I NI Che

Africa. Women. Development. Real change built from the ground up.

In rural Mali, women grind grain for seven hours a day. Children fall out of education. Healthcare depends on what you can afford.

When John Hedge agreed to support a small Malian NGO, he began a twenty-five-year partnership that would challenge everything he thought he knew about aid.

I Ni Che ("We Are Together") is a compelling narrative of long-term grassroots development in Mali.

Beginning with an unexpected invitation in 2000, John Hedge became closely involved with Mali Development Groups partnership with Jeunesse et Developpment (J&D), a Malian NGO working in southern Mali. Over more than two decades, the relationship evolved into a sustained commitment to community-led change.

This book documents practical development initiatives including:

• Womens grain mills and shared market gardens
• Literacy programmes using the Reflect method
• "Speed Schools" re-engaging children excluded from education
• Community health systems and the Yanfolila Mutuelle
• Support for women affected by obstetric fistula
• Locally driven economic empowerment strategies

Blending memoir, cultural observation and development analysis, Hedge examines the realities of post-colonial Africa, the challenges of aid dependency, and the delicate balance between external support and local ownership.

Set amid the landscapes of Segou, Mopti, Djenné and Dogon country, and reflecting on Malis recent instability and conflict, I Ni Che is both a tribute to friendship across continents and a thoughtful contribution to debates about ethical development practice.

For readers interested in African studies, NGO work, global justice and community empowerment, this is a grounded and deeply humane case study of what sustainable development really requires: patience, respect and partnership.