Ouelessebougou, Mali, Africa

The people of this village painted the words Hillcrest Elementary School on their school because that school helped to raise money so they could build a school. The people are very grateful. The name of the village is in yellow. It is called Dialakoro-keleya. Can you say that? (Pronunciation helps: i sounds like "ee", a sounds like the "a" in father, o sounds like the "o" in rope, e sounds like the "e" in wet.) What place does the map show that is painted on the school? Why do you think there are big rocks on the top of the school?

These kids are in 5th grade. Can you tell what is drawn on the wall in the back?

How is this school different from the one in the previous picture? Can you see where they keep their books?

This teacher's name is Mr. Coulibaly. He's also the principal at the school in the village of Neneko. Can you read what he wrote on the board? I hope you know French if you are trying to read it! It says something about "life in our village."

These 2 teachers are writing on the board. Mr. Traore (left) is writing in French and Mr. Coulibaly (right) is writing in Bamanankan (an African language.) Children in Ouelessebougou learn both languages in school. Try saying these words in Bamanankan (see pronunciation helps in the first picture of this section.) Bilakoro means boy. Npogotigi means girl. You can call your teacher a karamogo.

This boy is pointing to the sounds and reading them. The rest of the class says the sound after he does. Why do you think he has his book bag hanging on his head? Try reading the sounds with your class (see pronunciation helps in the first picture of this section.)

Can you tell what this drawing is on the board? There is only one textbook in the class so the teachers draw things on the board and the students copy it into their copybooks.

Here are some copybooks that belong to high school boys. What did they have to copy off the board? Maybe your teacher knows. Can you tell they wrote in cursive? All of the students in Mali learn to write with beautiful cursive handwriting.

These 3 teachers are standing by their school bell. They're using the rim of an old wheel off a car. They bang it so the children know when it's time to come to school.

Teenage boys in Ouelessebougou like to hang out together after school. What game are these guys playing? Can you tell what the pieces are made of?

These kids made a pinwheel with paper and dried weeds. When they run it spins around. Notice the clothing they're wearing.

These kids are playing with a homemade pinball machine. They pounded nails into a board for the ball to bounce off. What shapes did they make with the nails? Can you think of any toys you've made? What did you use to make your toy? How did you make it? Why didn't these kids just go buy a pinball machine?

What is this guy playing with? What kinds of things do you think he used to make it? What's in the hand closest to his face?

These guys live in the village of Soumaya. They have uniforms for when they play their sport. What sport do you think it is? Hint: This sport is the most popular one in Mali and you play it mostly with your feet.

What do you think this girl is carrying in this big pot? What does she have on her head that helps her to balance the pot?

This boy is getting water from the well. He lowers the black rubber bucket on a long rope into the square hole where the water is. Then he pulls it up. Which bucket looks like the kind we have here in Utah? Which one would you like to have? The blue and yellow one is made of brightly colored plastic.

This man's name is Sekouba. He is sweeping the leaves but his broom is so short that he has to stoop over. Can you tell what his broom is made of? What color is the dirt in Ouelessebougou? Have you ever seen dirt this color? Where was it?

Here is a big dinner for many people. The pot on the left is full of rice. The one on the right has cooked sheep and vegetables in a sauce. If you want to see the sheep that was cooked to make this meal, look in the "Community" section. Food is put in the blue tubs which are set on the ground. Then 4 or 5 people sit on chairs around the bowl and reach into the tub with their hand to get some. People in Mali eat with their hands.