By Alou Doumbia, Construction & Administration Manager
Mali Rising has two school construction projects currently — on in N’Goko and one in Banko. These schools have been on hold during the pandemic , but construction is now gearing up in Banko, with proper safety protocols in place. Here, Alou tells us a little bit about Banko and what a school will mean for the village.
Banko is a fairly large village that has been around for over a century. The population is estimated at over 1076 people. The village is mainly inhabited by farmers and some animal breeders.
In a pre-Covid-19 photo, Banko’s school committee gathers after a meeting with our staff. The school committee is an important partner in all of our work and we admire these hard working parents and elders who do so much for their children’s future.
Parents in the village are passionate about educating their children, but their options are severely limited because the village because it is located more than 60 km from a paved road. The school which now exists in the village is an elementary school with an enrollment of more than 187 students. It is limited to six years of study, The elementary school was built 23 years ago. However, even before its creation some children in the village studied to become civil servants, others became either police officers or teachers. How did the children study before a school was established in this village? After the sixth year of studies, where do students go to continue their studies?
When we approached some of the villagers, they told us that before the Banko school was established, parents enrolled their children in schools in neighboring villages where there are schools. According to a parent of a student, small children walked in the bush 7 km to 8 km to study. Those whose children could not walk every day were looking for guardians for their children in the neighboring village. To be accepted by the foster family, the student's father is required to give grain to the foster family for his child. Other parents bought bikes for their children. These conditions were so bad that children often dropped out of school.
It was even harder for children who wanted to continue their education beyond 6th grade, becuase middle schools are even more rare in rural villages. The nearest middle school is in a neighboring village which is 10 km from Banko — a 6 mile walk one-way to get to school. Students who pass the sixth year continue their studies at this school, it is a big challenge for the students to attend regularly given the distance and their responsibilities in the fields and at home.
It is a great opportunity and a source of pride for this village to have a middle school. According to the village elders, this construction project will be an opportunity for them to be able to count on a better future for their children. The boys who graduate will be able to continue studying for the fields they want, the girls who also graduate will have options for their future.
