On 16-17 December 2024, I took part in the Sahel Symposium 2024, a hybrid and bilingual event co-hosted by Uppsala University’s Forum for Africa Studies and the Institut des Sciences Humaines (ISH) in Bamako. The symposium, organised around citizen perspectives on societal challenges, brought together scholars and practitioners to discuss research and practical responses to major issues in the Sahel.
The event linked two physical venues, one in Uppsala and one in Bamako, while also welcoming online participants. That dual-site format made it possible to hold an inclusive dialogue across institutions and countries.
I was involved in two ways: as part of the organising effort and as a presenter. During the session on building international and transnational research networks, I shared reflections on conference organisation and transnational collaboration, drawing on experiences such as the Mande Studies Association conference.
I also presented HealthyMaman, a project supported by RSTMH, during the session on developing partnerships. My talk highlighted the project’s milestones, especially its SMS-based approach to improving antenatal care attendance in Mali. A live demonstration of the application showed group messaging, weekly updates, and adaptable multilingual communication templates.
Participating in the symposium was enriching both as a presenter and as an organiser. It offered a strong platform for sharing ideas, demonstrating concrete solutions, and building lasting partnerships around societal challenges.
For more about the symposium and its sessions, see Forum for Africa Studies and the Citizen Perspectives in Mali programme.
