Inauguration Ceremony

The "Centre of Hope" was officially opened on 22nd December 2005 during a ceremony that was attended by dignitaries from Qatar, Mali and Islamic Relief Worldwide.

The delegation from Qatar was lead by His Eminence Faisal Abdullah al-Mahmoud the minister of endowments and Islamic affairs in Qatar.

The Prime Minister of Mali, Mr Ousmane Oussifou Maiga, attended the ceremony and cut the ribbon to mark the inauguration of the centre. The ceremony was also attended by Mali's minister of women, children and the family, Mrs N'Diaye Sene.

The dignitaries were welcomed by the President of Islamic Relief, Dr. Hany El Banna, and were treated to a choir recitation performed by orphans sponsored by IR donors.

Centre of Hope

The "Centre of Hope" extends IR's existing orphan welfare programme in Bamako and will significantly improve the lives of orphans and their families.

Islamic Relief will provide basic health and nutrition services to orphans and their families, in addition to emotional support. Through this project, families looking after orphaned children will be allowed to reinforce their ability to care for the orphans.

IR donors currently sponsor 851 orphans in Mali and it is expected that around 10,500 orphans and families will benefit from the medical services available at the centre.

The two-storey complex also serves as a training centre for young graduates to help reduce unemployment in the country. The centre offers training in computer skills and the English language and can accommodate the training needs of 550 trainees.

IR in Mali

Islamic Relief has worked in Mali since 1997 when it focussed mainly on emergency relief projects. Since then, IR's work in Mali has included school meals for children, water and sanitation projects, education and income generation, particularly with refugees in the north of the country.