Mali Rising is a small organization that does a whole lot. How can we do it? A lot of it comes down to great, dedicated volunteers. Currently, we are looking for a few very specific volunteers to help us by serving as Advisers in key areas.
Join Us At the Underwear Party March 12!
Travelogue: Day 8: The Ceremonial Opening of a New School!
There are few things more exciting and gratifying than seeing one of our partner villages celebrating the opening of their new school. The parents are joyful, the children are excited, and the village leaders are proud. We were able to share this wonderful experience with the village of Sankama on Day 8 of our travels in Mali….
When We Talk About School, We Talk About Teachers!
When we talk about school, we talk about teachers! And when we talk about teachers, we are also talking about students! This is because a well-trained, dedicated teacher makes good students. Mr Mama Diallo is one of our brave teachers. He is a French teacher at Lareen Mellor Middle School in the village of Kassela. He is very devoted to his job.
Volunteer Spotlight: Girls Project Volunteer, Margie
Travelogue: Day 7 -- A Trip to the Market, and to Two schools
Day 7 of traveling was a very full Friday indeed. In the morning, we visited the Sue Taylor Middle School of Diorila, which is about one and a half hours down a bumpy dirt road. We returned to Ouelessebougou for lunch and a trip to the big Friday market, before zipping down the road to visit our Sue Chung Chiu Middle School in Simidiji.
Travelogue: Day 6 -- Visiting the Ks, Kafara & Kolimba
On this Thursday morning we woke in the big city of Bamako, but immediately headed south to the “big” town of Ouelessebougou. Ouelessebougou is home to our own kind of “home-away-from-home” hotel for me, the staff, and Tim, but it was a new experience for Courtney. As hotels go, it is pretty basic — no hot water, no sheets, no towels, etc. BUT it does have a wonderful mango tree in a little courtyard that serves us quite well as an office and living room. Before making ourselves at home at the hotel though, we had to get some work done. First, we visited the village of Kafara and then we headed on the long drive to Kolimba.
Travelogue...Day 5: Soccer, soccer, and soccer...plus some work
Day 5 of our travels found us at full-strength as a team — the Mali Rising staff, Tim Gibson (Mali Rising supporter), Courtney Colter (Mali Rising board member), and two great translator — Mady & Hawa. This was a long day with visits to two schools — Little Heroes Academy II in Tanima and Tim Gibson Middle School in Sebela.
Join Us on February 12 to Explore Mali...From the Comfort of Your Own Home
Join us via video link for an informal and fun travelogue from our January expedition to Mali. The U.S. staff spent spend 2 weeks visiting 14 of our schools, exploring future partner villages, and more. In this video event we will share highlights and stories from the trip, and answer your questions about our work and Mali. This is a great way to explore the culture of Mali and understand Mali Rising’s work without leaving the comfort of your home!
Travelogue Day 4: Meeting the Mayor and Mana
Day four of our trip was a relatively short one, because we had to head north from the little town of Ouelessebougou back to the capitol, Bamako, to pick up a fellow traveler arriving at 2:30 pm. Still, we managed to get a lot done for Mali Rising with an early start and a lot of driving, from meeting the mayor, to visiting Mana, and more.
