Bamako, Mali, December 18, 2025 — On International Migrants Day, the International Rescue Committee (IRC) announces that its Mali country programme has received an additional €350,000 in funding from the European Union to strengthen its emergency response in central and north-western Mali, supporting displaced communities who are facing a triple threat of security, climate and health crises.
The funding, now totalling €1.25 million for this one-year project that started in May 2025, will expand the IRC’s ongoing emergency humanitarian operations in the Mopti region and surrounding areas, including Kareri, Diafarabé and Douentza, as well as newly displaced populations from Léré, which has been under a new blockade since October. The IRC expects this top-up to enable its teams to reach an additional 12,633 people with critical health, nutrition and protection services, bringing the total number of people supported under the project to more than 65,000.
As part of the response, the IRC deployed four mobile health clinics to areas where health facilities were non-functional or access was severely constrained. These clinics provided primary healthcare, early treatment for acute malnutrition and referrals for severe cases, while also offering psychosocial support, legal assistance and civil documentation services to affected populations. Community health workers trained by the IRC conducted malnutrition screening and prevention activities, strengthening early detection and timely care at community level.
In parallel, the IRC strengthened health centres in Youwarou and Tenenkou to ensure continuity of specialised nutrition care, with a clear strategy to support long-term sustainability. The organisation also strengthened its Rapid Response Mechanism, enabling the delivery of flexible, multisectoral assistance within 72 hours of alerts. This included cash transfers and in-kind support for water, sanitation, food security and shelter, made possible through enhanced humanitarian monitoring systems and strong partnerships with local actors.
Matias Meier, IRC Country Director in Mali, said:
“On International Migrants Day, this project highlights the critical role of EU funding in reaching displaced and mobile communities caught in fragile contexts. By working closely with local partners and combining health, nutrition and protection services with EU-funded rapid and adaptive humanitarian response mechanisms, we have been able to deliver timely, life-saving assistance while strengthening community resilience and local systems to better withstand future crises.”