2025 Award "Best Practice in Citizen Participation"

The Intercommunalité du Bassin du Sankarani (ICBS), which brings together seven (7) communes (municipalities or local governments), developed the Integrated and Sustainable Development Program of the Sankarani Basin (PDIDBS). Cattle fattening is the first project of the PDIDBS to be implemented. To better address the specific needs of women and youth, a number of activities were carried out by the ICBS with the support of its technical and financial partner, the SDLG-Mali program of VNG International.

Quotas were set for women and youth (with each representing 1/3 of the beneficiaries). Information and awareness sessions were organized in the communities, which allowed the participation of women and youth in the project’s management bodies. Additionally, numerous applications were submitted by these two social groups. In addition to community meetings, local radios were fully utilized.

The quotas set were fully respected during the selection of beneficiaries by the municipal commissions, and validated by the intercommunal commission (28 women and 28 youth out of a total of 84 beneficiaries).

The beneficiaries were trained in cattle fattening and received financial support (for purchasing cattle, feed, and veterinary products) and technical support (especially for health monitoring).

All stakeholders in the project, particularly women and youth, testified to the participatory nature and transparency of the process for choosing members for the management bodies and selecting the beneficiaries. In this regard, the project fostered social cohesion and community living within the intercommunality, according to the stakeholders.

For more information: www.communebaya.com (External link)