Mali

We have been providing opportunities for Malian children to reach their full potential since 1991. We work closely with community-based organizations and stakeholders to improve people’s lives, while building our partners’ capacity to implement sustainable solutions to local problems. 

With a focus on children—in particular girls and children with special needs, and those who have never attended school, have limited access, or have dropped out—we strive to improve access to and quality of education across Mali.

Our programs increase student retention in schools, train teachers, and build the capacity of school managers, community groups, and local education officials. 

We support mothers’ associations that increase women’s literacy and give them the skills to advocate for their children’s education. These associations have a role in creating savings and loan groups that have enabled women in the most rural areas to fund community-enhancing projects.

In Northern Mali, where conflict is ongoing, we engage communities in peacebuilding activities. By building trust, we are able to strengthen or create programs that mitigate conflict and ensure that services, including education, are provided despite the conflict.

Our community-centered approach has been sought by the private sector, including mining companies that partner with us to improve student retention and the quality of education in mining communities.