By Merritt Frey, Executive Director

Just a quick update here with some of the most exciting news: Mali Rising’s school #29 is under construction in Mali! Thanks to the generous donors to our Builders’ Society, the kids of Heremakono will soon have their own school.

Construction on the new school began November 4. The video below shows progress with digging the foundations and making bricks as of November 8. Building a school in Mali usually (knock on wood!) goes quite quickly; we anticipate approximately 8 weeks of construction.

Currently, the village of Heremakono is home to a primary school that serves about 370 children a year. But after 6 grade, those kids face a real challenge. The nearest middle school is a 6 km walk away (just less than 4 miles). Kids in Mali have hours of work obligations at home and walks to school can be dangerous (particularly for girls), so about 65% of the children end up dropping out of school.

With your help, the children of Heremakono will now have a safe, short trip to middle school. Stay tuned for news and updates on construction! Learn more about the Builders’ Society.