If you wish to get involved with initiatives in Mali, we suggest a great organization called Mali Health.
In 2004, Maxime Dembele, a village health worker and Monique’s favorite cousin founded the rural health clinic Cabinet de Soins Monique, or Clinique Monique, in Monique’s honor. The clinic is located in Kouri, a small town in Mali with a population of roughly 5,000 people on the Burkino Faso border, just east of Koutiala, where Monique was born, and Nampossela (too small to be on the map!), where Monique worked.
If you’ve read the book, you know that women in this region have a lifetime risk of dying in childbirth or pregnancy of 1 in 12. This part of the world also has one of the fewest physicians and nursing persons per capita.
Proceeds from sales of Monique and the Mango Rains and donations from individuals and groups have expanded the capabilities of this clinic, as well as provided school tuition assistance and health care for Monique’s children and dozens of other village kids. We have raised over $88,000 to support these initiatives!!
Today, the clinic is up and operating. Angele, Monique’s sister is a midwife herself, and Monique's eldest daughter Genevieve is the mother of a baby boy.
We are no longer raising money for the clinic, and are able to support education initiatives through book royalties.
Thanks so much for your interest and support!
– Kris Holloway and John Bidwell, February 2018