As the school year comes to an end in Mali, I’ve been talking with a lot of the girls who are part of the Girls’ Project. Their stories are so compelling that I want to share some of them with Mali Rising’s supporters. Today, I wanted to share the words of Fanta, a student at Judge Memorial Middle School in the little village of Sankama.
Giving Kids a Little Extra Language Help
A Hero Who Keeps Going: Korotoumou
In the rural villages of Mali, girls face many difficulties in order to be able to study. Some live very far away from school, and others face family problems. Through my interviews this month I have met girls who each have a unique story, but each was able to overcome these difficulties despite their young age. Because of their determination, they were able to continue to go to school and build a better life for themselves, and for their families. I wanted to share just a few of the stories that most moved me with you all. I’ll start with the story of Korotoumou, told in her own words.
Great Girls Read Gives a Huge Lift
In Mali, all too often we find that students who diligently attend school still cannot read. Based on my own personal observations, I would estimate that around 80% of middle school students are not able to read a sentence correctly in French and 85% of elementary students are not able read aloud a simple sentence like “My school is pretty.”
Through the Girls’ Project’s Great Girls Read campaign, I am focused on changing this dynamic for our girls. I am particularly passionate about focusing on reading with our elementary school girls, because if they can learn reading young it will set them way ahead in middle school!
One Teacher Finds a Secret
This month, we wrapped up our Intensive Teacher Trainings for the school year. These sessions allow us to provide about half of our teachers with two, tailor-made trainings over the year, along with 3 Teacher Peer Meetings. At our last meeting, I spoke with Amadou Doro, a math teacher, about the biggest new ideas he took away from his time in our Intensive Teacher Trainings. Here’s what he had to say…
Mother Teaching Assistants Make a Difference
Chatting Around a Dish With the Girls' Project Girls
As part of the Girls’ Project work, each spring we organize a session on eating and cooking healthy, local foods. This session includes preparation of a group meal with the girls. But the session is not only about food – cooking and eating together gives us a great, informal way to talk and share. While we wait for the meal to cook, we share stories around the table. Each girl tells a story that marked her, and shares her dreams and her goals. This is a very important activity that allows girls to confide and share their experiences.
Discussing Gender Violence: Boys & Girls
As we work to help girls succeed in school, we know a good relationship between girls and boys is very important for the success of girls. In Mali, school-based violence is a large-scale problem with harmful consequences for girls, but also for society as a whole. The violence suffered by girls affects their learning, their physical and mental health, their personality and their future. That’s why February’s theme for the Girls’ Project meetings was Stopping School-based Violence.
Why Chalkboard Art Matters
As we start to get closer to the end of the school year, I’ve been talking with our teachers about the Chalkboard Art Contest. This is a chance for teachers to show off how they use the primary teaching tool in a Mali classroom — the chalkboard. Our teachers create beautiful maps, diagrams, and more to help students learn. I asked one of our teachers, Mr. Mariko, to share his thoughts on the contest and the value of chalkboard art.
One Teacher Dives In On Peer Meetings
Earlier this month, Mali Rising hosted one of our Teacher Peer Meetings – gatherings of 7 or 8 teachers from different schools who learn from each other for the day. Teachers volunteer to present a sample lesson and their peers critique their work – providing both positive and constructively negative feedback. After this most recent Peer Meeting, I talked with one of the participating teachers, and recorded his thoughts on the peer meeting and his work…
