Support Mali's Vulnerable Children

Thanks to your generous support, we acquired funding for, and purchased new solar panels for Zorokoro. Please see them on the picture: the new ones are on the left and the old weakened ones on the right.  

 In June we broke ground to start building the first classrooms, and in July our director, Kadiatou Sidibe visited Mali to assess construction progress.  As shown on the attached photos, the school building is really shaping up.  We now are raising funds for our operating budget to be able to open the school to 60 young children ages 3-5 years old, including 25 vulnerable children we are ready to welcome at the finished dorm at Zorokoro.  Please consider donating today towards this goal. Your donation through Global Giving will really help make the school a reality and provide the start of an education for 60 young children so that they can have a bright future that all children deserve.  One of our donated sheep gave birth to a ram lamb in August, and we are expecting another baby sheep in the next few days.  The herd is growing and ACFA is poised to develop its livestock business. 

 On the health care front, one of our children underwent an emergency appendicitis operation in May. Thanks to medical pro-bono supporters like Dr. Hamet Pierre Toure, the operation went well and the cost was at minimum fees.

 Summer break has started in Mali and the children are continuing their vocational training as well as their sports commitments. Fanta is doing extremely well at a hair braiding school.  In sports, Diakassan participated in the fencing Africa Championship, and received a monetary prize.  

Thanks to Mr. Saliou Telly, our children were invited to attend the Mali National Basketball Team training session.  This was a superb opportunity for the children to be introduced to the team who have now become mentors.  Additionally, the children received the visit of Moussa Kondo, director of the Mali chapter of Accountability Lab, who in addition to his continued mentorship has established a monthly discipline award program at ACFA.  This program will serve the children as they go through adolescent years and its related challenges.  Finally, a young lady from Mali, Bintou Traore, who is now studying in France, collected clothes and shoes from friends and family in France and in Mali and donated them to the ACFA’s children this July.  

 We could not continue our mission without your support and we are always available to answer any questions that you may have.  Are you ready to visit the operation that you have been supporting?  Let us know and we’ll gladly host you in Mali, where you can see first hand the impact of your donation.  Please do consider donating today to ACFA, and thank you for your support.

Links:

• Our website

In February, Diakassan’s participation in the African Championship in Algeria resulted in her wining prizes and awards.  In the meantime, our basketball children, Adama and Lassine, participated in numerous competitions and sport camps in Bamako.  

Our staff participated in trainings provided by the Direction Nationale de la Promotion de la Femme et de l’Enfant as well as our psychologist training to face adolescent challenges and children exploitation.  These trainings will serve ACFA and our children for years to come. 

The second semester in Mali commenced fierce with exams and while we are awaiting the results, we are confident that our children did well: more to follow as we get those results.  

In Mar our director, Kadiatou Sidibe, visited Mali with donors around the world.  She also participated in meetings with existing donors. As a result, we are now poised to commence construction of our new school in Zorokoro.  Additionally, one supporter donated 2 sheeps to ACFA to start ACFA’s livestock program. Stay tuned for more info and updates about the construction and the livestock program.   

 One challenge that we have this quarter is the need for a new solar panel at Zorokoro.  We are in a quick campaign to raise $800.  Please consider donating today towards our solar panel that will provide power so the children can have running water from the well. Thank you for your support.

Links:

• Our website