One of the biggest challenges facing students in Mali is the fact that school is not taught in their mother tongue language. Instead, schools use French for instruction and often leave students behind if they aren’t able to pick up French quickly in primary school. This year, we piloted the French Language Intervention Project (FLIP), designed to help 7th graders brush up their French skills as they enter middle school. I want to share the story of one of our students who participated in the FLIP pilot: Dramane D.
Fanta the Future Firefighter
As the school year comes to an end in Mali, I’ve been talking with a lot of the girls who are part of the Girls’ Project. Their stories are so compelling that I want to share some of them with Mali Rising’s supporters. Today, I wanted to share the words of Fanta, a student at Judge Memorial Middle School in the little village of Sankama.
Giving Kids a Little Extra Language Help
A Hero Who Keeps Going: Korotoumou
In the rural villages of Mali, girls face many difficulties in order to be able to study. Some live very far away from school, and others face family problems. Through my interviews this month I have met girls who each have a unique story, but each was able to overcome these difficulties despite their young age. Because of their determination, they were able to continue to go to school and build a better life for themselves, and for their families. I wanted to share just a few of the stories that most moved me with you all. I’ll start with the story of Korotoumou, told in her own words.
Great Girls Read Gives a Huge Lift
In Mali, all too often we find that students who diligently attend school still cannot read. Based on my own personal observations, I would estimate that around 80% of middle school students are not able to read a sentence correctly in French and 85% of elementary students are not able read aloud a simple sentence like “My school is pretty.”
Through the Girls’ Project’s Great Girls Read campaign, I am focused on changing this dynamic for our girls. I am particularly passionate about focusing on reading with our elementary school girls, because if they can learn reading young it will set them way ahead in middle school!
Help Build a School in Mali
One Teacher Finds a Secret
This month, we wrapped up our Intensive Teacher Trainings for the school year. These sessions allow us to provide about half of our teachers with two, tailor-made trainings over the year, along with 3 Teacher Peer Meetings. At our last meeting, I spoke with Amadou Doro, a math teacher, about the biggest new ideas he took away from his time in our Intensive Teacher Trainings. Here’s what he had to say…
Explore the Four Ms of Mali
These days, when we hear about Mali in the news it tends to be a bit of a downer. We read about jihadist attacks or military coups, or perhaps a sad story about someone who has been displaced and is deeply struggling to get by. These stories are true, but it is important to remember that Mali is still a place of culture, beauty, and good people. If you need a quick hit of that more positive angle, explore Discover Malian Culture: The 4 Marvelous Ms by Google.
Boys Speak Out for Girls
Girls’ education is a challenging subject everywhere in Mali. But it is especially problematic in rural areas, like those where our schools are located. Many parents in Mali do not think that a girl’s education is as valuable as a boy’s. Parents’ attitudes towards girls’ education are also passed down to their sons. As a step toward breaking that cycle, we host discussions with boys at our schools about girls’ education as a human right and as an issue that improves everyone’s future — boys, girls, families, and communities.
