Aminata is a 14-year-old 7th grader at Mali Rising's Neways Academy. She lives in the village of Touban. Touban is a small, remote village located southeast of the capitol of Bamako.

Aminata's favorite subject is biology, but she admits that English is quite hard for her. Outside of school, she says, "Singing and dancing make me very happy."

When we talked with Aminata about her future she was very clear. She would like to continue her studies and become a doctor who could treat patients for free. She also envisions building health centers in small villages like her own. If she could change anything in the world, she would build a house for her parents.

Aminata's typical day is a busy one. She wakes up at 6 am and lights the fire to heat water for her family. She then wakes her parents and washes up before leaving for school. At the noon break from school, Aminata returns home to do the dishes and study. In the afternoon, she returns to school until 5 pm. Aminata then heads home to wash more dishes, gather wood, and prepare dinner for the entire family. If she's lucky, she then gets a little more study time before heading to bed.

Girls like Aminata have to be very dedicated to education given their chore responsibilities and other pressures at home. We commend Aminata for working so hard at school and at home so that she can achieve her dreams. Learn more about how we help girls like Aminata stay in school and thrive.

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