“Pont Des Martyrs” – Bamako
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** Picture taken on Bamako’s “Pont Des Martyrs” (The Bridge of Martyrdom)
*** The Bridge crosses the Niger to connect the northern and southern parts of Bamako
**** It was officially commissioned in 1957, but was renamed in 1961 after Mali achieved its independance
Pick-Up Games by the Niger…
* Picture taken in Badalabougou (Bamako) close to the “Palais de la Culture” which is Mali’s most famous concert hall.
Crafting a “Djembe”
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** Local crafstman working on an authentic “Djembe” in the artistic district in Bamako (Artisanat)
*** According to the Bamanan people in Mali, the word “Djembe” comes directly from the saying “Anke dje, anke be” which literally translates to “everyone gather together” and defines the drum’s purpose.
The instrument is originally associated with a class of Mandinka/Susu blacksmiths known as the Numu. The widespread precence of the instrument throughout West Africa is thought to be due to Numu migrations within the region, in the early part of the first millennium A.D.
Not A Good Look For Female Youth Literacy
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** I took this picture at “Sougou Ni Koura” market in downtown Bamako. It shows a daughter helping her mother carry daily supplies to her food stand. This picture may bring a smile to your face, until you stop to consider the grim reality it portrays: A country with one of the lowest literacy rates in the World. Someone in this picture should have been in a classroom….
A few stats (courtesy of UNICEF):
| Youth Literacy Rate (15-24 years) Male | 36% |
| Youth Literacy Rate (15-24yrs) Female | 23% |
| Net Primary School Attendance, Male | 45% |
| Net Primary School Attendance, Female | 33% |
| Public expenditure on education as % of GDP | 3.8% |
Now how do we get these so-called “leaders” to focus a little-less on their pockets and a little more on our future….?
Ssidy is what my friends call me. I was born in Senegal of Malian parents (hence my Mali nationality). I grew up all over the place…Bamako, London, Accra, Cape Town, before I went to college in Miami and finally got a job in Sydney where I’ve been living since August 2008.
When I’m not working on The Timbuktu Project, or as a financial analyst (full-time), you can usually catch me somewhere on a football pitch or involved in anything music related. Music is everything to me. Whatever mood I am in, there is always a song that captures the moment perfectly. Anyone who has spent more than 10 minutes around me will probably attest to this: I listen to all types of stuff.....possibly because no single genre holds enough songs to quench that musical thirst of mine... 