120 young girls were welcomed in the reception centers of the project, most of whom were in a street situation and others from precarious families.

Many of these girls aged 12 to 17 fled their families following the physical, psychological and sexual violence inflicted on them. Others are migrant girls who came from the village to Bamako as housekeepers. The accommodation and the different care (health, medical, psychological, clothing) as well as the activity program (training, literacy, education in life skills, occupational therapy, psychological support group) have made it possible to create a protective framework conducive to girls' resilience and stabilization. Life skills such as learning body and health hygiene, meal preparation and others have helped to empower girls and enable them to project themselves into the future in relation to the role they will have to play in the family entity. The playful and recreational approach introduced in the reception centers by the psychologist has underlined the positive impact of games on girls, in particular through better listening, greater serenity (evacuation of stress) and has contributed to the integration new girls in the centers.

Thus a large number of them have been trained in cutting and sewing, fabric dyeing (very popular in Mali) as well as in the hotel and tourism industries. Others too young, aged 8 to 13, have taken literacy classes, one of the center's key activities aimed at out-of-school and out-of-school girls. This activity helps to stabilize them and facilitate their integration into the centre.

The return and stability of children in the family is our fundamental objective. All support work takes place within this framework. It allows girls to resume a normal life with their families and better integrate into society. Returns to the family are carried out from the center by the educators and often with the psychologist. It is the result of the psycho-medico-social support process of a multidisciplinary team and a synergy of action between the partners and the team of the ECPAT Luxembourg coordination office. It is open to parents wishing to come and visit their daughter and/or to pick them up in agreement with the educators and the consent of the daughter.

As part of their stay in the reception centres, the girls were able, at their request, to re-establish ties with their families through regular family visits for the prospect of returning to the family. To date, about forty girls have returned to their families, others are still at the center or have returned to their host families to resume their work as domestic helpers. Returning to the family is a long process that can take several months or even a year!

The purpose of family visits is to restore the links between the girl and her family, to raise awareness among the family and to establish collaboration between the latter and the centre. Visits are often requested by the girls following listening, sensitization, talks and counselling. These visits allow the girl and the family to be prepared for her reintegration into the family.

For girls who live in difficult conditions with their family, these visits allow them to better understand their vulnerability and to have a better analysis of their situation. This will then make it possible to develop a life project with the young girl. These visits promote the return and stability of young girls in the family.

Author: ECPAT Luxembourg

Photo credit: A. Grojean