A Young Girl's Plan for A Better Future
By Ousmane Coulibaly, Operations Coordinator
Banachako Kante is a 9th grader at Christiana Norris Middle School in the rural village of Banko. Banachako has a practical plan for her future, rooted in education and informed by an understanding of the job market that reflects a wisdom well beyond her 14 years.
Banachako has a great vision — finishing her middle school education with Mali Rising and then heading to a vocational school to become a tailor. She hopes to become her own boss and avoid the scourge of unemployment for young people in Mali.
Many girls in Mali like Banachako are inspired by education. Banachako sees education is the only way to achieve her dreams. At 14 years old, she is already aware of the problem of unemployment for young people in Mali, where thousands of young people go for years without finding a job.
These issues have driven Banachako to think deeply about her future. She plans to graduate middle school and then do practical vocational training in a skill that will make it easy for her to find a future job. Her plan? To study to become a tailor.
We think Banachako is already fashionable enough to become a great tailor! :)
"I am very grateful to my father who agreed to send me to school. Because there are many girls whose parents did not accept them to go to school. I like studying and I am very inspired by professional training like learning to sew to become a tailor,” said Banachako. “After the DEF [graduation], I would like to do a training in tailoring because currently in Mali it is very difficult for the government to recruit all the graduates. I would like to become a tailor, because I would like to become an entrepreneur by working for myself in the future... I would like to open my own workshop one day and sew clothes.”
Banachako is very motivated to study because she believes that education is the only way to make the difference for her future. For example, she sees that the people who have been to school and those who haven't are very different in their way of thinking and behaving in the community.
Taking vocational training seems to be a strategy for Banachako to get around unemployment. We hope that Banachako will pass the graduation exam this year with a good average and perhaps even qualify for a Mali Rising Foundation Inspiration Scholarship for tailor school.