By Adama Kone, Teacher Project Manager
Over the school break this summer, Mali Rising has been busy building two new schools for the children of Mali. I took the lead in overseeing construction at one of those schools. This middle school is in the village of Sondougouba Coro. Over the summer I visited many times so that I could check up on the quality of construction and make sure we built a safe school. On my visits, I met Kadia D., a young woman who attended primary school in the village but had to make a long walk to another village for middle school once she started seventh grade. Kadia told me about her experience:
Kadia said:
“When I was in primary school, I was able to stay in my own village since there was a primary school here already. It wasn’t very challenging because I could eat my breakfast every day before going to primary school without being late so I was never rebuked by the teachers.
I graduated from the primary school without facing any bigger challenges. My parents were always supportive to education. They would let me go to the primary school on time, provided me school supplies and even a little money I could spend on snacks during the school lunch break. I would usually buy some fruits like mangoes or oranges.. Sometimes, I would get some fried potatoes or doughnuts and my friends who didn’t have money would ask for some of my snacks!
Although Kadia herself has already graduated, she celebrates what a new school in her village will mean for her younger brother and sister…and for all the children of Sondougouba Coro.
All that changed once I finished primary school! I went through lots of challenges when I was in middle school. First of all it was challenging to me because I had to walk several miles every single day to a middle school that is in one of the neighboring villages. It was very so hard that I almost dropped out. I had to get up at 6:00 am every school day to do chores for my parents in our compound like sweeping the courtyard, making the cooking fire, and cooking. I also had to brush my teeth take the bath. When I woke up late, I did not get to eat breakfast before going to middle school so I could get to school on time.
Having this middle school in my own village makes me extremely happy for my sisters and brothers who will attend it. I am 100% sure that this new middle school will help many of my sisters and brothers stay in middle school until they graduate!
I personally have one younger sister and a younger brother who are both attending the new middle school. They are very excited that they will not have to walk about four kilometers to middle school this year. I am glad they will have an easier time than I did.
I am happy that Mali Rising Foundation helped my village have this middle school that will encourage both parents and children from my village, Sondougouba Coro. I know that a few students have bikes to ride to school in neighboring villages but now they can stay and study here in their own village. They will all be excited to study here for sure since they have been barely continuing school because it has been so challenging for all of them, especially girls.
I honestly want to thank Mali Rising Foundation donors for this middle school that will incredibly be helpful to the whole village.”
We are so glad to work with village residents like Kadia. And we think it is pretty amazing that Kadia not only managed to overcome her long walk to middle school but she also is currently enrolled in trade school! It is young people like this who turn education into a brighter future.
