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Voices from the Ground

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Dec 14, 2012 | Mary Madiga

Mary Madiga has inspired others by her courage

Mary Madiga’s blogs aimed at a global audience have made people listen in her own state for the first time.

Thanks to Panos, I am now seen and heard

Dec 6, 2012 | Bhan Sahu

Stella Paul | Panos London

Bhan Sahu, Indian social activist describes how her blogs for Panos have inspired her son to help stop migration from her village.

Mali: small steps to women’s economic empowerment

Sep 24, 2012 | Kaidia Samaké

Members of a local women's group (Association des Femmes) stand outside their office in Sévaré, Mali - Neil Cooper | Panos Pictures

Women traditionally cannot own land in Mali, making it hard for rural women to earn money. Kaidia explains how the women’s association in her village helps women earn money and distributes loans.

Gender equality starts at home

Sep 4, 2012 | Bhan Sahu

A group of young people from tribal areas who want to bring about social change without violence - Stella Paul | Panos London

What’s the best way to engage young people in social movements and politics? Bhan Sahu explains the small steps helping to create a new generation of leaders who want to change the system from the bottom upwards.

Mali: rains bring hope to villagers – for now

Aug 29, 2012 | Kaidia Samaké

A woman harvests her family's sorghum and millet crops, with her baby on her back. Sorghum is the staple crop in Kaidia's village - Rhodri Jones | Panos Pictures

So far the rains have been good and Kaidia has started planting crops for the next season. But without a bull to help plough her land she has to choose between sowing the seeds late or sowing them without ploughing.

The village women who dare to bring change

Aug 22, 2012 | Bhan Sahu

Bhan Sahu (second from left) with her mother, nieces and neighbours' children - Stella Paul | Panos London

Bhan believes you can’t wait for the government to change society – change needs to start with individuals. She tells us about three ordinary women who are challenging traditions in their villages.

Children fall ill as hunger persists

Aug 20, 2012 | Lilly Peel

Two boys from Gwelekoro village return with sticks collected for firewood. Kaidia says children fall ill more often due to malnutrition - Andrew Esiebo | Panos London

In Kaidia’s latest blog she tells us that children are the worst affected by the hungry season. Malnutrition means they are more susceptible to illnesses, such as relapses of malaria, and are unable to work in the fields to sow the next season’s crops.

Seeking a new state for the powerless

Aug 16, 2012 | Mary Madiga

Power to the people: Mary Madiga addresses a Telengana rally - Telengana Mahajena Mahila Samakhya

“We have no land, no education and little power to make decisions. So, we don’t have a voice.” In her own words, our blogger Mary Madiga explains why she has joined a movement fighting for a new state: Telangana.

Mali villagers too hungry to fast for Ramadan

Jul 30, 2012 | Kaidia Samaké

Women in Gwelekoro village, where Kaidia Samaké lives, pound cereals. This year the harvest was poor due to lack of rain and the amount of food they were able to store has already run out - Andrew Esiebo | Panos London

As the food crisis worsens in Mali, our blogger Kaidia Samaké fears she will not be able to fast for all of Ramadan because she does not have the nutritious food needed to to break her fast when the sun goes down each evening.

‘Land and natural resources must belong to the people’

Jul 18, 2012 | Bhan Sahu

Villagers take part in a non-violent march to demand their rights to land and resources - Ekta Parishad

In her latest blog Bhan Sahu tells us about a non-violent civil resistance movement, inspired by Gandhi, which aims to bring about social and land reform in India.

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First person updates from those working at the front line of poverty and injustice.

These blogs have been funded by the project Linking Southern Journalists.