita of HKI-Mali welcoming President Tour é to the WAWI stand at SIDEAU.