The 16th general assembly of the Association de soutien au village de Forgho in northern Mali was held recently.
At the opening, president Marie-Jo Mennelet emotionally shared the worrying situation in Mali: “I do not have very good news from the country, which is going through even harder days than before.” Indeed, jihadist attacks, shortages, water and electricity cuts, rising prices, and extreme heat make daily life very difficult for the population.
Despite this difficult context, the association maintains a strong bond with its friends in Forgho and Bamako and continues, as much as possible, to respond to their needs with loyalty and solidarity. In her report, Marie-Jo Mennelet highlighted that the schools in Forgho and Kotchekaraï remain open, unlike many institutions in the north and center of the country. Even though no new sponsorships were started this year, ongoing sponsorships continue thanks to the generosity of members and donors.
The aid provided has helped finance school supplies for the new term, the cafeteria, the DEF exams, as well as medicines, seeds, and various works in the schools and villages.
Although few events were organized by the association this year, it did benefit from donations raised during concerts and theater performances.
The financial report remains positive, with income mainly from donations, memberships, and sponsorships. Expenses were primarily allocated to school aid, medicines, seeds, the orphanage in Bamako, and various one-off supports to families and teachers.
After the unanimous adoption of both reports and the renewal of board members, the general assembly ended with the traditional friendly drink and convivial exchanges.
