By Hindaty Traore, Girls Project Manager

Our Girls’ Project works intensively in a group of villages for 3 years before moving on to a fresh set of villages. As this school year ended, we said goodbye to five intensive partner villages with big community celebrations.

During these celebrations, several mothers of students testified about the success of their daughters thanks to the Girls’ Project..

Mariam Samake is the mother of a young girl at our France W. Burton Middle School in Tamala. She spoke in front of the village to say she was very satisfied and proud of the Girls’ Project. Mariam shared that thanks to the last three years of the Project, her two daughters have been able to complete middle school without dropping out and they have also enrolled in a 1-year nurse training course through Mali Rising Inspiration Scholarships.

Mariam’s eldest daughter, Kadiatou Samaké ,and her sister, Dadjè Samaké, are currently on an internship to finish up their nursing program. Mariam told us she was proud that her girls are already help neighboring families by giving injections and infusions and treating wounds.

“My two daughters became nurses thanks to Mali Rising foundation. One of my daughters received the scholarship for the one-year matron training,” explained Mariam. “So to help my second daughter realize her dream of becoming a matron too, I sold my soumbala (spice) to pay for her matron training. I am very happy that even if I fall ill today I don't care because they will give me first aid before arriving at the Ouelessebougou health center which is not far from our village.”

Mariam went on to share her thoughts on the Girls’ Project, “I will not be able to say all the good things done by the Girls’ Project in our village because after the three years of the project, they gave us a fund for the manufacture of soap, the profits of which will be used to pay the school fees of all the girls in the second cycle. I can’t find big enough words to thank the organization but thank you for everything you have done in our village. There was a misunderstanding between us women but thanks to your Girls’ Project we have united forever for the common and sustainable development of our village and the success of our girls.”

Although we are said to spend less time with the women and girls of Tamala in the coming year, we will continue to work with them and their school to make sure they retain the improvements they’ve created!