In May, I led a third-party monitoring (TPM) mission from Bamako to Mopti and onward by road toward the Koro area, passing through Bandiagara and Bankass.

Choosing to travel by road was not a trivial decision. Access was uncertain, information shifted quickly, and the route itself demanded caution. But independent verification requires presence.

Road and field context during the TPM mission in central Mali.
Team movement and field observations during the TPM mission.
On-site environment documented during the TPM mission.
Community setting observed during the TPM mission.
Mission snapshot from the field visit in central Mali.
Additional field view from the TPM mission in central Mali.

On the ground, we listened more than we spoke. Across community spaces and service points, similar realities kept emerging: displacement, disrupted livelihoods, heightened risks for women and children, and the quiet resilience of people who continue to support one another in difficult conditions.

As head of mission, I felt the weight of two responsibilities at once:

  • the duty of care toward the team;
  • and the duty of accuracy toward the people whose realities we were documenting.

Every note, image, and dataset had to protect identities while still conveying enough truth to inform decisions. We came back not only with evidence, but with practical recommendations on referral pathways, service gaps, and the need to adapt to a context that changes from day to day.