After help from high school students, walkers, individual donors, our Builders Society, and others, we are pleased to announce we are ready to begin construction on a new school for the children of Sankama in southern Mali!
Treat Yourself to a Celebration (& an Amazing Dinner)
Applications Now Open for Youth Ambassadors
I'm proud to say that through this job I've met some of the greatest young people, both in Mali and in the United States. Lately, I've had the pleasure of working with Roshini, who inspired a whole new project at Mali Rising. Today, with the help of Roshini and four other high school students who make up the Youth Ambassadors Advisory Council, we're pleased to open applications for 18/19 school year Youth Ambassadors.
Diving Beneath the Data
I love working with the data because it shows us where we’re at, where we’ve been, and where we’re going. It’s exciting to track our progress over multiple years, to dig into whether we’re improving or not and why. But as much as data is able to tell us, there is a lot that it can’t tell us, and a lot that is misleading with careful review.
An Egg & Spoon Race in Mali? Sure Thing!
Just like here in the U.S., students are out of school for the summer in Mali. At the end of each school year but before the students scatter, we hold a celebration in each of our three Girls Project pilot villages. We use the parties for serious goals (collecting feedback, engaging parents, etc.), but they are also just plain fun. I'm sharing some pictures here from the party in Kolimba, a tiny village a few hours of dusty, bouncy dirt road from the nearest pavement.
We're Looking For A Few Outstanding High School Students
Sometimes you meet a young person who just inspires you. Such was the case for me when I met Roshini. In addition to raising funds for scores of menstural kits for our girls, Roshini inspired us to launch a new Mali Rising Project -- the Youth Ambassadors. Now we need a few more bright high school students to help make it happen.
What Our Girls Want To Be When They Grow Up...
It is such an annoying grownup question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" But it is an important question for young people as they enter middle and high school. The question is on my mind because one of many questions we ask girls participating in our Girls Project at the beginning of each school year and again at the end of the year.
How Far Would You Go? How About 391 Miles?
Mali Rising's first-ever virtual walking challenge -- Miles for Mali -- is in the books! This May, thirty-three volunteers walked more than 2,400 miles to raise $2,100 to build a new school for the kids of Sankama, Mali. We had a great time with our volunteer walkers, and everyone did a great job. However, one walker really stood out -- Phoebe Mathew from Holland, Pennsylvania. Why did she stand out you ask?
Our First Place Essay from Kaelyn Ha of Hunter College High School!
This week Mali Rising Foundation is announcing the three top winners in our national Make the Case for Caring Essay Contest. We're counting down -- 3, 2, 1 -- and today we're excited to announce our first place winner, Kaelyn Ha of Hunter College High School in New York, New York.
Second Place in the Make the Case for Caring Essay Contest
This week Mali Rising Foundation is announcing the three top winners in our national Make the Case for Caring Essay Contest. We're counting down -- 3, 2, 1 -- and today we announce our second place winner, Justin Song of Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland.
