About economy and everyday life: Mali is a country in development, the majority of the population are in to daily survival. Our project creates employment for the Malians. The travel agency creates work for guides, drivers and other personnel. But this can go even further: we also plan concerts for musicians, exhibitions for artists (traditional and contemporary art).
The only way to make money in the small villages is often agriculture. The harvest provides vegetables for a few months. But then what? Having an extra income can be very beneficial for these villages. During the travels AFTours collaborator organises the tourists are spending a few nights in the villages to experience Africa from within. This also brings an extra income for the villages and in the future this can help developing projects according to the needs of the villagers: building schools and water wells, more and better healthcare. The aim is to satisfy both parties: the tourist and the villagers.
By Malians and for Malians: all guides, drivers and other personnel are Malians, coming from different ethnical groups. The travel agency that we collaborate are Malian, which means that the money paid for a trip stays in Mali and not in the West.
More and more tourists come to visit Mali now. We often hear that tourists are hassled by “guides”. Tourists who arrive in Mali are often seen as an inexhaustible source of income – the contrast between the continents can be enormous. AFTours collaborator also wants to contribute to a better intercultural understanding by pointing out the importance of respect for the tourist. AFTours collaborator wants to help establish a better organised tourism in Mali: we would like to organise extra educational programmes for guides where we show the history of their country, the European way of living and the idea of responsible tourism. AFTours collaborator currently offers it's staff English courses.
AFTours collaborator works on other humanitarian projects:
• Co-operation with African women: this idea is already present in our itineraries: the first day after the arrival is acclimatisation day: our clients will discover everyday life in Bamako guided by a Malian woman, visiting the markets, using public transport etc. This is an opportunity for Malian women to find a place for themselves in the world of tourism and guides; it is something that did not exist before and many tourists have asked for female guides.
• AFTours collaborator is partner of a school called AISSO situated in Timbuktu. This school was established in 2001 with the leadership of Alassane Maiga and a group of parents. Alassane Maiga is a committed educator. He has started 4 schools in 15 years' time, beginning with the opening of BIYA in 1992. BIYA is situated in the Faladie quarter of Bamako. Since 2001 BIYA provides a complete education cycle: primary school, middle school, and high school offering a Baccalaureate degree. The high school is situated in Sogoniko.
The first academic year at Timbuktu's AISSO was held in a small rented classroom next to a shop. Each year a grade level and a classroom have been added to the school complex. At the moment AISSO occupies an entire house and they are educating 316 students. The next goal for AISSO is to build a real school with the support of the neighborhood parents' association. You'll find more information at: www.aisso.org
AFTours collaborator wants to support the AISSO project in any way possible. They would like to do this with the participation of their clients. Often school materials need to be send to Timbuktu. Interested tourists can bring these packages (for example a box of books or some school supplies of own donations) from Europe or elsewhere to the Tounga Tours office in Bamako for shipment to the school. If they travel to Timbuktu they can deliver it to the school in person.
Interested travelers can also volunteer their time in the classroom. For example, at AISSO they could offer a beginning English lesson to the lower grades. They could also organize a creative arts project or a sports or game activity for the students on a Wednesday or Thursday afternoon.
BIYA is also open to anyone wanting to volunteer his or her time. Creative projects, language lessons or a technology lesson are some ideas.
Any interested tourists can take note of these opportunities when planning their travel itineraries. A simple e-mail is sufficient to communicate your interest. Alassane Maiga will be contacted to discuss implementing any ideas.
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