International Development Grant
Yellen - Rights and Innovations in Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Kayes Region of Mali
Project Number: CA-3-P006541001
Status: Operational
Country/Region:
Maximum Contribution: $20,198,232.00
Start Date: April 06, 2020
End Date: August 31, 2025
Duration: 5.4 years
Project Description
The Yellen project - meaning 'light' in Bambara - works to enable women and adolescent girls in Kayes one of the poorest and most underserved regions in Mali to benefit from quality health services by improving their knowledge increasing their decision-making power and their ability to influence their sexual and reproductive health and rights. The project proposes an innovative model of collaboration to harmonize the work of health service actors at the state civil society (especially women's groups) and decentralized community levels. Project activities include: (1) supporting Mali's Ministry of Health and Social Affairs in the implementation of the Social Health Development Programme specifically improving sexual and reproductive health and rights; (2) providing training and equipping health workers to deliver quality services that meet the specific needs of women and adolescent girls; and (3) constructing and rehabilitating community health centres and providing equipment and inputs for the delivery of sexual and reproductive health services including family planning and emergency obstetric care. The project aims to reach more than 540 000 women and adolescents. Management teams from three regional directorates (health social development and solidarity economy and promotion of women children and family) and seven health districts from the Kayes region are also beneficiaries. Overall the project is expected to reach 1 255 944 people from Kayes dispersed in 951 villages focusing on 300 villages.
Expected Results
The expected outcomes of this project include: (1) increased decision-making power of women and adolescent girls and women on sexual and reproductive health and rights including family planning; (2) increased provision of quality sexual and reproductive health and rights services that meet the needs expressed by women and adolescent girls including care related to gender-based violence and family planning; and (3) improved leadership of the regional government structure and district leadership teams in defending sexual and reproductive health and rights promoting gender equality and combating gender-based violence.
Progress & Results Achieved
The results achieved as of March 2025 include: 1) The construction rehabilitation and equipping of 15 community health centers including 8 newly built facilities and 2 maternity waiting homes by the Yellen project enhancing access to sexual and reproductive health services across seven districts in the Kayes region; 2) Access for 77 777 individuals including 39 557 women to the health infrastructure built and rehabilitated by the project; 3) The active participation of 2 450 women who are members of Women Users’ Committees in advocacy activities aimed at strengthening their leadership and challenging sociocultural barriers that hinder their rights; 4) The sensitization of 2 280 students including 1 125 girls across six educational academies in Kayes empowering them to become agents of change within their communities; 5) The mobilization and training of 516 men through the “Schools for Husbands” initiative engaging them in the promotion of women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights and the fight against gender-based violence; 6) The direct reach of 1 487 366 residents of Kayes including 327 220 women through project activities aimed at reducing gender inequalities in sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Key Information
Executing Agency:
CHUM-USI CECI
Reporting Organization:
Global Affairs Canada
Program:
WGM Africa
Last Modified:
September 19, 2025
Development Classifications
DAC Sector:
Aid Type: Project-type interventions
Collaboration: Bilateral
Finance Type: Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Selection Mechanism:
Unsolicited Proposal