By Merritt Frey, Executive Director
Over the last few weeks Mali Rising’s U.S. staff and Mali staff traveled together in Mali to visit our schools and partners. We are sharing a series of short stories from that trip on the blog.
Our trips to Mali are packed full of beautiful, excited students. So our photos tend to feature those great kids. Great kids, and loving shots of the Mali Rising school buildings. But we know so of the most interesting things are the little peeks at life in Mali.
So, we’re sharing a few of our favorite non-kid, non-school (mostly) photos from the trip here. I’ve included brief explanations to help put thing in context where possible. We wish you could all come along on the trips with us, but short of that — here’s a taste of a trip. (Click each picture for a larger version.)
![Classic bikes everywhere.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542414959763-XR6A5MQAEDKEIA84F3DN/IMG_1994.jpg)
![Typical village scene..in this case in Kafara.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542407900272-2T01F084YXCN9O65E6YX/IMG_2073.jpg)
![Donkeys everywhere.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542408036339-0456NKW3NYQ4N1YIU45Y/IMG_2089.jpg)
![Corn drying in the sun.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542407891860-766E91UQMM90I7AUH2Z5/IMG_2074.jpg)
![IMG_2080.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542407930722-MC2FJK6O9IOXWZBWP4P4/IMG_2080.jpg)
![A chicken coop...with two floors!](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542408011715-TGERQ54G7NI3TXT6YJBX/IMG_2077.jpg)
![Second floor entry on the chicken coop.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542408006105-F50NVBXW7I9DSUFGCLL9/IMG_2080.jpg)
![She's ready for anything...and has a bucket of peanut butter to take with her.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542407949524-4S088XT2PQ86JUE6QGHS/IMG_2148.jpg)
![IMG_2081.jpg](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542408032062-4WPBM8N6LQUL3VI1SZ6C/IMG_2081.jpg)
![A favorite school yard tree.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542414946492-2KZFDR2MTQOV3CYAWSNU/IMG_1770.jpg)
![A fancy dinner after a long day.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542414945331-EGUW0RMRVF22Z9OITO3Z/IMG_1778.jpg)
![Our teachers make the most beautiful chalkboard art.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542414947637-0AGQPHD7BJ6NY0PEKRGN/IMG_1814.jpg)
![A pretty little spot in Ouelessebougou.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542414954136-3VOZBAXYS07BY4VK2JP5/IMG_1870.jpg)
![The entrance to a charming small town bar.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542414954071-G3XKU8NJUF22M31C9H99/IMG_1874.jpg)
![Donkeys do so much work in Mali.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542414959507-7PFXU7ORTGUPAQZ53KMW/IMG_1939.jpg)
![Corn drying beautifully...](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542415485948-AMGDN30TWJ63W5TVQZAA/IMG_1603.jpg)
![Again with the beautiful corn.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542415485083-352BFCU0BZ6PGEYJBYQ0/IMG_1604.jpg)
![Textures.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542415490076-0X3FTT6PWYEEWDC38S6Y/IMG_1607.jpg)
![Open-air cooking.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542415490586-RXBKNC7PI8SDGWCEHXEX/IMG_1609.jpg)
![Love these roofs.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/57869b409f7456109574cf2d/1542415492898-AUJP5EVSAS7DJKV6WTTM/IMG_1610.jpg)