Fighting cleft lip and palate: Bahané’s story
Bahané, aged 9, was born with a cleft lip and palate in Cameroon, suffering rejection and stigmatization. After several failed surgeries, the help of ALIMA and ALVF-EN changed her life. Discover her story of resilience and reconstruction.
In the Shadow of Childbirth: The Silent Ravages of Obstetric Fistula in Cameroon’s Far North
In the Far North of Cameroon, obstetric fistula plunges thousands of women into devastating silence and stigmatization. Thanks to ALIMA and its partners, they benefit from free care and social reintegration. Haouat and Josiane have regained their dignity and hope after years of suffering, thanks to reconstructive surgery.
Ensuring Healthcare Continuity Despite Insecurity: 3 Questions to Dr. Mathieu, Alima Project Manager in the Tillabéri Region, Niger
In the Tillabéri region of northwest Niger, the security crisis is complicating access to healthcare for thousands of displaced people. ALIMA is responding to the urgent needs of communities affected by conflict. Dr. Mathieu, ALIMA’s Project Manager in this region, explains how his team manages to ensure continuity of care despite the omnipresent insecurity.
The Plastik Project Revolutionizing Medical Waste Management in Burkina Faso
The waste of two essential items in the healthcare and nutritional response in sub-Saharan Africa poses significant environmental pollution. How can their impact be minimized? Addressing this issue is the central mission of the PLASTIK project, led by ALIMA teams in Burkina Faso and Chad since April 2022. Dr. Céline Estelle Beogo, project coordinator in Burkina Faso, provides insights into their efforts
Haiti: When Churches and Schools Become Refuges for Internally Displaced Persons
Mélanie Blond, ALIMA’s Director of Communications, traveled to Haiti to document the living conditions of internally displaced persons. In her report, she details the critical situation faced by the inhabitants and the assistance provided by ALIMA in various sites in Port-au-Prince.
Fighting the Mpox virus deep in the Democratic Republic of Congo
“First one of my children fell ill, then another, then a third. Soon all my eight children were sick, with the same marks on their skin, and our neighbors started accusing us of witchcraft,” says Kasongo Kikumbe, a farmer from Kapongo village in the lush green forests of Maniema province in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Innovative Mobile Ultrasound Scanner Saving Lives of Pregnant Women in Remote Guinea (video)
It’s truly a relief. The arrival of mobile ultrasound scanners in several health centers in the Telimele prefecture, located northwest of Guinea’s capital Conakry, has been revolutionary for many families. Previously inaccessible to most women in the area until mid-2023, ultrasound is now becoming more widely available and drawing women to health facilities throughout their pregnancies.
Women in Cameroon Travel Miles to Secure Healthcare Access for Their Communities
Access to healthcare is a challenge in Cameroon’s North-West and South-West (NWSW) anglophone regions, which have been in conflict since 2017. Insecurity, inadequate health facilities, and the great distances between villages and medical centers are obstacles for communities to access quality care. In this difficult context, women, known as community relays, tirelessly travel kilometers every day with a single goal: to raise awareness in their communities about the vital healthcare services provided by ALIMA and its local partner DEMTOU Humanitaire since 2020.
Video Report: Traditional Birth Attendants Saving Lives With a Mobile App
In the Central African Republic, a new project is transforming maternal care by involving matrons, traditional birth attendants, in the management of high-risk pregnancies. The project, called “Wakobo Ti Kodro,” uses an innovative mobile app to improve maternal and child health in a region with some of the highest mortality rates in the world.
My adventure at ALIMA
I joined the ALIMA team in January 2024. A month and a half later, I was lucky enough to go on a mission to Mali and then to Burkina Faso. Despite my fatigue, and spurred by my passion for storytelling, I continued my journey across the Senegal River into Mauritania. In just a few weeks, I was able to get to the heart of our work. Instead of just key figures on paper, I saw people. Beyond funding, I found the real support that my colleagues provide. And in place of logical frameworks, I saw landscapes, villages, and towns.
