« When we arrived in Mopti, we were housed in a school. We were given plenty of supplies, » explains a displaced person from Kouakourou with gratitude, « rice, tea, sugar, oil, powdered milk… This aid comes from an individual who prefers to remain anonymous, and the local council manages the distributions. »

« But living in a school is far from ideal, » he laments. « Some sleep outside in the courtyard. When it rains, we all crowd into the classrooms. It’s unbearable. The food is sufficient, but this isn’t living. There are over 400 of us in the school. »

Today, Kouakourou village stands completely abandoned. After the ultimatum issued by JNIM jihadists, residents had no choice. « Being forced to leave your home, to abandon everything you own—it’s horrific, » another displaced resident testifies. « What we want most is to return home. Some left with nothing but the clothes on their backs. The terrorists even took our phones. Worse still, this tragedy struck right as we were preparing for the farming season. We’ll have to give up on this year’s harvest—it’s heartbreaking. »