PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Tongo is a small village located 50 kilometers southeast of Segou in Mali, West Africa. The population is less than a
thousand inhabitants, made up primarily of the Bambara ethnic group. There is no electricity or running water in the area
and most families survive on a small income from subsistence farming of millet, corn, and peanuts. The existing school in
Tongo consists of two small classrooms made of sticks and leaves. Since there are only two rooms, first and second grade
students attend in the morning while third and forth grade students attend in the afternoon. There is no fifth or sixth grade
class,
class, making it nearly impossible for students to complete the full first cycle, and continue on with their education. The
construction of a new 6-room schoolhouse will give students, for the first time, the opportunity to move on to second cycle,
high school, and university.
The design of the new building emphasizes the use of
locally available materials, local knowledge systems, and
community involvement in all stages of the project. The
scope of construction includes a 6-classroom school
building, a large-scale rainwater harvesting system,
children's garden, and four outdoor composting latrines.
Focus on local materials instead of expensive imported
cement
cement will greatly reduce the environmental impact of
the school's construction, while the introduction of
rainwater harvesting to the area will help fill the desperate
need for water during the lengthy dry season.
This project is being funded by charitable donations
through the Peace Corps Partnership Program.
Donations can be made online at www.peacecorps.gov
Click on Donate Now, search for volunteer projects in
Mali, and select Tongo Schoolhouse Construction
Project.
