All of us take Les FILLES UNIES POUR L’EDUCATION very seriously and it's in our hearts to do all in our power for the success in helping all girls go to school. We are a group of more than 20 high school and university students who live in Bamako, the capital of Mali.

As you know our country is one of the poorest in the world and less than 20% of girls attend high school and only 2% go to university. We are among the lucky ones to still be in school. Our dreams are to be doctors, journalists, engineers and to make sure our younger "sisters", especially in the rural villages, have dreams of their own.

Timbuktu used to be the literary center throughout Africa in the 15th and 16th centuries but now only 15% of females age 15 and older are literate. Parents usually send their boys to school rather than their daughters. School is not free in Mali so parents have to pay for school supplies, furniture and uniforms plus a contribution for the salary of the teachers.

Together with School Girls Unite we are proud to be paying the tuition, textbooks and tutoring for 70 girls in Mali. In 2005 we started sponsoring 15 girls and the students as well as 65 others continue from one year to the next.

Also we continue to demand that decision makers stop this injustice and provide education for everyone. We participate in the Global Campaign for Education. FILLES UNIES is stronger in our effort to win equality by uniting with our USA "sisters."

Here are the individual members of School Girls Unite, Mali.


Anna - I like sports, reading and music.
J’aime le sport, la littérature et la musique.


Bintou - My favorite color is brown. I am a student and my biggest passion is computers. I study language and literature. In the future I’d like to be an engineer in computers to have a job in international affairs.
Ma couleur préférée c’est marron. Je suis élève et ma plus grande passion est l’informatique, J’étudie le langage et la littérature. Dans l’avenir je voudrais être ingénieur en informatique pour faire des relations dans les affaires étrangères.


Rokia – I like reading, English, music, and sports.
J’aime la lecture, l’anglais, la musique et le sport.

 

Anika likes junk food, web surfing, and not doing homework. She hopes one day the world will be truly equal.


Danielle enjoys playing the Sims 2, being with friends, helping out on stage crew at her school, and watching Heroes.


Deb is a crazy hyperactive teenager who is totally NOT random. No. Of course not.


Emily M loves music, and theatre. She swims, plays flute, has a multi-colored bedroom. She's also in her school's plays and musicals, loves cats, and likes taking pictures.


Joanne likes to draw, make jokes, and has a cat. She is one of SGU's founding members.


Mira doesn't like describing herself. She loves drawing and writing, and loves her alternative rock. School Girls Unite is great for her not only for the massive karma points but because it's so much fun.


Molara likes reading and writing stories, playing soccer and water polo, along with watching Bollywood movies. She also likes doing HTML and Java, dancing, and having a good time with her friends.


Rachel has a horse named Indya that she rides every day. When she's not at the barn, she's studying or watching Grey's Anatomy.


Dandio is 12 years old and in 8th Grade, in her last year of middle school (also the YOUNGEST School Girls Unite member!) She loves to dance and read books and shop.


[Coordinator] Wendy Lesko has two sons who are in their 20's, but adores hanging around the School GIRLS Uniters who are dreamers and doers. She's also married to the crazy "?" guy and drives cars with "???" marks, so one motto of hers is Question Everything!