2014 Completed Projects
Four Malian students receive an 8-month ESL scholarship at Nomen Global, Utah
Date Completed:December, 2014
Partners: Nomen Global Language Center, Utah, Malian Ministry of Education
Project Description/Impact: We partnered with the Nomen Global Language Centers in Provo, Utah and the Ministry of Education in Mali to send four Malian students on a full 8-month scholarship to the US. The four students are Dramane Bagayoko, Odette Togola, Fatoumata Sow and Mamadou Tounkara. Once the students complete the 8 month study course, they will enroll in Universities in the US to further their education.
Teachers Housing for the Building Youth Around the World Academy, Ferekoroba
Date Completed:October, 2014
Partners: Building Youth Around the World Foundation, Community of Ferekoroba
Project Description/Impact:One of the issues that adds difficulties to a village receiving trained and effective teachers is being able to retain them. In many cases, when the government assigns teachers to rural areas, it falls upon the teachers to make housing arrangements. Where teachers cannot live near the school, they are likely to spend a lot of time traveling, often to the detriment of their school work. Most teachers will request transfers out of these areas leaving schools without trained teachers. Once trained teachers leave, the villagers resort to untrained and not as well educated individuals teaching. BYAW seeing such a need in the village of Ferekoroba has offered to build a 3-room housing for the teachers/headmaster of the Building Youth Around the World Academy of Ferekoroba.
Donated Tablets to Schools in Kalabancoura
Date Completed: February-December, 2014
Partners: Sorenson Legacy Foundation
Project Description/Impact: In Mali, many adults, let alone children will never touch a computer until they are much older and in college. Many children miss a key learning window in which they can master computer literacy. Thanks to a generous grant by the Sorenson Legacy Foundation, Empower Mali is putting tablets in the hands of young children in Mali. Trained administrators provide hands on learning on tablets to children. The children love this new experience of experimenting with applications and especially the power of the internet. They are raring to learn a fresh skill that will better prepare them for the future.
Basic tablet/computer literacy will open doors for these children encouraging them to think greater than their classroom doors. We donated tablets to schools in the Kalabancoura middle schools in Bamako, Mali.
Building Youth Around the World Academy of Ferekoroba, Mali
Dedication Date: April 19, 2014
Partners: Building Youth Around the World Foundation, Community of Ferekoroba, Government (provides teachers)
Project Description/Impact: In October 2013, Building Youth Around the World Foundation donated $50,000.00 to build a fully equipped 3-classroom middle school, administration building and 6 latrines in the village of Ferekoroba, Mali.
Due to a lack of a middle school middle school aged children would travel 3-7 miles, 4 times a day to attend school in the neighboring villages. This was causing a drop in enrollment rates especially for girls, who were kept back by parents in fear of long dusty roads and possible dangers of the long journey. The school will serve up to 150 students from Ferekoroba and the surrounding villages.
Students in Ferekoroba started using the middle school in October 2014. As part of the school opening, Empower Mali dedicated textbooks to the school committee for all students attending the school.
Donation of School Kits, Hygiene and Dental Kits
Date Completed: January to December, 2014
Project Description/Impact: We donated almost 500 school and hygiene kits in the distant villages in Ouélessébougou to mark the start of school. Many of the children and families in this area do not have these basic supplies.