In February 2022, our member Laurence Chaborel traveled to Africa for the first time in her life and to one of the poorest countries: Mali. She was allowed to visit the school of the children of her host family and was surprised how diligently the children learn there and how committed the teachers are.
This school is still a construction site, without windows and doors, without a floor, the teachers have only a blackboard and chalk and the children no books, only a few notebooks. There is a lack of everything there, although it is a “private school”. The state schools – without sufficient funds – only allow a sort of supervision in classes with up to 100 children.
In Teriya school there are 50-60 children per class (one preschool class and 1st grade to 9th grade). It is taught according to the French school curriculum. After 9th grade, the children take the French MSA exam (Brevet BEPC).
Children who have become orphans (25 in primary and 21 in secondary) also go to this school and the relatives who care for these children can no longer manage to pay the school fees:

  • 5000 Fr. per month (€ 7.60) for primary school children and
  • 8500 Fr. per month (€ 13,00) in secondary school.

These children have to leave school and will never get a good education, but will have to go to work for their families.

WE WANT TO HELP!
WE ARE STILL LOOKING FOR SPONSORS WHO WILL PAY THE SCHOOL FEES, SO THAT THESE CHILDREN CAN GET THE RIGHT TO EDUCATION AND SMILE AGAIN!

The BENKADI Association takes over the project as an umbrella organization and issues donation receipts every year. The sponsors receive a photo of the child, the birth certificate,
the death certificate of the father, a school certificate and regularly the school report of the child. Since all adults in Mali have a cell phone and whatsapp, there is also the possibility to talk to the child on the phone from time to time. The younger children only speak French and Bambara, the older ones learn English from the 6th grade.

BECOME A SPONSOR AND GIVE A CHILD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SCHOOL ATTENDANCE!

Cost per year:

  • 100€ for a child in primary school (1st grade to 5th grade)
  • 162€ for a child in the Collège (6th grade to 9th grade) (including fees for bank transfers and postage). Monthly contributions of 9 € or 14 € possible.

BENKADI e.V. Culture- Space- Africa
Dr. Edda Brandes
Muskauer Str. 50, 10997 Berlin
Tel.: 030-6183219

GLS Gemeinschafts Bank
IBAN DE24 4306 0967 4004 6126 02
Project: School fees for orphans of the Teriya School

The school is still under construction, but classes are held everywhere.

In February 2023 Edda B. and Uli K. hand over French-language books to the management.