My daughter lived in Mali for two years in the Peace Corp. I went to visit last spring. It was a life-changing trip for me and for her. My daughter’s thoughts and prayers have made such a large difference in the lives of the women there, and in the future of the entire village.

While she was there, she raised the money for the men of Bougoula to be able to build a
literacy center for the women of the village, brick by brick.
Carpenters came in from bigger towns to lay the roofing, cement the
structure and paint it.

On opening day the whole village threw a big
party for the literacy center and then everyone turned out!
Peace Corps officials and the local mayor attended and both gave beautiful
dedication speeches.

An excellent teacher was found, hired and trained
and thirty women enrolled in three-hour classes, six days a week. With
school books in hand they headed off to their first day of classes,
and, beginning with the letter “I,” these thirty women took their
first step on the journey toward literacy and a better future for
their families.

As the classes went on the women grew in both
knowledge and confidence, and sitting in on their classes became my daughter’s
favorite part of the day. Their sense of humor and the dedication with
which they pursued their studies were both inspiring and humbling.

It’s a fact that when a mother is educated, several things improve.
There is a widespread improvement in management of household income
and expenses, children’s health and healthcare information access,
women’s entrepreneurial activity, and a higher rate of enrollment of
young girls in school.

Higher rates of women’s literacy have also been
linked to lower rates of child mortality, lower rates of terrorism,
higher rates of employment and higher rates of gender equality. As the
country with the lowest ranked literacy on earth, Mali is in dire need
of adult literacy programs and training.

Since the Bougoula literacy center’s induction ceremony, the surrounding area has been inspired to
build two other literacy centers, setting off a domino effect as literacy spreads throughout the region.

Many of the women now enrolled had spoken to my daughter of what a privilege it
was to go to school, and how day after day they had sent their children off to school but sat at home, wishing they’d had the same opportunity. They no longer sit at home and wonder at the privilege of
education; provided the tools to learn the skills they’d always lacked they’ve empowered themselves and grown by leaps and bounds.

Since my daughter’s departure this past summer, a local committee of women have overseen
the literacy center in conjunction with the mayor’s office. One never knows the
long-term implications of a such a gesture, but we may assume they are
manifold in the influence they will have on these families, currently
living in a country battling the provocations of terrorism and an
unbroken cycle of poverty and famine in a 21st century world.

I always told her that she was the pebble in the pond. She was the first Peace Corps volunteer to ever live in their village. I am blessed to have her home, but I am also looking forward to going back to visit one day. Until then, I am going to order products from their women’s co-op; so that I can stay connected to her village and also help out financially.

I am such a proud mother.

This is Nancy and Amanda in Mali, Africa.

Sincerely, Nancy

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