Mali Rising offers scholarships to our most outstanding graduates to help them continue their education in high school or vocational school. We call these Inspiration Scholarships, because they not only help the individual students who receive them but also inspire students still in school to study hard to pursue a scholarship themselves. I recently had the chance to talk to one of our Inspiration Scholars about what the scholarship meant for her.
Awa Dreamed of Sewing
As part of my job at Mali Rising, I have the pleasure of helping to identify, select, and track our Inspiration Scholars. These young people are especially outstanding Mali Rising graduates who receive scholarships to continue their education. I just love hearing their stories when I check in on their progress so I wanted to share one such story with our supporters. This is what Awa told me in her own words:
A Future Nurse, Thanks to Our Supporters
It is sad to see here in Mali, but all to often early (or even child) marriage prevents many girls from continuing their education. However, times are changing in Mali. Some families wait longer for marriage, and even when marriage does occur it doesn’t always have to mean that a young women’s education is over. An example of this change comes from Salimata Sissao, a Mali Rising alumni. Here is her story in her own words…
Sewing for a Better Future
Clothing has always had an important place in our society and in our African communities. Through textiles, we tell a story and we highlight the culture of a country. For the young women we work with in Mali, creating clothing can also be a path to an independent future! How is that possible you ask ? For young women (and men too !) become a tailor is a respectable job in Mali and it allows you to be your own boss. This makes it an attractive dream for many of our students. Bana is one such student.
Escaping from Early Marriage Thanks to a Scholarship
Nursing Graduate Goes On To Help Others
Strong Woman Scholarships Give Girls Hope
Children living in extreme poverty face many obstacles to their education, but girls in this situation face even more hurdles because they are victims of inequalities and suffer discrimination throughout their educational journey. Mali Rising helps girls get over those hurdles using many strategies, including Inspiration Scholarships for our outstanding graduates. This year, eight girls from current Girls’ Project villages benefited from a scholarship. Read about two of those girls’ stories…
Kadia's Scholarship Keeps Her Fed & Shod
Mali Rising’s Inspiration Scholars sponsors are changing lives. By donating a modest scholarship, these donors help our most outstanding middle school graduates go on to vocation school or high school. The scholarships help the specific recipients of course, but the gift ripples out even farther. Other students are inspired to study hard in the hopes of a future scholarship. Parents see their earlier investment in education paying off and enroll young siblings. And Scholars return to their home villages with skills and an income that helps their whole family. We recently caught up with one Inspiration Scholar, Kadia Traore.
Studying Agriculture To Drive Food Self-Sufficiency
Being a student in Mali is a tough job. Because so much of the population lives in extreme poverty, young people are under serious pressure to drop out of school to help their families survive by going to work. Even if the family can spare a child to school, there are often no extra resources to help with tuition or other costs associated with education. This creates a cycle where even smart, motivated youth cannot live up to their potential — there are just no resources to help them get ahead. That’s where Mali Rising’s Inspiration Scholar supporters come in. By underwriting a modest scholarship, these donors help our most outstanding middle school graduates go on to vocation school or high school. We recently caught up with one Inspiration Scholar, Barou Kone.
Changing Lives, One Scholarship At A Time
Over the last four-plus years, Mali Rising’s Inspiration Scholarship project has changed the lives of 57 young people, including 39 young women. This project grants education scholarships to our outstanding 9th grade graduates to allow them to continue their studies. This assistance strengthens the efforts that parents make to enable their children to continue their studies when they leave their villages. Parents in Mali – just like everywhere around the world – want the best future possible for their kids. Almost every parent will understand the pain of not being able to give your child everything…and that’s where our Inspiration Scholar donors can step in to help out just a bit!
