About

In 1985 as a response to the devastating drought and famine that had hit sub-Saharan Africa, 7 Utahns traveled to Mali, West Africa to locate a specific African community with which they form a long-term partnership to help the people overcome the extreme starvation, death, and poverty that afflicts their country. Ouelessebougou, Mali was located as the community where the group would begin its work, and soon thereafter the Ouelessebougou-Utah Alliance was founded.

The Alliance now works in partnership with citizens of 25 rural villages to deliver sustainable development projects in the areas of health, education and economic development. Our underlying premise is that the village citizens will become self-reliant as they identify the most crucial needs and locally viable and sustainable solutions to overcome the challenges of extreme poverty.

The Ouelessebougou Alliance is committed to assist the people of Mali, West Africa, through a long-term development relationship. The Alliance’s purpose is two-fold:

1) To work in partnership with village citizens to achieve their community development objectives.

2) To provide the opportunity for cultures to learn from the other’s family and social relationships.

The premise underlying the Alliance’s purpose is that the citizens of Ouelessebougou will themselves identify the most crucial needs and locally viable and sustainable solutions, and then, when possible, provide the human and physical resources to satisfy those needs in an ecologically responsible manner. The Alliance expects to remain in the region until the villages are well on their way to becoming self-sustaining.

Over the last two decades, the Alliance has helped thousands of community members. In particular, the impact of the education programs are listed below:

1) Teach the Children

In Ouelessebougou, 90% of children are unable to attend government schools. The Alliance schools work to provide quality education for village children who are without that opportunity. Teachers are eliminating corporal punishment and are strengthening gender equity and active learning in their classrooms—with special training from the Alliance.

38 teachers’ salaries are paid in part by the Alliance in 12 village schools. Villagers pay about half of teachers’ salaries (about 75 cents/month/child). Teacher training is offered and involves nurturing interactive learning and best teaching practices. Teachers are also trained to nurture gender equity and teach literacy in the local language of Bambara—supporting Mal’s government efforts to withdraw from French colonial methods including rote memorization and corporal punishment.

More than 1,650 children attend the Alliance’s elementary schools, 500 of which are girls!

2) Classroom Construction

Two-thirds of Alliance school classrooms are made of mud bricks and need extensive annual maintenance to protect against Mali’s harsh rainy season. In the past five years, the Alliance has constructed 12 new concrete classrooms, which last longer than mud brick structures.

3) School Supplies & Bench desks

School supplies and bench desks are provided for 12 village elementary schools. Supplies include: pencils, paper, chalk boards, chalk, erasers, maps and some textbooks

Givology supports the work of the Alliance and its focus on creating sustainable, community-based solutions.