By Marie Sheneman, Operations Coordinator Volunteer

For our volunteer spotlight this month, we travel to Mali… virtually. Through email, I interviewed Fatoumata who does volunteer work in the villages where Mali Rising operates.

Before Fatoumata began volunteering for Mali Rising in June of 2019, she was invited to travel to the villages by her friend, Girls Project Coordinator Hindaty. She saw first hand the help the coordinator and the organization provided for the girls in the villages. This inspired her to work as a volunteer for Mali Rising.

I saw how [Hindaty] encouraged the girls to stay in school. Girls are less educated here, especially in the rural areas. So that is what really motivated and made an impression upon me to come and volunteer at Mali Rising.

As a volunteer, Fatoumata does many things in Mali. She takes photos or video of the activities; does data entry; translates student interviews, and scans the girls’ evaluations of the Girls Project, a project that works to recruit, retain, and improve the education and life skill development of girls. Fatoumata wants the readers to know that as part of the Girls Project, Mali Rising selected six girls for leadership training. In Fatoumata’s words, “At the beginning, the girls were a little shy, but they have become true leaders in their villages.”

When I asked her about her favorite parts of working with Mali Rising, she focused on the overall goal of keeping girls in school:

Motivating the girls to not quit school and raising the parents’ awareness to let their children stay in school are my favorite things of this organization.

Later, she emphasized that “contributing to the girls’ future makes me proud.” While Fatoumata appreciates the focus on education, she reflects the most on a moment when the girls were so happy during a nutrition and cooking lesson and while playing soccer.

Fatoumata wants others to know that Mali Rising is a non-governmental organization that invests a lot in the construction of schools and education for girls. It provides teacher trainings, school supplies, and encourages schooling for girls.

Interested in volunteering like Fatoumata? Check out our volunteer postings.

*All information and quotes from Fatoumata’s interview are translated from their original form in French.