“Upon arriving in Mopti, we were housed in a school. We received generous supplies—rice, tea, sugar, oil, powdered milk…” explains a displaced resident of Kouakourou, expressing gratitude. “This aid comes from an anonymous donor, and the local authorities coordinate the distributions.”

“But living in a school is far from ideal,” he admits. “Some sleep outside in the courtyard. When it rains, we’re all crammed into classrooms. It’s unbearable. While food isn’t lacking, it’s no way to live. Over 400 of us share this space.”

The village of Kouakourou now stands deserted. After an ultimatum from JNIM jihadists, residents had no choice but to leave. “Being forced from our homes, abandoning everything we own—it’s devastating,” shares another displaced resident. “All we want is to return home. Some fled with only the clothes on their backs. The terrorists even took our phones. Worse, we were midway through preparing for the farming season—now we must abandon it entirely, and that’s heartbreaking.”