Because basic tools such as textbooks, maps, educational diagrams, or science materials are missing from Mali classrooms, teachers are really limited in how they can prepare and deliver their lessons. But Mali Rising Foundation has long worked to provide textbooks to our classrooms, but this year we added additional tools provided in kits we loan out to schools for two weeks at a time. We provide two types of Learning Kits to our schools – a Language Kit and a Science Kit. The Language Kit provides resources for teaching both French and English, including books, flashcards, and more. The Science Kit is packed full of scientific drawings, tools for active learning like magnifying glasses and rulers, and other tools. We also provided written instruction sheets that give the teachers multiple ideas about how they can easily incorporate the Kit tools into their lessons.
Always Learning: Building Our Schools Better
All children have the right to an education, but some children around the world still do not receive an education due to the poverty of their parents and their countries. The Malian government is unable to correct this lack, leaving millions of children without access to an education. One of the reasons I love working for Mali Rising Foundation is that we are doing our part to make a difference on this enormous problem. Since 2004, we have worked to provide children with access to safe conditions for learning. Although we have a long record of accomplishment of good school construction, we are always learning and adapting. This year, we made some quite large changes to our own construction model.
Girls Leading the Way!
We are trying something new, and it is so exciting we wanted to share! Our Girls Project Coordinator, Hindaty, wanted to help our Girls Project girls build their leadership skills. Hindaty found a powerful female trainer and together they designed a wonderful training for the girls. We just tested the training in the first partner village, and it was inspiring! Check out the photos…
Your Donations in Action: Textbooks for All!
Back in September, our generous supporters at the 2018 Soiree sponsored 1,000 textbooks for delivery at Mali Rising schools. A textbook might seem like a small thing to those of us in the United States or Europe, but in Mali classrooms a textbook is a gem. Many schools in Mali have no textbooks at all. Zero. With your help, we’re changing that at Mali Rising’s schools…
Helping Teachers Grow, Helps Kids Grow Too
A school isn't worth the bricks it's built with if you don't have good teachers working inside. We believe that, and so do our generous supporters. Thanks to attendees at our annual Soiree, in December 2017 we hosted our third teacher training. Teachers in Mali are often provided with very little education and then sent to remote villages to sink or swim with classrooms that can be filled with 100 + students. With your help, we sent 39 teachers back to the classroom with new skills and new energy to help our kids!
Book Review: The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu
Since joining Mali Rising's staff, I've tried to read as many books written by Malians and/or about Mali as I can. Frankly, one doesn't find scads of them here in the U.S. But I'd been hearing about The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu for a while, and was excited to see a pretty main-stream book that was set in Mali getting some attention.
