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.
Visiting Speakers Help Our Girls Think About the Future
At this time of year there is just so much going on at Mali Rising schools that it is hard to keep everyone up to date on all the news. Year-end exams and summer are rushing at our students, just like they are here in the United States. But I wanted to share just a little peek at something powerful girls involved with our Girls Project have been up to -- meeting with career women in Mali to explore options for their future.
Kids Today...Are Pretty Awesome
The older generation tends to worry – or, let’s be honest, complain – about young people’s work ethic, energy, and even empathy. You can think of this as the “Kids today” cliché: “Kids today don’t think of others.” “Kids today don’t take initiative.” Etc., etc. Well Roshini Balan is proving just how cliché that thinking is.
Simidjila's Girls vs. Beneko's Birds: Girls Soccer!
We love gritty girls. Gritty, you say? Yes! Grit, leadership skills, teamwork abilities, and self-confidence are critical traits for strong kids. These traits are especially important for girls in Mali, who must overcome many obstacles to get the education they deserve. Thanks to our donors, we support the development of all these traits through participation with our new girls' soccer teams. Check out this blog post for news and photos from the first-ever, inter-school Mali Rising soccer match!
Checking In On Our Girls In Mali
When I talk with anyone about our work, the project that people most connect with is our Girls Project. Men and women, people from the U.S. or people from Mali, younger or older -- everyone gets excited about making sure girls get an equal education. So I try to be sure to do a periodic update on our girls progress under the Girls Project. I know you're rooting for our girls, so here's the latest news from our Girls Project Coordinator, Hindaty.
Helping Teachers Grow, Helps Kids Grow Too
A school isn't worth the bricks it's built with if you don't have good teachers working inside. We believe that, and so do our generous supporters. Thanks to attendees at our annual Soiree, in December 2017 we hosted our third teacher training. Teachers in Mali are often provided with very little education and then sent to remote villages to sink or swim with classrooms that can be filled with 100 + students. With your help, we sent 39 teachers back to the classroom with new skills and new energy to help our kids!
Give a Girl the Gift of Grit
As 2017 winds down and we enjoy the holiday season, many of us are feeling generous and grateful. If you're thinking about channeling those feelings into wrapping up your charitable giving for the year, consider giving a Mali Rising girl the gift of grit.
Investing in Great Teachers for Great Students
One Stop Spot For Keeping Up With The Girls Project
As regular blog readers will know, we are very proud of our new Girls Project. In its very first year, the Project returned wonderful results for our girl students in Mali. As we launch the Project's second year, there's even more going on. And with so many of you particularly interested in supporting our girls, we created a new hub for tracking news about the Girls Project...
A Girl Scout Gives Back
Here at Mali Rising, we love Girl Scouts. Last year, we partnered with a troop based near our Utah office. We connected that troop with one of our Girls Groups at our school in Kolimba, Mali and the troop sent colorful, thoughtful letters of encouragement to the girls in Mali. At that troop meeting last year, we discussed various barriers to girls' education in Mali. One scout -- Skyler Dey -- took that discussion to heart. She decided to focus on a solution to one of those barriers -- a lack of supplies for managing girls' periods.
