By Merritt Frey, Executive Director

You may have heard some concerning news out of Mali this week. Earlier in the week, Mali’s military took the nation’s President and other officials into custody. Within hours, the President resigned and turned power over to the military. The situation is still evolving rapidly, with players from around the region and world weighing in on Mali’s future. Military leaders have vowed to hold new elections soon.

All our staff are safe at home and their families are well. We are in regular contact with the staff during this situation, thanks to tools like WhatsApp. Luckily, staff are already set up to work from home due to the pandemic so they can continue to be safe while working.

The main activity of the coup has centered on a military base near Kati (about 9 miles from Bamako) and the capital city of Bamako. Mali Rising’s schools are located in villages that are rural and fairly remote. Our schools are anywhere from 1 to 12 hours’ drive from Bamako, so at least for now they are removed from the main action of the coup.

However, it is currently unclear what the situation will mean for students. Mali’s students have already faced enormous struggles during the 19/20 school year. Students missed several months of school due to teacher strikes before missing another several months due to COVID-19. Ninth grade students were called back to school this summer and were planning to take their national graduation exam in early September. We will be closely following developments to be sure we understand what the coup will mean for those exams and for the start of a new school year this fall.

In times like these, education is more important than ever — a more educated populace leads to more stable governments and less extremism. We remain committed to supporting our wonderful students inside and outside of the classroom. As we learn more about what the future holds for education in Mali, we will find ways — new and old — to be there for our kids. Thank you for making that possible!