Just a quick update here with some of the most exciting news: Mali Rising’s school #29 is under construction in Mali! Thanks to the generous donors to our Builders’ Society, the kids of Heremakono will soon have their own school
A Shiny Repaired School
By Fatoumata Kone, Operations Coordinator
Mali Rising has been in the business of building schools for 20 years, so some of those schools are getting quite old. This means that sometimes the school buildings need a little love to make sure they stay safe places for children. This year I coordinated that love for Ben Dixon Elementary School, built in 2010.
Ben Dixon Elementary is located in the little village of Manabougou. The village is about an hour down a dusty, red dirt road on the way to another of our schools. It is one of only two elementary schools in our network, home to hundreds of small children in 1st through 6th grade
The school was in real need of repairs to its classrooms and its principal office. Generally, the village is responsible for maintenance, but for big repairs we step in when the cost goes beyond what the village can afford. In these cases, we donate 80% of the cost and the village brings 20% of the cost to the table. Through this partnership, we repaired cracked walls and crumbling corners, removed ceiling tiles that were providing a home to bats (and their guano!), and replastered and painted the classrooms.
The repairs were carried out during the Easter break, so as not to disrupt the children's lessons. The contractor repaired the school in a week, with impeccable workmanship. When the children returned from their break, they were delighted to find their school much cleaner and prettier. The pupils told me that they were very happy with their classrooms and that the bats don't bother them anymore.
The management committee, the principal and the teachers were all delighted with the repairs. The principal said that before the repairs, if it started raining they were afraid to have the students inside but now their safety is guaranteed. Now, the students will be able to study in the best possible conditions.
This is an example of one of the things that makes Mali Rising different — our long-term commitment to our partnerships. We work with villages to make sure each school has what it needs to help students succeed….for decades. We look forward to at least 14 more years working with the students at Ben Dixon Elementary School!
Lakanan's Dream of Becoming a Police Officer
Earlier this month I traveled to the Sikasso region, where a group of our most far-flung schools needed our attention. I traveled there to do a big training with the local teachers; my colleague Hindaty went to do some work with the schools’ girls. While I was there, I had the chance to talk with some students about their time in school. Today, I would like to share the story of Lakanan, who attends the Eagle Environmental Academy, and dreams of becoming a police officer.
What a New School Means II
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…
What a New School Means
Over this summer break, Mali Rising Foundation was busy building two new schools that will help more than 300 children change their lives through education. I helped coordinate construction of one of the schools in the village of Kainsiga. During my visits to check up on construction, I often got to chat with future students and their parents. One child I spoke with was 13-year-old Aboubacar.
Parents Speak Up for Schools
The Difference a School Makes
Help Build a School in Mali
Independence, Sustainability, & Safe Schools
Are you a skilled DIYer? What if you had to do the repairs at your kid’s school….would your skills hold up for that DIY job? Maybe not, but if you had a little help maybe you could feel good about contributing back to the school. That’s what our school maintenance trainings do for parents on our partner schools’ School Management Committeees.
