Toroly Area Program

The Toroly community is located in a rural area of central eastern Mali, about 740 km from Bamako, the capital city. Temperatures may reach 40-45ºC in the hottest season, from March to June. From June to mid-October is the rainy season, but the average rainfall is only 400-500 mm per year. In the dry season which starts in November, the harmattan, a hot and dry dusty wind, blows across the land.

The soils are sandy or clay. There are very few trees in the area, except in the south where there is a small forest. The community has no river, so families access water using the traditional method of hand-dug wells. The water table is very deep, and the ground is full of huge rocks, making it difficult to dig a viable well. Some areas of the community have spent three to seven years hand-digging a well without reaching water.

Homes in Toroly are made out of mud with thatched roofs. There is no electricity or running water. Agriculture is the main source of income for 90% of households. Millet is the most common crop, grown for food and income. Sorghum, beans, maize, peanuts, and vegetables are occasionally grown. Many families keep livestock as well. Overall, farm production is inadequate to provide families with enough food or income to meet their basic needs. The staple food is a type of porridge called "Dèguè or "pounou, made from powdered millet mixed with water and occasionally sugar.