Well, we just got back from Mali. You might notice a sneaky logo in the picture above. Those are our good friends in Kola – a village where we’re supporting the local school. Free t-shirts and teaching materials were the order of the day. Anyway, this was a flying visit after our inaugural brothers and sisters Mali Love In last Tuesday at Notting Hill Arts Club. For those of you who don’t know about it, a brief summary:
Our mate Ballo, who lives in Bamako, has launched a teacher training scheme in the capital to improve the education standards for children in the area.
In Mali, 8 out of 10 teachers aren’t trained by the Government and most have to barter with their local communities for their wage. Resources are scarce and it’s a lottery as to the quality of education you receive. If you happen to teach in a relatively affluent area, you’re one of the lucky ones. If you live in a village, you may end up with a willing volunteer who lacks the skills to teach effectively. It’s a real mess. He’s trying to redress the balance and the party was to help him.
With this in mind, we had a bit of a do where we raised £4.5k thanks to the good will, time and energy of our friends, colleagues and happy volunteers. These include, electro genius Jon Hopkins, Rob from the Stereo MC’s, White Wedding’s Otis Wedding, Cowbella’s Roxanne Roll and Coloured Sound’s Henry Rumour. A top line-up. The money raised will continue the good work of Ballo and ADCE, while we have enough left to fund a set of new desk-benches and a new classroom. You should all be rightly proud of yourselves.
Later this year, we will be running a monster pub quiz and auction. So if you fancy getting involved or want to know more, simply get in touch. All help is most welcome, in whatever capacity. We look forward to hearing from you.