By Hindaty Traore, Girls Project Coordinator

Hindaty had a chance to talk with one of our Girls Project participants and recorded her thoughts in her own words. Mariam attends Mali Rising’s Tim Gibson Middle School in the village of Sebela. This school just began participating in the Girls Project in the 19/20 school year. Here’s what Mariam had to say:

I am called Mariam Sangaré. I am 14 years old. I am from a village (Massakoni), 2 km away from our school in Sebela. I wake up at 6 am to do my household work then I go to school. I leave my village, Massakoni, at 7:00 am and arrive at school at 7:45 am in Sebela.

Before the middle school in Sebela was builit our older brothers and sisters walked 4 kilometres to go to Kokoun, where there was a middle school. When I graduated from the primary school to the 7th grade, we had an informal middle school in Sebela but it was built in mud and the roof was made with straw.  We had to clean the classrooms every day because the donkeys spent the night in them. When it rained, we had to leave the school for home because the roof of straw would leak terrible. Sometimes there were snakes in our classroom! Today, thanks to the very beautiful classrooms built by Mali Rising, we can study in the best conditions near our own village.

I like science subjects like math, biology, physics, chemistry, and English too. History and geography are very difficult for me and they are hard to memorize. I like science because I would like to be an eye doctor. Many people have eye problems and the eyes have a very important role in one's life, so I think this would be a good and important career.

As soon as I can afford it, I will build schools and health centers for my village because thanks to the school I was able to study and it made me able to become a doctor.

I am just a little bit concerned because this year has not been a successful one due to the teachers' strike and the outbreak of COVID-19. Otherwise I have had good grades at the beginning.

Learn more about Tim Gibson Middle School. Learn more about the Girls Project.