By Hindaty Traore, Girls’ Project Manager

Did you know that a girl can miss out on her education because the simple fact of a $5 school fee forces her to drop out of school? Well, we’re working to change that and Malian mothers are helping us do it!

The cost of schooling is a major obstacle for low-income families in Mali who have to pay tuition fees, textbooks, materials and clothing for their children, especially in societies where boys are advantaged. In addition, girls' schooling represents indirect costs for the family, as girls participate in domestic work: they take care of young children, collect firewood and transport water. In their absence, these tasks would have to be carried out by others.

In the villages where Mali Rising’s Girls’ Project is active, girls participate in the productive work of the family from an early age. The girls are entrusted with weaving, caring for cattle, making pottery, or selling at the market. These girls are of great economic importance to their families.

Usually, mothers are responsible for paying their daughter’s school fees. Approximately 90% of mothers  do not manage to pay these fees in our villages.  But since the arrival of the Girls’ Project in our partner villages, many mothers have rejoiced at the thorn removed from their feet. How do we remove that thorn? For the first 3 years of the Project’s life in a village we simply pay the girls’ school fees. At the same time, we set up a Mothers’ Loan Fund in the village. Loans are granted to women to make or expand small businesses, and the interest earned is used to pay school fees. This Fund allows the mothers to make enough money to pay their girls’ school fees after our three year commitment is over.

We are still paying school fees at Jackie Trujillo Middle School in the village of N'tentou but we also recently launched a new Mothers’ Loan Fund for the village mothers.  I wanted to share some of what I heard from the mothers about school fees and our support:

Sitan Diarra:

 "My name is Sitan Diarra I come from N'Tentou. I am a member of the School Management Committee (CGS).  My daughter Waraba Samaké was in the middle school of N'tentou. She received the DEF [graduated] this year. In recent years, it was the Girls’ Project that paid its school fees.  Without that help, I had no way to pay the school fees of Waraba and those of three other girls. The non-payment of school fees ended my eldest daughter's schooling. This was done before the arrival of the Girls’ Project in our village.  In my family I am the one to do everything, I pay for our meals, the girls' school fees, the children's clothes, and the medicines when the children get sick. Now I haven't paid my daughters' school fees and this has reduced my expenses a lot.

I really liked the fact that we lent us the money so that we could work to pay for our own daughters' schooling. This is a very good initiative and it will help a lot of families. I think that thanks to the project our village will develop very quickly. I also love the advice and hygiene kits you gave to the girls."

Djenebou Kone:

"My name is Djenebou Kone I come from N’Tentou.  I am a parent of students. My two daughters are in the middle school. I would like my daughters to study because I myself was in school but I got married.  I had my first child when I was in 7th grade and I had no one to pay my school fees or take care of my child so I had to drop out of school. I don't want  the same thing to  happen to my daughter.  

But I am very reassured now because will be three years that we have not paid for our daughters' school fees thanks to the Girls’ Project and even after the end of the project, we can pay our daughters' school fees thanks to the fund that Mali Rising lent us and that the profit will be used to pay our daughters' school fees.  For example, if you have three children, two girls and a boy and you do not have much means it will allow you to reduce your expenses.

Seeing our daughters playing soccer I had chills because I remembered my childhood.  I'm very happy really. Thank you very much."

In conclusion, the small act of paying the costs of girls' school fees contributes considerably to girls' schooling. A small contribution can have very good results for girls and their families.