Imagine walking several miles to get to the closest school in your town or community; or not having school supplies or a backpack to go to school. Unfortunately, this is a reality for many students around the world. In several communities, children lack the educational supplies and resources they need to obtain an education. Teachers are limited and educational supplies are a constant necessity. Fortunately, YES alumni in Mali are making strides in helping a small community in Mali overcome these challenges. 

YES alumni traveled to the village of Nianfala to start a dialogue with the residents of this community while helping to alleviate some of the educational issues they faced. The alumni visited the village’s school and created an environment in which the residents of the village could express the school’s needs. Through conversation and observation, the alumni noticed some factors that were hindering the overall development of the school: the shortage of teachers which caused the school to combine some classes, the need for school supplies, and unaffordable tuition. Additionally, this school in Nianfala serves students from the 1st to 6th grade, so students in the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades have to walk miles away from their village to get to the closest school. 

In an effort to fulfill the school’s needs, YES alumni organized a school kit drive. Through this initiative, the alumni were able to distribute over 700 school supplies and backpacks to the students. These supplies included notebooks, writing utensils, and much more. According to the school’s principal, the donations helped the school in tremendous ways. Overall, the alumni executed a successful project with the hopes of inspiring the students to stay in school. The alumni plan to organize a fundraiser to provide financial assistance to the school in the future.