ILO project strengthens resilience and social cohesion through inclusive livelihoods and jobs in Mali

Bamako (ILO News) - An ILO Employment-Intensive Investment Programme (EIIP) project aimed at enhancing livelihoods and peaceful coexistence between internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host communities was successfully completed in peri-urban Bamako in March 2026.

Funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the one-year project piloted Japanese STEIN soil stabilization technology using locally available resources, while demonstrating the effectiveness of EIIP approaches in creating decent jobs and improving access to essential services through the rehabilitation of local roads.

The project generated 9,764 workdays and employed 120 workers from IDPs and host communities (35 per cent women, 65 per cent men). Employment was created through labour-intensive road works combined with technical training on stone trades delivered by the Senou Vocational Training Centre, and awareness sessions on occupational safety and health (OSH), conflict prevention and resolution, gender equality, and decent work principles. Together, these interventions strengthened employability and contributed to social cohesion between communities. On the ground, the works included the paving of 350 metres of roads and the reinforcement of 135 metres using STEIN technology, improving mobility, access to services and local connectivity.

In parallel, the project strengthened institutional capacity through targeted training for local authorities, social partners, and enterprises on EIIP approaches, labour standards, and technical supervision, helping to ensure sustainability beyond the project's lifespan.

At the project's closing ceremony on 18 March, attended by the Ambassador of Japan to Mali, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of National Entrepreneurship, Employment and Professional Training Government reaffirmed the Government's commitment to scaling up the initiative nationally through Mon Quartier, Mon HIMO and the establishment of a National EIIP Programme.

During a subsequent visit to the project site, the ILO Director-General, Mr Gilbert F. Houngbo, congratulated Mali on the inauguration of the rehabilitated roads, underscoring their broader impact.

For the ILO, this is more than a road - it is a lever for jobs, skills and hope for young people.

The official visit by Mr Houngbo highlighted the rehabilitated infrastructure as a catalyst for employment, skills development, and renewed hope, particularly for young people in fragile and displacement-affected contexts.