Translation
Last week-end the NGO Sini Sanuman held the opening ceremony in Sikoroni for its Project in Support of the Populations of the district (he means District I of Bamako) that works both against harmful traditional practices and for the health of women and young girls. The project will last 18 months with a UNICEF grant of 137 million cfa (about $300,000.)*
Sini Sanuman's Project in Support of the Communities of District I against female genital mutilation or excision will take place in four communities of that district of Bamako. These are the neighborhoods of: Sikoroni, Banconi, Fadjiguila and Doumanzana. To reach the target groups of the project, that is to say young girls and women, the group (SIni Sanuman) counts on the serious involvement of all the leaders, the local authorities and the media and health professionals.
Excision is an old practice that is spread widely throughout Mali as shown by the numbers in the Health and Demographic Survey (EDS) of 2006.
Siaka Traoré, Sini Sanuman president speaking: "The EDSM-4 (Health & Demographic Survey of Mali #4) shows that there is an over-all prevalence of excision of 85.2 percent among women from the ages of 15 to 49 in Mali. According to the 2006 survey, Bamako is in fourth place in terms of the prevalence of this practice, after the regions of Kayes, Koulikoro and Sikasso, with 92.6%.
Alpha Z. Doumbia, assistant mayor of District I speaking: "Let me call on the whole community to get involved to assure the success of this project. I want to especially call on the traditional communicators or 'griots,' the religious authorities, the neighborhood chiefs, the local radio people and the local government of District I."
This opening ceremony attracted many notable personalities, and all were treated to performances by artists, especially the Traditional Folkloric Group of Sikoroni.
(*Actually UNICEF gave Sini Sanuman about half that, the rest being the contribution of Sini Sanuman and the community, who are allowed to count their volunteer time as their contribution.)
