This project begins by collecting data and conducting research on the effectiveness of western methods of larval source management in Mali. During 2021 and 2022, the effects of the COVID pandemic complicated shipping options to Mali, but by late 2022, we succeeded in delivering a shipping container full of equipment and supplies to Ouelessebougou. In early summer of 2023, when the rainy season begins in Mali, the team will launch their data gathering and research.

At that time, our US and Mali team members will gather in Ouelessebougou and identify the problematic water sources where malaria-carrying mosquitoes are breeding in five rural villages. These are the “case villages” where mosquito abatement treatments will be administered and the incidence of malaria will be tracked. The team will also track the mosquitos, water sources, and malaria cases in five “control villages” where no treatments will be administered. One year of malaria control treatments should lead us to reliable conclusions about the effectiveness of the methods in decreasing the incidence of malaria in rural Mali.

Once the research is completed for this ground-breaking project, the team will publish their findings. Since these malaria control methods are already proven in the US and throughout the western world, there is a high probability that they will be effective in Mali. With positive findings in hand, we plan to partner with larger organizations to scale the project across southern Mali and potentially and jumpstart similar projects through out the African continent. The life-saving effect of this project in Mali will be immeasurable.