Zakat Foundation of America’s Executive Director, Halil Demir, Brings Healing and Hope to Mali

July 24, 2025

Halil Demir, Executive Director and Founder of Zakat Foundation of America, visited Mali from June 27 to July 6, 2025, reaffirming the organization’s long-term commitment to restoring dignity, resilience, and hope in West Africa. During his 10-day visit, Mr. Demir toured several of our projects across the region, including the newly completed Halil Demir Mental Health Unit in Bamako, celebrated the Orphan Care program on the International Day of the African Child at Bamako National Park, and visited the family of two young siblings, recipients of medical assistance, who recently passed away due to illness. 

This trip underscores our ongoing commitment to addressing multiple layers of need, including mental health, medical relief, orphan care, education, access to clean water, and community empowerment.  

Mali faces a severely strained healthcare system, with understaffed facilities, inadequate medical equipment, and limited access to care. Its estimated 22 million residents continue to endure the impacts of recent floods, civil unrest, and widespread displacement. On July 3, 2025, Mr. Demir visited the newly completed Halil Demir Mental Health Unit at the ANIASCO Health Center in Bamako. Built by Zakat Foundation of America in 2024, the facility is only the second mental health center in Mali’s history. It includes consultation and observation rooms, meeting spaces, a terrace, ablution facilities, and solar lighting. Located in a vulnerable district where drug abuse is on the rise, the unit delivers urgently needed mental health services in a country with critically limited infrastructure.

On July 5, 2025, Mr. Demir visited the family of two young children in our medical care who lost their lives to osteosarcoma, a rare cancer. For Dr. Abdoul Traore, manager of the ANIASCO Community Health Center in Bamako, this was a personal tragedy as these children were his nephew and niece. 12-year-old nephew, Djibril, the first to be diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone cancer, faced struggles with limited treatment options in Mali. Dr. Traore turned to Zakat Foundation of America for support. We responded immediately, covering Djibril’s medical care, providing a prosthetic, and offering monthly financial assistance. 

Despite a long and courageous battle, Djibril passed away. Just six months later, his 14-year-old sister, Rokia, began showing the same symptoms. Once again, we stepped in, covering her care. Tragically, she too succumbed to the disease after nearly a year of treatment. 

Today, Dr. Traore continues to seek support not only for his family but also for the broader community, understanding the urgency of addressing what appears to be a hereditary form of pediatric cancer. He expresses deep gratitude to Zakat Foundation of America for their unwavering support through every stage of this painful journey. As he reflected, “If money alone could have solved the problem, they would still be alive today.” 

On July 6, 2025, we hosted a joyous event at Bamako National Park to mark the International Day of the African Child. Children supported through our Orphan Care Program, 350 in Mali across cities like Bamako, Mopti, Tombouctou, Kayes, and Goundam, were invited to share a day of play, reflection, and celebration. Young participant Sitanfouné Mariko expressed the day’s impact by sharing, “I’m very joyful... I am personally very touched to see so much happiness on their faces. May Allah reward you.” 

This visit is one of many Mr. Demir has made to Mali and reflects our holistic approach to hardship, going beyond meeting urgent needs to also nurturing lives, faith, and futures in harmony. 

Join us in building a lasting impact one life, one community at a time.