Blog — Mali Rising Foundation

scholarships

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An Inspiration Scholar With Skills in Livestock Breeding, Hair Styles, & Soccer...

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As the school year ends, our Field Director Alou is checking in with our Inspiration Scholarship students to see how they are progressing. Inspiration Scholars are outstanding Mali Rising graduates who receive scholarships to continue their education at high school or in vocational programs. Alou spoke with one Scholar, Cheick Oumar Samake, who shared what his first year at agricultural school has been like.

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Mariama Studies Hard at Health School

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Here’s a first person story from one of our current Inspiration Scholars, Mariama, who is studying nursing with the help of her scholarship: My name is Mariama Konaté, I am 17 years old, I am currently a nursing student at the Benso School of Health in Sanankoroba . I have to do 6 months of classroom training and 6 months of practical training.

Seydou Sees A Bright Future Thanks to You

by Alou Doumbia, Field Director

A very rewarding part of my job is to coordinate the scholarships granted to some of our most outstanding graduates — Inspiration Scholarships. These scholarships allow students to continue to high school or to a vocational school. I spoke with one of our new Inspiration Scholars, Seydou. Thanks to our generous supporters, Seydou is one of dozens of graduates now in professional school getting ready for big things. Here is what he had to say:

Seydou was born November 28th, 1998 in the village of Tièma 1 km away from Sebela. He attended the Tim Gibson School in Sebela where he where he graduated his DEF exam (the national graduation exam).

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When he was selected as a Mali Rising scholar, he intended to continue his studies in pastoral farming, but his choice was not accepted by the school authorities. However, that did not disturb him at all. After he passed the DEF exam, he was referred to a vocational school for a 2 year accounting assistant program.

Seydou said, “Teachers and supervisors trust me in our school, they are all happy to hear that I am planning to continue my studies. I am courageous and hope to be successful in my life because my parents can’t support me. That is why I take courage and study hard. I want my brothers to study hard because education is very valuable, whether you are from a rich or poor family, if you are not well educated, you will be regretful one day.”

“I like accounting the most among our subjects, but the exercises are difficult,” continued Seydou. “Talking about meals, I really like the "fakoï" which is a rice dish with a black sauce, it is a the favorite one of the "Sonrhaï" ethnic group living northern Mali. I don’t like to hurt someone who didn’t hurt me. I’m going to make fun now, I’m a Dogon [an ethnic group], and my joking cousins are the Sonrhaï ethnic group who like nothing but fakoi.”

Learn more about the Inspiration Scholars Project.

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A Dinner That Makes A Difference

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It’s that time of year — Soiree time! This is our big gathering of supporters in Salt Lake City, where we celebrate successes and look forward to a new year of school. This isn’t your normal stuffy gala. Instead of asking guests to buy trinkets at an auction, we invite everyone to “bid” on truly critical things our students and schools need to succeed. What can you bid to support? Read on…

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A Scholarship for Strong Women

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In the complicated moments of life, some people show great kindness in helping and supporting those in need. These kind and supportive people are few in our world all too often individualistic. Mali Rising’s Strong Woman Scholarships are a legacy of love from two incredible sisters in North America.

Who really runs a mayor's office? Someday maybe Boumadyè.

Boumadyè is and 18-year-old graduate of Mali Rising’s Sue Chung Chiu Middle School in the little village of Simidji.  She used her Inspiration Scholarship to move to the capitol city of Bamako to pursue a secretarial degree at a vocational school. Why? Because she covets an influential role in the mayor’s office…

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Auction for Action at Thursday's Soiree

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We've all done it -- got carried away at a charity auction and come home with a strange trinket we can't fit anywhere in our house or a gift certificate for an adventure we can't imagine ever taking. We shrug and tell ourselves the funds went to a good cause. So why not just directly decide where those funds will go and spare yourself donating the dusty trinket to the thrift store two years later. That's the concept behind the Auction for Action at Mali Rising's Soiree this Thursday.