By Merritt Frey, Executive Director

We celebrate the last day of April Alumni Month with this story of a Mali Rising graduate going on to a career that will help thousands of Malians, while building a great life for our alumna and her family.

Aminata may be only 19 years old, but she already has a clear blueprint for her life. Like so many Mali Rising students, her plan will build a good life for her and will also help build a better Mali.

Aminata attended Mali Rising’s Leon W. Pete Harman Middle School in Tentoubougou. She says, “I liked subjects such as math, physics, chemistry, and natural sciences. I like these [subjects] because I dreamed of studying science in high school and to continue on to medical school at the University of Bamako.”

After graduating from the Harman Middle School in 2013, Aminata did just as she planned. Today, she is studying in the first year at the Faculty of Medicine of Bamakao where she is studying to be a dentist.  The six-year program is rigorous, but Aminata is excited. “I chose the field of [dentistry] for pleasure because many of our parents have teeth problems and there are few teeth specialists,” says Aminata.

Aminata credits her early education at the Harman Middle School with setting her on the path to dentistry school. “My studies helped me because thanks to them I can read and write; I can teach many things to my brothers and sisters. Education brought me out of the darkness to put me in light,” explains Aminata.

“Without an education, I would stay at home at the expense of my parents,” Aminata continues. “I was not going to be able to help my brothers and sisters. I was going to be married to have many children without being able to support their expenses.”

Instead, Aminata is looking forward to a life full of opportunities. “Many men made me a marriage proposal but I refused because I want to continue studying. After graduating, I will agree to get married. I have great ambitions, I want to be a great doctor of teeth and install many dental clinics across our country.”

Aminata thanks Mali Rising’s donors for making all of this possible. “Thanks to your help, our country will develop because [without education] many children lose their chance.”

Meet other Mali Rising alumni here. Inspired by the power of education to change lives and entire countries? Support students just like Aminata with your donation.