Bring Dance and Music to Rural Schools in Mali!

Dear Kono Gnaga Friends and Family,

As we enter the final months of 2025, we look forward to launching the new school year and continuing our programs across partner schools in Bamako and Segou.

This year, we proudly celebrated our 7th Annual Kono Gnaga Festival, bringing together nine partner schools for three months of workshops and a joyful community performance that showcased students’ creativity, confidence, and pride in Mali’s cultural heritage. Our expansion to Segou through collaboration with the Mieruba Art Center marked an exciting step in sharing these opportunities with even more children and teachers.

Amid these accomplishments, we are deeply saddened by the loss of one of our most cherished artists, Dramane Sonogo, known to all as Bina. A pillar of the Kono Gnaga family, Bina dedicated his life to the cultural arts of Mali—teaching traditional dance, mentoring young artists, and inspiring hundreds of students to embrace their heritage with joy and discipline. His spirit will continue to move through every drumbeat and dance step shared by the children he taught.

As we look ahead, we also face serious funding challenges that may force us to scale back our reach. Yet our mission remains steadfast: to keep Malian youth, especially girls, who make up 80% of our participants, engaged, confident, and connected to their education through culture. Parents continue to share how their children are more motivated to attend school because of our programs, proof that this work changes lives.

We invite you to stand with us.

Join our event in Washington, DC on November 14 (flyer attached) and our GlobalGiving Giving Tuesday campaign on December 2. Your support keeps the heartbeat of Kono Gnaga alive, preserving culture, expanding education, and empowering the next generation of Malian youth.

With gratitude and hope,
Solo Sana and The Kono Gnaga Team

Dear Kono Gnaga Friends and Family,

We are thrilled to announce a major milestone for Kono Gnaga: this year, we expanded our program into the rural region of Ségou! Partnering with the Mieruba Art Center and two local schools, we brought arts education to new communities and engaged local artists to work directly with students. This exciting expansion culminated in a vibrant community festival in Ségou—the first of its kind for the area.

In addition to our growth in Ségou, we also celebrated the 7th Annual Kono Gnaga Festival in Bamako, featuring nine partner schools. Students engaged in three months of workshops leading up to a joyful community celebration in January, highlighting their creativity and learning.

A powerful new initiative this year allowed students to choose the themes of their performances. Through dance and music, they addressed pressing social issues such as girls’ education, sanitation, clean water, and juvenile delinquency. By using cultural heritage as a storytelling tool, students reached hundreds of community members with their messages and creativity.

To better understand our impact, we welcomed a monitoring and evaluation specialist who conducted focus groups with students, parents, and community members. The results were inspiring: parents noted their children were more motivated to attend school, and many girls reported increased confidence. One student shared,  “I’ve become a better student. Before, I didn’t ask questions when I didn’t understand. Now, I ask my teacher without feeling ashamed.”

With girls making up 80% of our participants, we are proud to be helping break down barriers to education and empower the next generation.

Thank you for being a vital part of the Kono Gnaga family. Your support makes all of this possible and is even more important during these uncertain times. 

Peace and blessings,
The Kono Gnaga Team