Cap in Hand
This is very boring. I am forced to come begging for funds. Not for the hotel, of course, nor for MaliMali Studio, but for MaliMali Projects. We are stone broke. MaliMali Projects is the branch of our association MaliMali which supports some grass root community projects here with a sum of money every month. We need 150 000FCFA ( now about £200 or E 230) per month to cover the costs of M. Diarra’s adult literacy evening class; Madame Koita’s orphans, the support for Mamadou the handicapped boy and Karamogo’s English lessons as well as all the various small demands each month for help with medicine or just a few francs for food. ( see www.malimali.org/projects and www.facebook.com/malimaliprojects)
When the hotel was running
properly it was easy to find this money if the funds we received from elsewhere
were not sufficient one month. But now there is no money coming in from
anywhere. There are not even any orders for MaliMali Studio, so it is not
possible to come to the rescue. I still have to stay here to see the library
projects out, but the idea of staying and not being able to find this money
every month is really disturbing me.
Not everything is bleak however:
We are doing the 100 free cataract operations again this Christmas, this time
in memory of Keita. This is once more sponsored by my cousin Pelle and his wife
Nanni. This is a great gift to the town of Djenné. Keita’s family, Mai and children; sisters and cousins will come up and stay at the hotel. There will be a public Fatia at this time. It will be a fine memorial to Keita.
Should anyone feel they have a
few extra pennies to spare for our other monthly support activities in Djenné,
please visit either www. malimali.org
and go to the Donations page; visit www.facebook.com/malimaliprojects
or contact me via info@malimali.org. There are financial accounts available to see for anyone interested in giving a donation.
Mamadou.
posted by toubab at 4:22 PM
10 Comments:
Tell us more about wee Mamadou, looking so splendid in what I assume is MaliMali wear?
Sorry, that was a bit precipitate - I see you mentioned him as one of the orphans cared for by that remarkable lady. And on closer inspection I think he's just dressed up smartly in traditional fabrics. We still need to convert our Obama cloth into something useful to salute his (o weh!) imminent departure.
David, Mamadou is not one of Madame Koita's orphans. He is a young boy that is severely handicapped with both arms and legs atrophied. You can find reference to him on the Malimali website and on www.facebook.com/malimaliprojects When he was born his parents wanted to put him out in the bush to perish apparently, but his grand mother took him in. We have tried to have prostethics made for him in a Bamako specialist place with sponsorship from a Dutch and a British couple but it was not successful yet. It is probably too early.
He is not wearing MaliMali!
Look how he loves being alive in that pic. Hurrah for Granny! Must be tough being disabled in Mali, though.
He might not be wearing MaliMali but I do agree with David that his clothes are wonderful. And that delightful smile.
Well done, Sophie, for all the care and support that you offer the Djenne community.
Will the hotel still be accepting guests in later November... im going to take a few days from playing humanitarian and head up from Sikasso and take a break. I'll contact you through the hotel website. I can bring a small irrigation kit for a small garden if you like, and we can set that up for you, or one of your workers to try. If they are willing to do a little soil prep.
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Dear Andy,you are welcome at the end of November, almthough I am not going to be there unfortunately- I am going back to England for a few weeks, arriving Djenné again mid December. Do write through the hotel site.
You will be able to catch the free Malick Sidibe exhibition at Somerset House when you're here. I tried today but hadn't realised it closed at 6 - later in the week they have I think later opening hours.
I will be in touch. Happy travels...
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