Bubbly Saleuata is a 14-year-old 8th grader at Mali Rising's Frances W. Burton Middle School in Tamala.

Saleuata's father is a corn and peanut farmer, and her mother takes care of the family. Her mother has a lot to do because Saleuata has 4 sisters and 2 brothers. This means Saleuata gets up early before school to help with chores, cooking breakfast, and getting all of those siblings ready to face the day.

But Saleuata's real day starts when she gets to school at 8 am. Luckily, she lives right in the village of Tamala so she has a quick walk to school. Once there, her favorite subjects are chemistry and math....not the typical favorites for a teenage girl! Her dream when she grows up is to be a police officer -- again, not the typical response for a teenager. 

But Saleuata really lights up when she talks about the big city. She admits she loves Bamako -- the capital city of Mali -- because of its zoo, shows, and especially the cinema. An outing to a place like Bamako would be a rarity indeed for a young girl like Saleuata, so we can imagine it would put some stars in her eyes!

Saleuata's dreams of serving her country as a police officer and maybe even getting to the big city are within reach because she's in school and learning. Thanks to the Frances W. Burton Middle School, thousands of Tamala's children have benefited from this opportunity since its construction in 2007.

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