The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) is joining the Food for Work and Food for Training programs to aid 26,000 children and support the livelihoods of 27,000 men in Mali, one of the poorest countries in the world.

The project aims to meet the nutritional needs of children under the age of five in the Gao region by distributing food and supporting food security projects.

Without help through the lean season, approximately 2.2 million people—20 percent of the Malian population—are likely to suffer from food insecurity, said Karla Leitzke, country director for ADRA Mali.

“The Northern pastoral areas of Gao region have been among the most affected. In the Ansongo and Gao districts, the distance between pasture and water points becomes more critical every day. Herds have to walk up to 19 to 24 miles a day; that expends more caloric energy than they ingest in a day. In two months’ time, our resources for food may be exhausted,” Leitzke added.

Some 5,000 Malian children in the North already suffer from acute malnutrition, with infant mortality reaching record levels in some Northern areas. “I am glad we are able to intervene immediately,” said Leitzke. “But as the situation is critical, we continue pursuing other funding possibilities to expand our intervention and help more children and their loved ones.”

The four-month project, which is valued at U.S. $41,623, is funded by the World Food Programme (WFP) and ADRA International. It is scheduled to run until mid-January. ADRA Mali also has three ongoing emergency responses funded by WFP in the Kolokani district and the Koulikoro region. They include food distribution for refugees from Cote d’Ivoire, food distribution for four community health centers, and Food for Work and Food for Training projects for communities affected by drought and locust infestations.