Naimatou still treats her village

Two years ago, we met Naimatou and told her story : From survival to success. She had participated in a cash transfer programme in her village of Konobougou, located along the road between Bamako, Mali’s capital, and Ségou, the first major town heading north.

She told us how the financial support allowed her to invest in equipment to launch a galette stand—offering one of Mali’s favorite breakfast snacks. We recently caught up with her.

“I remember when every day was a struggle to survive. When I received support from UNICEF’s programme, I saw a glimmer of hope—a starting point toward a future I never dared to imagine. Today, that support has transformed my life, and the lives of my children and grandchildren. I’m now on a new path—one of growth and ambition,” says Naimatou.

Her business has continued to grow.

“Thanks to my galette sales, my customer base keeps expanding. Every day, I turn 40 kilograms of millet into delicious galettes. And During Ramadan, demand soars—I used two tonnes of grain to meet the needs throughout the month.”

“The success of my business has helped me build a solid future. With the income I’ve earned, I completed the construction of a brick house with two bedrooms and a living room. I installed a metal awning in front of the house to protect us from the sun and rain, and added a small shop at the entrance of the courtyard. This transformation doesn’t benefit me alone—my entire family now lives in happiness and peace. Today, I’m not just a vendor—I’m an accomplished woman, proud of what I’ve built and ready to go even further.”

In addition to raising her five children, Naimatou now looks after her six grandchildren, all of whom live with her and attend school.

Naimatou received cash transfers through the joint WFP–UNICEF programme “Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic through Social Protection Systems in the Sahel,” financially supported by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the German Development Bank (KfW).

The programme is now in its second phase. The initial phase ran from July 2020 to December 2024. During that time, UNICEF provided cash transfers to more than 80,000 households, each accompanied by complementary services focused on human capital development and child protection. These services included training on financial literacy, nutrition, health, and prevention of violence against children. UNICEF also supported the registration of over 300,000 households in the country’s national social registries.