2016 Completed Projects
Second Building Youth Around the World Academy is completed in Fanterila
Date Completed:November, 2016
Partners: Building Youth Around the World, Malian Government (provides teachers)
Project Description/Impact: Project Description/Impact: We partnered with Building Youth Around the World to build a three classroom middle school in the village of Fanterila, a village in the Commune of N’kourala, in Sikasso, Mali. The Building Youth Around the World Academy of Fanterila is the second of its kind in Mali
Dedication of the Micah Shea Watkins Academy of Dongorona
Date Completed: August, 2016
Partners: Watkins Family, Malian Government (provides teachers)
Project Description/Impact:
On August 6th, 2016, the village of Dongorona celebrated the dedication of the Micah Shea Watkins Academy of Dongorona.
The rural village of Dongorona is situated in the community of Oueléssébougou, Mali. With a population of 1300 households, there are 260 children currently attending primary and middle school. Currently 60 children will walk the 12 miles each day to attend the neighboring middle school in Simidji. The road they walk is a main road which is continuously busy with many buses/cars/trucks traveling dangerously fast. Many parents in the village have withdrawn their girls because of fear of having them walk that long distance alone. A school in the village will give these girls an equal chance at an education and prevent early marriages. The village is committed to the completion and future upkeep of the middle school.
With the donated funds, Empower Mali built a fully equipped three classroom middle school housing grades 7-9, a director’s office, a store room and 6 latrines ( 3 boys and 3 girls).
First Malian recipient of a three year scholarship to Fundación Paraguaya’s Agricultural School
Date: May 2016
Partners: Individual donors, Fundación Paraguaya
Project Description/Impact:
Diakaridia Samake is the first Malian recipient of a three year scholarship to Fundación Paraguaya’s Agricultural School.
Diakaridia was abandoned by his mother when he was just a small boy. Soon after his father passed away leaving him an orphan at the young age of 7 years. He is a young 18-year old from Ouelessebougou. This scholarship could change his life. On completion, he will return to his village of Ouelessebougou.
Individual donors of the foundation helped raise the cost of the airplane ticket and room and board expenses to cover Diakaridia’s cost in Paraguay.
Fundación Paraguaya is a foundation run by Martin Burt who is also a BYU Graduate. He has offered these scholarships to young boys/girls from Mali between the age of 15-20. The foundation runs a rural high school, which is 45 minutes away from the capital city of Asuncion. At the school the students will be inducted into a special program where they will learn agricultural skills and competencies, as well as Spanish language. They will be able to have full use of the onsite library and internet services, and special care will be given for their attention and well-being. Upon graduation, these students will be highly trained agricultural technicians who will be able to share and implement the lessons and skills learned in their native Mali.
A basketball court for a middle school in Daoudabougou, Mali
Date:April 2016
Partners: Mike Clayton, KSL, and Hoops ASL
Project Description/Impact: In April 2016, a group of basketball players, doctors partnered with Empower Mali to host a game between Malian basketball players and players from Utah. During this time, they also installed and constructed a basketball court for a middle school in Daoudabougou, Mali.