April 28, 2026
Fatoumata Cissé, a visually impaired young woman from Mopti, Mali, grew up in a community where young women are often discouraged from participating in associative or NGO activities and are encouraged instead to focus on housework. Fatoumata, however, has dreams and passions, and there was a time when she felt caught between her personal aspirations and her family’s expectations.
Being visually impaired brought some personal challenges in her day-to-day life in school. She first thought everyone saw the world as she did, and it was a struggle coming to terms with the reality: the feelings of isolation weighed heavily on her.
The conflict in her home region of Mopti also cast a shadow over her life. Historical tensions over land and grazing rights between ethnic groups, exacerbated by competition for resources and the presence of extremist groups, have escalated into ongoing violence and displacement since 2012. Fatoumata’s family, affected by this conflict, eventually sought
refuge in Bamako as internally displaced people. Amidst all these challenges, a turning point came in her life when she got connected to Search’s Youth Talk II project. This project empowers young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, including children with disabilities, to voice their views on national issues and take action in their communities.
Fatoumata received training in conflict transformation, learning skills to manage conflicts and foster peace in her community. She and her peers applied these skills through the Parlons Jeunesse (Youth Talk) program, which combines radio shows on youth topics, intergenerational dialogues, and community activities such as clean-up initiatives and donations. Inspired by her experience in the project, she applied for funding from the French embassy for a Cécifoot project aimed at integrating visually impaired youth through soccer, slam, and educational awareness. Her project was awarded funding of 1.3 million CFA francs, a testament to her commitment to social inclusion.
Using her newly acquired skills, Fatoumata and her team also participated in L’instant Thé, a Malian reality show that aims to train citizens and motivate them to engage in participatory development projects. They earned second place in the show and received four million CFA francs.
Today, Fatoumata’s confidence shines. She actively participates in the project’s activities, has moderated panels in intergenerational dialogues, and was appointed conflict management manager at her school, a role that her school principal notes has brought newfound composure to her character. Since her involvement in the Parlons Jeunesse project, Fatoumata has become a steadfast advocate for the rights of children, particularly those with visual impairments like herself.
