Mali Trip - January 2009

Women Worldwide

"Give Back,Kick Back" - Inaugural Trip
Mali, Africa
January 2009

Many world travelers told us they want an opportunity to combine volunteer service with fun. Women Worldwide joined forces with Adventures in Rock and the Tandana Foundation to provide just such an opportunity.

"Give Back" by helping an elementary school buy much needed school supplies
"Kick Back" at the famous Festival in the Desert

A small group joined us on our inaugural trip. We:

Climbed down the Dogon escarpement
Watched a Dogon Mask Dance
Cruised the Niger River
Visited a Bozo fishing village
Planted fruit trees in a garden for grade 1-4 elementary students to grow produce to sell at market to buy school supplies (See "Volunteer" below)
Ate dinner with two local families
Participated in several formal tea ceremonies
Shopped at colorful markets in Djenne and Bamako
"Discussed" (negotiated) with several vendors for jewlery, masks, Dogon Doors, drums and mud-cloth
Visited the famous and beautiful Grand Mosque in Djenne (and actually got to go inside! a rare treat)
Attended the Festival au Desert in Essakane

Trip Dates:
Departed New York (JFK) December 31, 2008
Arrived New York (JFK) January 15, 2009

Next Year:
In 2011 we'll be returning to the Festival in the Desert and a new exciting service project in the Dogon Country next year. If you'd like more details, contact us at: www.givebackkickback.com

The "Volunteer" portion of our trip:

As part of this 14-day trip, we spent 4 days near Bandiagara. We volunteered at a school in Kori-Maounde. Students in this grade 1-4 elementary school have a few books, no computers, and very little paper or pencils. We planted fruit trees in their new garden. The produce from the garden will help them buy new school supplies. This was a real cultural immersion experience as we became part of the community, joining villagers in their homes for meals and actitivities as well as working on a project that will leave a lasting contribution to the school and village. It was amazing, rewarding, and humbling. The kindness and sweetness of the 154 elementary school children will stay in our hearts and minds forever. They asked us not to forget them; there's no way that we could. We also taught English classes at night to young 7th, 8th, and 9th graders in Bandiagara. Many of them got our email addresses and we imagine that we'll have new pen pals for life! Pictures and stories to come. To learn more about the trip, visit the blog of two of our travelers: http://craigandstephsvacations.blogspot.com/

What is Festival au Desert?

The Western world has long been captivated by African music, particularly the music of Mali. Ali Farka Toure, Salif Keita, and Amadou & Mariam are some of Mali’s most well known musical exports. Even if you don’t instantly recognize the names, the music will be familiar. In the past, Jimmy Buffet and Robert Plant have played. You never know who'll show up from year to year!

Often described as the world’s most remote music festival—it is a three hour drive from Timbuktu to the oasis of Essakane—the Festival in the Desert is a joyous mix of traditional, modern, and Western music. In nomadic cultures, gatherings are essential to the way of life. At a gathering such as the Festival, there will be trades made, differences settled and marriages arranged, the days will be full of traditional Malian games and camel rides, the nights filled with the music of the world.

Press Coverage:

Learn more about the Festival in the Desert. Read about this exotic festival outside of Timbuktu in the New York Times and Vanity Fair.