By Fatoumata Kone, Operations Coordinator

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.

Here is what Awa told me in her own words:

My name is Awa L Touré and I come from [the village of] Diorila. I graduated from Sue Taylor Middle School in Diorila. I'm currently in my 2nd year at the Sanankoroba sewing training center.

When I was in 8th grade my dream was to go to a sewing school, but I didn't know how to find the money to pay for it. So to my great surprise I was selected for the Mali Rising scholarship and I had the chance to benefit that day. I was so happy and I can't even believe that I'm going to realize my dream.

I enrolled in a sewing training center in Sanankoroba. We started sewing with cement paper, our teachers showed us how to measure and cut the paper to create pretty patterns, and then I sewed the paper with my own hands.

Once we've understood this first step, we'll move on to the machine to sew the paper. And the second step is to sew the fabric with the sewing machine. Now I know how to sew men's and women's clothes, and even children's clothes. This year I've sewn several garments.

It's thanks to my dedication to education that I got this scholarship. Education is very important because it allows us to learn the good things in life and realize our dreams, to be an independent and autonomous girl.

The scholarship helped me a lot, I bought my school supplies, the small sewing materials I needed, clothes and everything else I needed. I used to have a basic knowledge of sewing, because my sister-in-law was a seamstress, and I learned from her. But it was thanks to the Mali Rising Foundation grant that I was able to train at the sewing training center.

So if it wasn't for this scholarship, I wouldn't have had the financial means to continue my training. I would like to thank the donors of Mali Rising for contributing to my future and helping me to realize my dream and my passion. When I finish my studies, I'd like to open a sewing workshop to make clothes for people and celebrities, as well as helping my parents and young girls to learn trades.