Modibo and Karim are both 7th graders in Jade and Gabe Mellor Middle School in Seguesona. Karim is 13 whereas Modibo is 14. I spoke with them last week and they both shared some of their interests and stories with me.
Keeping Girls Both Safe From Covid & Learning
This year I can't wait to resume our twice monthly meetings with the girls in our Girls Project villages! These meetings will be a little different because of COVID-19, but in some ways I think they may be even better. For more health protection, we will hold these meetings under the trees in the school yards, rather than in the classrooms…
Get to Know Denik Middle School's French Teacher (aka, the Rooster!)
Denik Middle School of Zambougou has not only been a tremendous help to the people of Zambougou, but also a great relief for Mr. Diarra. Abdoul Salam Diarra has been teaching French in Zambougou for 5 years. Mr. Diarra is married and is the father of a two-year-old boy. He lives in Ouelessebougou, which is about 10 km from the school. Mr. Diarra loves all his family and enjoys working with all his everyone in Denik Middle School of Zambougou….
Even Flood Waters Can't Stop Our Girls Project
Because of the school closings with COVID-19, this year’s reopening of schools coincides with the rainy season. Usually, schools in Mali are closed from June through September so that most children do not have to navigate floodwaters and mud to get to school. As with everything else, 2020 has been quite different with students called back to school in the midst of the rains.
Partnerships With Principals Are Crucial!
Abdoulaye Coulibaly is the principal of Mindful Bunch Middle School of Kafara. He is 33 years old and father of 3 children. Mr. Coulibaly says many people in Karafa cannot even find words to express their feelings when it comes to talking about the importance of Mindful Bunch Middle School. Mr. Coulibaly estimates that 99% of the people in Kafara think their middle school allowed them to be closer to their kids and be able to watch over the kids and their education. Their kids have been studying in their own village and do not have to walk miles any more to get to school.
Be Part of Keeping Kids Healthy & Learning
A few weeks back, we launched our Back-to-School Safe Campaign for our kids in Mali. With your help, we will raise $3,000 to provide the tools and training our kids and teachers need to stay safe in Mali, where online learning just is not an option. We are 20% of the way to our goal but there’s still a long way to go! We are grateful to everyone who has donated so far, and hope more of you will be able to get involved. We know times are tough for many of us, but for those who can give you can really make a difference for some great kids with as little as $25.
Prevention is Better Than a Cure
Be Part of Our Back-to-School Safe Campaign
As a new school year looms in the COVID-19 era, we are all worried about sending our kids back to school. This just isn’t the normal back-to-school feeling, is it? As you may imagine, we’re worried about sending our kids in Mali back to school too. I know you have a lot on your mind these days, but if you are able to spare a thought for Mali’s kids too, would you consider donating to our Back-to-School Safe Campaign?
Feeling Good With Mali Rising Workbooks
Tim Gibson Middle School in Sebela has been a blessing for the people of Sebela. However, the 7th and 8th grade students have not been in school for a while, due to a teachers’ strike this spring and then a school closure as a result of the pandemic. Although the 9th graders are back in school studying for their graduation exam, the 7th and 8th students are still waiting on the government to allow them to get back to school too. The students love each other because they feel they are all joined together in one school. They are looking forward to going back to school and being with their teachers. Read what one student of Tim Gibson Middle School thinks of our workbook strategy to keep students engaged with learning during COVID-19 closures…
Success in Our First Workbook Pilot
By Merritt Frey, Executive Director
A few weeks ago, I wrote about a new strategy we are piloting. This strategy is designed to help our students, who have been out of the classroom since March (and missed several earlier months due to teacher strikes) stay connected with school and practice some core language skills from home.
The idea is basic — there is no online learning option in Mali’s rural villages! Instead, we sent home workbooks with 7th and 8th grade students at Tim Gibson Middle School in Sebela. If students completed the workbook they would receive soap for their families; top scoring students would receive bags of rice to share with their family.
We are really pleased with the test run’s completion rate, with 62% of the kids returning completed workbooks. We were also pleased with the results, with the top scorers scoring 14 or 15 out of 20 points. We were less pleased with the average — 9 out of 20 points — but that just goes to show how much the students need to practice!
Perhaps more importantly, the students seemed to have fun with the workbooks and appreciated their small prizes. We are currently testing this idea in a second village, and hope to roll out an improved version in more villages in September.
We provided the workbooks to our 7th and 8th grade students because the 9th graders are currently back in school, studying for their graduation exam. Here we see the 9th graders of Sebela studiously focused on a chemistry lesson.
