Young Life Mali
Reaching the young people of Mali
Young Life began in Mali in 2009 and the Lord has worked in powerful ways. Despite political and religious challenges, Young Life in Mali has developed 138 ministries where leaders knew 145,576 kids by name in 2024!
In 2023, leaders knew 14,684 teens by name in Mali.
Mali
- Population: 24,628,347
- Main languages: French
- Number of ministries: 233
Mali Summary
Mali is a large west African country with Islamic radical rebels controlling the northern desert regions, with relative peace in the southern region. After gaining its independence from France in 1960, Mali suffered droughts, rebellions, a coup and 23 years of military dictatorship until democratic elections in 1992. Among the 25 poorest countries in the world, Mali is a landlocked country that depends on gold mining and agricultural exports for revenue. With a population of over 20 million people, over 90% are Muslim and Christians make up less than 5% of the country. Half of the population is under the age of 18. French is the official national language, although there are 13 national languages spoken in Mali in addition to French.
Since beginning in 2009, Young Life Mali has experienced continual growth. With 682 volunteer leaders, we have seen an answer to prayer for leader recruitment and engagement. Christianity is not widely accepted in Mali which makes ministry challenging. Yet, over 10,000 kids attend club each week to hear the truth of Jesus Christ. Over 2,000 of these kids have joined a small group Bible study and continue to grow in their faith, despite the possible persecution they will face because of it.
Shots from the field
Our impact
| 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kids Known by Name | 7,032 | 10,839 | 14,883 | 14,684 | 16,820 | |
| Avg. Kids at Clubs | 4,904 | 4,583 | 2,458 | 3,914 | 6,241 | 10,276 |
| Avg. Kids in Campaigners | 1,215 | 1,082 | 1,058 | 1,418 | 1,846 | 2,063 |
| Number of Ministries | 85 | 90 | 102 | 117 | 138 | 155 |
| National Staff | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 17 |
| DGL | 4 | 7 | 10 | 11 | n/a | |
| Kids to Camp | 2,028 | 1,020 | 1,428 | 1,746 | 1,493 | 2,701 |
Our ministries
Since Mali is an incredibly dangerous place to proclaim Christianity, we are so thankful for the staff and leaders who are faithful to His calling despite the danger. Over 10,000 kids, many of them Muslim, attend club each week to hear the truth of Jesus Christ. Over 2,000 of these kids have joined a small group Bible study and continue to grow in their faith, despite the inevitable danger and persecution they will face because of it.
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