By Fatoumata Kone, Operations Coordinator

Many of our schools are now old enough that they have graduated hundreds, or even thousands, of students. So, recently we began organizing school Alumni Networks with a goal of helping the graduates help their schools grow and thrive. We have found that the alumni are more than eager to help!

This month, we helped one Alumni Network, from Jade and Gabe Mellor Middle School in Seguessona, address a big problem — malaria. Malaria is a terrible problem in Mali, in fact Mali is one of the ten countries with the highest number of malaria cases and deaths. Malaria can cause many students to miss classes as they stay home sick.

As a result, the Alumni Network proposed the idea of raising awareness among students so that they could protect themselves against it and work well at school in good health. During this anti-malaria awareness-raising activity, they invited a health worker to explain to the pupils how to prevent malaria. The health worker explained to the pupils that to protect themselves against malaria, they must avoid mosquito bites and sleep under a long-acting impregnated mosquito net. The impregnated mosquito net has a repellent effect, driving away other insects that enter the room, and kills any mosquitoes that come into contact with it.

The health worker also explained the symptoms and evolution of malaria, and showed students how to take a malaria test, as well as how to take a particular medicine to prevent malaria. The pupils really enjoyed this awareness-raising activity, saying that their little brothers and sisters always catch malaria now that they've understood how to protect themselves against it.

But it wasn’t all serious learning! The Alumni Network also organized a special soceer match, with the alumni facing off against current students. The soccer match was very close, with the current students not allowing the alumni to dominate. In the first half, the alumni scored a goal, but at the end of the second half, the current students tied the score at one goal apiece.

The students had fun and learned at the same time. The alumni are determined to contribute to the future of the students and help their pupils to have a better and healthier education. We love to see this kind of local passion for the school and investment in the students. To us, that’s the very definition of a successful school project!