By Ousmane Coulibaly, Operations Coordinator

Tenetie Sinayogo, an alumni of Denik Middle School in Zambougou, is a Mali Rising Inspiration Scholar. What does that mean for him? It means that thanks to our donors Tenetie is continuing his education and is already earning money to build a better life.

After graduation, Tenetie used his Inspiration Scholarship to enroll in a vocational school to study electromechanics. Tenetie is smart to enroll in a vocational program – unemployment is very high in Mali, but people with trade skills can often find good work and may even be able to work for themselves.

I spoke with Tenetie about how he is using his Inspiration Scholarship. “After my DEF, I went to Mandela vocational training center in Ouelessebougou to study electromechanics...Last year, I passed the national exam of BT1 and got that certificate,” he told me proudly. “And I am sure I will pass the 2023 national exam too and finish my study and get BT2 Diploma in electromechanics.

“At the moment, I have already started to work on my own,” Tenetie continued. “We work on construction sites to carry out electrical installations. And thanks to these small jobs, I earn some money. This money helps me a lot, I used it to repair my motorcycle when it broke down. I bought fuel for my motorcycle and I also bought some materials (working tools), because in this field, you can't work without materials, like wrenches/keys and others.”

Tenetie is already seeing the personal benefits of his chosen career path.  “I am independent now because I can solve all my problems without asking for help from my parents or other people,” he said.

This is the power of Inspiration Scholarships. While Tenetie is bringing the hard work and determination, our supporters brought just a little financial help to give him a lift. Scholars like Tenetie are showing that your investments really generate returns – not only in earnings, but in independence and hope.