Don’t know much about history? Here are some easy, fun ways to learn about Mali’s history….

Summer school break doesn’t look the same for children in Mali as it does for those in the United States. While kids in the U.S. might go to summer camp or ride bikes around their neighborhood, in Mali kids see summer as a time of hard work and school as a kind of rest break!

These days, when we hear about Mali in the news it tends to be a bit of a downer. We read about jihadist attacks or military coups, or perhaps a sad story about someone who has been displaced and is deeply struggling to get by. These stories are true, but it is important to remember that Mali is still a place of culture, beauty, and good people. If you need a quick hit of that more positive angle, explore Discover Malian Culture: The 4 Marvelous Ms by Google.

One of the things Mali is most famous for is its music. Whether you are listening to the sounds of the traditional instruments or tuning into more modern musicians, Mali’s music is distinctive and world renowned. We’ve come up with a great way to introduce you to the range of Mali’s music — sign up for our e-newsletter and we’ll provide you with a curated streaming playlist.

This year, heavy rains have caused flooding and landslides across Mali including in urban areas. This increases the high risk of flooding that can lead to loss of crops and material goods in exposed localities. Unfortunately, this flooding is exactly what we have seen recently in many parts of Mali.

Mali Rising is excited to announce the launch of our new podcast, Rising. This is a new, easy way for the curious to learn more about Mali and about Mali Rising’s work. Through interviews, story-telling, and more, we make the people and places of Mali come alive.

In Mali, your ethnic group is a point of pride and connection. In our schools, we see students from a wide range of ethnic groups learning side-by-side – embracing their own history and culture while also enjoying the diversity of Mali. Today, I want to share the history of my ethnic group and a little of its culture, because I come from a very large Soninké family from Mali in the Kayes region.

On September 22, 1960, Mali gained independence from France. Traditions for celebrating this important day are rich, but insecurity threatens them.

In preparation for our May 13 Get to Know Mali Volunteer Evening, I’ve been digging around into information about Mali that might be of interest to those of us in North America or Europe. As a side-effect of that research, I’m positively itching to be able to travel again and missing the sights, sounds, and smells of Mali! I figured some of you might be laboring under the same problem so thought I would share a snippet here about 5 places in Mali I wish I was exploring today: