Newsletter December 2019

Africa uses the smartphone. Although Africa is one of the poorest continents in the world, in the last decade the number of mobile phones (and smartphones) has also grown considerably for very different reasons. Sometimes it can be a work tool: for example, a fisherman without the means to keep his catch fresh will risk seeing it goes bad if he does not find customers during the day. With a mobile phone he can contact his customers to know if for a certain day there is demand for fish and, if not, to engage in other activities. But very widely it is a tool to keep in touch with emigrated friends and family, the youngest, especially those who intend to leave, to exchange messages, videos, photos.

A common tool also in Mali. All this has been highlighted in the Strategic Communication Plan that has been possible to develop through the data and indications that have been collected through the research survey carried out by ISMU and Instrategies on the imagery of Malian migration in order to define the most effective tools to use for the campaign and to reach the target more effectively. A strategic choice confirmed by the results of the direct comparison with the target through forums with people and the analysis carried out directly on the ground together with the Malian support of LE TONUS NGO and the WABARIA communication agency that supports the dissemination work and production of the campaign communication tools in the project area.

Even in Africa as in Europe, young people exchange content via smartphone. Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, even young Africans like Europeans use their smartphone to exchange information, listen to music, share content. These are some of the reasons that led the project partners to create an App as an additional information and awareness tool within the TAMA365 communication campaign. Therefore, the project will develop an APP with the aim of keeping the target group informed on possible projects, funding and / or any kind of support for socio-economic development in Mali and to guarantee them a dignified life. There will also be information to facilitate the “return” and on the possible investments of remittances from the Malian diaspora in Europe.

The design of the TAMA365 application. The responsible for the design of the App. will be CARDET, a project partner. The App. will have a similar structure of the Blog, specifically: a section of the menu is dedicated to the AWARTMALI PROJECT where objectives, activities and partnership are described and where to find updates on the main News, blog contents and Communication Campaign.

Another important section is INFORMATION ON THE RISKS OF IRREGULAR MIGRATION AND THE POSSIBILITY OF A REGULAR MIGRATION with access to all the most up-to-date documentation on regular migration paths with all the legal information and the required documents.

But the most important section will be the one relating to the SOCIO-ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES in Mali which will make available all the useful information for the development of ongoing projects and opportunities for the Malians, but also for the return migrants and the Malian diaspora, for the young Malians at risk of migration or for Malian women.

This section will report and allow you to keep constantly updated the Catalogue of Opportunities developed by the CONGENIA partner with the support of the Malian NGO LE TONUS that carried out an in-depth research and were able to create various updates coming from the work and suggestions from the main stakeholders of project with workshops that are taking place in different disciplinary and thematic areas such as, for example, agriculture, training, self-employment opportunities or business initiatives.

A constant and direct link between app and blog. All information available on TAMA365 application will also be present on the project Blog. The choice to create an APP lies in the essence of the tool, it is in fact much more suited to the needs of users than websites, especially if the audience is young: once downloaded it will always be available on your smartphone and access to it will be much more immediate. Two instruments, therefore, in complete synergy, with the aim of providing complete and accurate information and making communication with young Malians willing to migrate so effective and stable.