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Tag Archives: Mali 2012

A slow return to calm

24 Mar

For the last 24 hours, Bamako has experienced the first feeling of true calmness since the coup happened. We have been able to restock on all items imaginable and I have no doubt the Malian economy has benefited from my nervousness. In addition, while there have been reports that the water and electricity will be cut off, my area of Faladie has seen no cuts in either. Many people are expecting the craziness of the 1991 coup, but none of it has materialized. Citizens remain unharmed and for the most part go about handling their daily business till 6pm when curfew starts. The only thing that materializes the feeling of captivity for me is that the airport and borders remain shut down. There are rumors that they will reopen on Wednesday. As long as they remain shut no one can get out. But also no one and nothing can get it in. This means fuel and food are not being replenished. Already fuel has risen to 2000cfa per litre compared to 500cfa a week ago. This I believe will be the true test of this leadership. They need to start showing some good faith by reopening the borders and airports.

Also the leaders of MNLA in the North are reporting they will advance and capture more towns, taking advantage of the governments weakness at this time. I worry for the additional people that will be displaced by this fighting. Already we have 175000 refugees living in despicable conditions. People in the world need to realize that the refugee issue is not just a Mali issue; it is a human rights issue. We have refugees that are living in despicable conditions with little to no resources. Yeah and his team have been attempting to raise refugee aid to help his displaced Malian brothers and sisters while the issue in the North plays out. We are calling on the international community to step up aid to these displaced people so that basic necessities like food, water and shelter are given them so that we don’t have a similar issue like that in Sudan and Somalia.

Despite reports yesterday afternoon that loyalists/Red Berets would try to reclaim the TV station ORTM and the palace, the night remained relatively calm. The Red Berets are Mali’s version of the Secret Service that Obama has. Their duty is to protect their president at all times and with their life. At one point there were reports that the loyalists had won and Sanogo injured. At 9:30pm, after announcements from the spokesperson, the leader of the coup, Sanogo, came on TV and advised that he was safe. He advised that the rumors were unfounded. As he spoke, the camera spun around showing the faces of none other than the members of the Red Beret. The Red Beret spokesperson then spoke and advised that they would rally their support around the coup leaders. There is no saying how valid this is or whether these individuals are the actual Red Beret that protect the president. I guess the next few days will tell a better story.

One of the biggest concerns that happened after the coup was the capture of several leaders and also the looting of the government buildings. Several leaders were taken and detained less because of their loyalty to the former president Amadou Toumani Toure(ATT) and more because they themselves have been involved in embezzlement of funds and ineffective governance. Since the coup started, many houses of these leaders and stores were looted. Sanogo came on TV last night condemning the looting. He severely cautioned his own people who this took away from the good they meant to bring the country. He also told the Malian people who several civilians, seeing the opportunity, had dressed in military uniform and was responsible for “some” of the looting. They then showed a video of all the things taken by the military from the government offices and advised that they would all be returned. In addition, Sanogo stated that the leaders detained would not be physically harmed and that they would receive a fair trial that would be untouched by these politicians money and connections when the government re-established itself.

Yeah, has been working feverishly to get in touch with other political leaders so that a united front can be created that will stand up for democracy. It is amazing how many leaders are unwilling to stand up for something they claimed was important. How can anyone support the loss of democracy that takes away the voice of the people. How does a true leader support the actions that have caused fear in the hearts of the people they were campaigning to protect. There are so many leaders that have just jumped ship in an attempt to gain favor with the new military leaders. Yeah has condemned the coup and continues to condemn it. However he remains firm in his belief that we are now in this situation and the best way to get back to democracy is to open peaceful dialogue with the military leaders of the coup. He shares the conviction of the Malian people who the ex-president ATT had not done all he could have to prevent the issues in the North. Yeah continues to hope that political leaders will show true leadership and defend their country by banding together to convince the military coup leaders to create a government that is filled with politicians and not military personnel.

March 27th will spell an important day for Malians, as the military establish their temporary government.It will be essential to see the constitution re-established and a new date set for the elections. There is the concern I have that some of the leaders like Modibo Sidibe and Jeamille that have been jailed were presidential candidates and some that escaped to other countries like Soumaila Cisse and Diacounda will not be able to compete. This will create tensions in loyalists of these parties and any results will be heavily disputed. It will be important for this military government to make sure they address the reasons why these individuals are being detained and try them sooner rather than later by a just judicial system.

This is without doubt a time of uncertainty. However, we must now make the best use of the situation that has happened. Nothing works with anger and no one is going to do anything just because the US or EU said so. Now more than ever it is essential to open the dialogue. Dialogue does not mean mindless following. However, it does allow for leaders to discuss how best to bring together their different opinions in the hope of furthering the future and success of their beloved country.

Here’s hoping and praying that democracy will prevail and that Mali may be able to bounce back from this coup and the ill-effects it has already caused to its economy and its people.

Vive la démocratie ! ( Long Live Democracy)
Vive le Mali ! ( Long Live Mali)
Divisés nous perdons tous ! Unis nous gagnons tous! (Divided we all lose! United we all win!)

 
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Posted by on March 24, 2012 in Past Posts

 

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News from Mali

23 Mar

The situation in Mali remains precarious. Last night for the first time since the coup, there was news on ORTM, Mali’s national TV. In an attempt to preserve some sort of normalcy, one of the regular reporters reported the news in Mali. However one could see the lady reporter was frazzled. The report started by showing the current state of the Malian Presidential palace. As the camera zoomed on cars that were riddled with bullets, spent bullets on the ground and the Presidential office ransacked and destroyed, a sense of how real and dangerous this situation is was prominent. In addition the camera focused on military men armed with guns, in an attempt to show who was in control. The reporter also advised all parties running in the race to submit their declarations on the situation. In addition, people were advised that a big meeting would be held today to explain what happened and why it happened in more detail.

As the news wrapped up, the TV channel played movies in an attempt to calm the fears of the population and reassure them that normalcy would return. In addition, soldiers were ordered to stop firing in the air and to return to military barracks around 8pm. The night remained calm and for the most part the nation waited to see the outcome of this coup. The ex-President Amadou Toumani Toure(ATT) is reported missing and has not been captured by military leaders yet. Many ministers that served under ATT have been “detained” including Modibo Sidibe, who was a presidential candidate and the ex-prime minister that embezzled money from Mali. The airports and borders continue to be on lock down restricting anyone from fleeing the country. So far, the one thing that remains promising is the fact that no civilian has been harmed. Yesterday afternoon, spelled a different story, as military people looted the government offices and then attempted to stop cars to help carry the loot. Yeah, who was downtown, doing an interview with Al Jazeera, was flagged to stop in his 4×4. But his driver, encouraged by Yeah, drove past the man in uniform, who fired his gun in the air to show his displeasure. The two Mercedes behind Yeah were stopped instead. The situation has become very real and all this in just a day and a half. It makes you think that there is no control out there. As attention of the military is diverted here, MNLA in the North promises it will continue its advance for independence.

Here is the Al Jazeera piece that Yeah did:

This morning, you could still hear the gunshots ringing in Faladie. Yeah this morning with his advisors left to arrange a meeting with the leader of the military coup Amadou Sanogo. The focus at this point is to establish a peaceful relationship so that things may move faster in the direction of democracy. Also they will be giving their formal declaration to ORTM ( which is still controlled by the military).

It is in situations like these that I believe true leaders emerge. While half the parties hid away not wanting to get involved, Yeah, despite my deep anxiety, had issued his declaration condemning the coup and was already reaching out to the military leaders in charge and other national leaders attempting to see what could be done to restore democracy in a stable and peaceful way. The coup leaders have advised that the end goal is democracy and the elections will happen. However, no time or date has been set in stone. Currently the only promise made is that a government will be put in place on March 27th, 2012 and workers are encouraged to return to work or it will be considered job abandonment. There is no talk of who will hold what role.

It is sad to see one of the more stable democracies in Mali disintegrate after 20 years of hard work. It is almost like time has been turned back to the year of 1991 when the first coup happened since independence. The biggest difference is there has been no claim on innocent civilians. It is the hope that the military will honor their promises and hold the elections so that Malians may be able to choose their own leader and in turn their own destiny.

It is my hope and prayer that things stabilize. But more than that, it is my prayer that democracy is returned back to Mali. The Malians have enough pain and poverty to deal with and now insecurity has only been added to their plate of misery. It is my hope that all the refugees displaced by the fighting in the North will be able to return to their homeland. It is at times like these that I wonder what our children’s future holds when everyone can’t get along. Pray that this homeland can achieve the peace they so desperately need right now and the democracy and honest leadership needed to build a successful future.

God bless you and thank you for your continued support.

Vive la démocratie ! ( Long Live Democracy)
Vive le Mali ! ( Long Live Mali)
Divisés nous perdons tous ! Unis nous gagnons tous! (Divided we all lose! United we all win!)

 
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Posted by on March 23, 2012 in Past Posts

 

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What this election is all about

17 Mar

When I first heard of Yeah’s decision to run for President eight years ago, in all seriousness, I thought the man was trying to impress me. I thought he was joking. Why would someone living in the land of opportunity (America), want to lead the land of no opportunity (Mali). I dismissed this statement to the back of my mind, never thinking of it again until Yeah became the executive director of Mali Rising Foundation. Now don’t get me wrong, Yeah has always had a deep passion for Mali and his family. He would at times send money to his family even when he had barely enough to cover his rent and tuition. When he started with Mali Rising Foundation, he focused on the issue very close to his heart and the one issue that Mali is combating very heavily today. The Lack of education. The schools he built with American partners had one goal only and that was to alleviate the obstacles young children faced with not having easy access to a God-given right of literacy. Soon enough, the foundation was facilitating medical services to the people of Mali, something that is done till today. There have been multiple containers containing computers, solar panels, desks, school kits and medical supplies that have benefited the Malian people. Since 2004, Yeah and the Mali Rising Foundation have sought to make the lives of Malians better. This is a role that the government should be fulfilling but has failed miserably at it. In 2009, the dream became more of a reality when Yeah told me he was running for Mayor of Ouelessebougou. At that time, I in my selfishness asked him if he was crazy. Today, I see the changes he has brought to his commune of Ouelessebougou. His commune boasts clean running water, a solar field that provides electricity, the only high school in the region and a new hospital in progress. This has been accomplished in a span of less than 3 years.

The first time I came to Mali in 2006, the poverty and lack of opportunity hit me first. But behind this, one only had to look a bit to see beautiful happy people. I have never met a people who are happier than Malians. However, I have also never seen people poorer than Malians. Mali is one of the poorest countries in the world. Surprising given that they are one of the major exporters of cotton and gold, two commodities that are in high demand in the world. As the current president Amadou Toumani Toure leaves office, he leaves the country in the same state he took it. The only difference is that there are more foreign investments in terms of buildings, airport and roads, that begs the question about what favors were bought. Today, Mali has these facts to bear:

  • Infant Mortality: 111 deaths per 1,000 births
  • Literacy Rate: 46.4%
  • Unemployment: 30%
  • Life expectancy: 52 years
  • 1 doctor per 20,000 people

This country does not need a savior. They need someone who cares. They need someone who has experienced the pain of malaria and hunger first hand. They need someone who knows the pain of losing a loved one to an inadequate healthcare system. They need someone who knows what it means not to earn a paycheck for months on end. That person is Yeah Samake. There is no professional agenda here. The only goal Yeah has is to help the people he loves so much out of the depth and despair that bad governance has condemned them to.

If we are to remain serious competitors against the leaders that have embezzled money for the last 30 years, then we need to raise $50000 immediately. Our party PACP (Parti pour l’Action Civique et Patriotique) will hold its launch on March 25th 2012. The entire event will be televised in an attempt to educate people about what their options are in terms of good leaders. In 42 days, Malians will go to the polls to elect their next President. It is my hope and prayer that Yeah Samake will become the President of Mali, not for personal gain, but because I believe with all my heart that this country deserves the chance and the hope that Yeah can bring.

Please help us today if you can. The time has come to make that donation you have been thinking about and if you weren’t then maybe thinking about making one. What better way to bring change than to elect a leader whose actions will trickle down? We cannot do this without you. Join us in welcoming a new day in Mali and let April 29th 2012 spell change and success for a struggling nation.

Donate if you can at http://www.samake2012.com

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Posted by on March 17, 2012 in Past Posts

 

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Yeah speaks on KBYU morning show

15 Mar

Here is the most recent interview Yeah did while he was in the US. It was with KBYU and was aired while he was still there. Thank you Kate Bennion for kindly arranging this interview.

Support us today at http://www.samake2012.com. All the money donated does not line anyone’s pockets. The money is deposited into a bank in America ( so all financial institution laws are followed) and used in Mali/America to spread the word on Samake2012.

We need all the support we can get. If you were thinking of donating, now is the time. With the elections only 44 days away and counting, we need to be able to compete against candidates that have embezzled money. If you cannot contribute financially, use the power of your voice to spread the word among your network. Please help us win this election and bring to realization the dream of a better life for all Malians. They too deserve a better healthcare system, jobs, a stable education system and an developing economy. Support Samake2012 @ http://www.samake2012.com

 
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Posted by on March 15, 2012 in Past Posts

 

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Dialakoroji seeks clean running water from Presidential candidate

13 Mar

What other way to start the weekend than with a rally? As Yeah was holding his meetings in Paris, Team Samake, headed by Secretary General Fomba, started off the weekend with a rally in Dialakoroji, Koulikoro, Mali. Yeah’s brother, Drissa Samake, who teaches Chemistry at the University, had arranged this meeting to introduce Yeah’s vision to the people of this region.

Kane kicked of the meeting by telling the 120 in attendance about Yeah’s background. The Secretary General Fomba spoke of Yeah’s achievements. Fomba emphasized the difference between Yeah and other candidates. He advised that other parties misuse their funds, and are looking only for power. The people need a leader who will not misuse the people’s money and use it only to increase the welfare of Malians. If the current issues of education and healthcare are resolved, he said only good can come for the future generations.

One of the requests made by the women in the village was for a garden. Fomba suggested that the women co-op should get together and get a microfinance loan.  Another of the requests of Dialakoroji was the need for a water system. The wife of the village leader put forth the concern that to get drinkable water, the villagers had to hike up a mountain every Sunday to get water for the week. The road is difficult and the path rocky for walking or even driving. By bringing a water source to the village, Dialakoroji could be made sustainable as they would not only be able to provide water for their needs but also be able to grow crops at a lower level for their own dietary needs as well as financial means.

At the end of the meeting the group went to see the water source in question. It is amazing the things we take for granted, clean drinking water, and here there are people who have to walk miles up a difficult mountain, just to be able to get drinking water.

After, the group played Yeah’s video that highlighted all that Samake2012 stood for and the change that he could bring if he was elected.

This was a great meeting and it showed the support that Yeah is building in the villages. Many of the candidates have not visited the villages to campaign like Yeah has. These villages are essential to winning the campaign as there are some essential issues that need to be addressed like education, healthcare, and electricity and clean running water. This campaign hopefully will be won on issues. That is the hope that the people will be driven to the polls to choose a leader that could bring change and not a leader that can pay his way into newspapers and into Koulouba, and then once he is there he forgets about the people who actually suffer on a daily basis.

Here’s to choosing a leader that will make the difference for present and future generations on April 29th. Support honest leadership at www.samake2012.com. Vive Mali!

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Posted by on March 13, 2012 in Past Posts

 

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Hunger, a beatable problem

07 Mar

One of my biggest heroes Mother Teresa once said: “When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed. “

March 3, 2012, I was blessed with the opportunity to make a difference. The village of Farabana is about 20 minutes from the main city of Bamako. Here the women and children endure a bare existence. It is hard to believe and see that this village exists just 20 minutes away from Bamako city and yet looking at the conditions you would think you are in rural Mali.

In this village, most of the men are unemployed. The women, as is common in rural areas, do not work. Hence food becomes a big issue. The biggest impact of the lack of healthy food is on the women who are breastfeeding and the children. In Mali, as opposed to other countries, breastfeeding is encouraged, for health and cost-effective reasons, till a very late age until the child can walk and take care of itself. However, a lack of food, means that mothers cannot produce the milk that is healthy for their children. We went to Farabana to experience firsthand what these mothers and young children were going through and what we could do to help.

As we walked through the entrance of the village, singing and drumming welcomed us. As we sat down, the woman performed multiple dances for us. They performed in their age groups, the young never dancing with the old. They sang songs of their village’s history. They told stories in their songs of what they want for their children. The most common dance is the circle dance, where woman as a community dance around in a circle. The circle is a symbol of unity and togetherness. One lady will usually lead the singing with the others chiming in a response. It was fun to see and experience that though the underlying culture may be the same, the way the women respond and perform different songs that are affected by their history and experiences.

The Samake2012 interns were in attendance too and were only too happy to join in the dancing. I, as well, was called on to dance. I am a closet dancer. However, in fairness to other dancing videos I posted, I will post my own public dancing. I must say I had a fun time.

After the dancing, several of the women leaders spoke. The head leader, Fanta Keita, spoke of the great things the women were doing to sustain themselves. She spoke of a shea butter project where women would make the shea butter and then sell it in the neighboring villages. Shea butter is an important ingredient in Malian life. It is used in cooking, but its biggest value is a medicinal value that Malians believe in. Additionally, the women would come in the afternoon to attend adult literacy programs. I was very impressed with these women. They were happy in spite of all their hardships. The thing that impressed me most was that they did not complain about what they did not have. Rather they were searching for opportunities to create solutions to their problems. They talked about clean running water and a mill as their primary needs that they were working towards.

Next, we were invited to look at the different areas like where the women made their shea butter to where they studied. We walked over to where Sangay was supervising the preparation of the millet meal for the children. The children’s eyes were not only lit by the flame of the fire on the coal stove but also the eagerness for a meal. One little girl next to me took my hand, and as I asked her if she was hungry, she shyly nodded yes. They added milk, sugar, crushed peanuts and tamarind to the millet mixture. As the meal was close to being ready, the woman leader called for all the pots and pans in the village. I have never seen so many utensils organized so quickly. The eagerness was interesting but also painful to watch. I was so moved by the scene before me that I committed to the villagers that I would provide for them 2 months worth of food for their kids. Anything extra the women could sell to the neighboring villages to make some much-needed income.

Filling up the bowls

The women and children of Farabana taught me a lesson. They taught how sometimes it is the small gifts that matter because the impact is the greatest. 2 months food does not cost an immense amount of money. You could for $50/month bless the 50 children and their mothers with one solid meal a day. The blessing of a healthy, happy child is priceless. No one said it better than Buzz Aldrin: “If we can conquer space, we can conquer childhood hunger.” Join me and together let’s feed one village at a time. Email your support to marissa@samake2012.com. Are you in?

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Posted by on March 7, 2012 in Past Posts

 

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Three cheers for PACP in Commune III(Trois)

05 Mar

The team returned from Koutiala, and after a brief rest, they departed for a rally in Commune III which is in Bamako. Yeah’s major support comes from the villages. Rural Mali forms a majority of the voting block. The newspaper L’Independant recently reported: “Yeah Samake is the candidate who goes to the small villages of Mali to live the life of the people. As the candidate of PACP, Yeah Samaké breaks the historical trend by campaigning in the villages. ” (  Boubacar PAITHAO, L’Indépendant du 28 février 2012; http://www.maliweb.net/news/politique/2012/02/28/article,51111.html)

It is important for PACP to make itself as well known in the city. The rally in Commune III was held to recognize Yeah’s candidature. This was a different rally of sorts in terms of the welcome given to Yeah. He was welcomed by 4 men wearing Samake2012 T-shirts and riding 4 horses. This was amazing to watch these horses herald in the PACP car. In addition to the horses there were 75 youth that honked their motorcycle horns to signal the arrival of Yeah. I kept expecting these horses to bolt, but the horses remained calm and seemed used to the ruckus that surrounded them. The people on the other hand were intrigued by the noise and came out of their houses to see who was passing. It was a welcome fit for a king and we were humbled by its grandiosity.

Horses herald PACP cars in to Commune III

Look at those motorcycles!!

As the car neared its destination, four army personnel escorted it in. PACP volunteers lined up as Yeah got out. This was a big event and played host to 300 people and 100 volunteers. In addition, the national TV was there to cover the event. There was local talent followed by Petit Ballo, the Samake2012 singer. Liz attempted to get the crowd involved in the dancing and soon there was a good-sized crowd dancing to good music. PACP member Kane, who had arranged this event, spoke very highly of Yeah and his achievements. Yeah then got up to speak. He spoke with a power and passion that beleaguered his convictions. As he spoke, his audience sat raptured and made very little sound. He spoke of his desire to return to Mali to help his people and encouraged the people to vote for a leader that would truly serve his country. As Yeah was leaving, ORTM ushered him for a final interview.

The support is growing in Bamako. Commune III is an important section of Bamako. The support amazes us. The conviction of people in what we stand for grows. It isn’t ok for a child to not get a good education. It is not ok, for the healthcare system to be so inadequate that infant mortality sits at 111/1000 deaths and the average age is 52 years. We have been given much and to who much is given much is expected. We hope that we can be the light and solution that Mali needs. Mali needs a leader  that will be willing and able to resolve the issues ravaging its potential.

Please help us welcome a new day in Mali. We can’t do it without you. Its time to affect the future of a nation. It’s time to put corrupt leaders out of business. Are you up to the challenge? Show your support @ http://www.samake2012.com.

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Posted by on March 5, 2012 in Past Posts

 

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Rallying support in the “white gold capital”

03 Mar

Can you believe that the election is only two months away? Who knew our time here would pass so quickly. During these final months it is essential to reach the corners of Mali that are far removed from Bamako. That was the plan as Yeah and his team headed to Koutiala for a 2-day trip.

Koutiala is the heartland of cotton production in Mali and is sometimes called “the white gold capital” for its cotton.However, the industry has been affected by stagnation since the 1980s. This region will be important as Mali’s economy is centered on agriculture with 80% of Malians employed in farming.

In a previous meeting to Sikasso, Yeah had met a lot of mayors from the region. The Mayor of Koutiala wanted to learn more of Yeah achievements and his vision, so he decided to set up a bigger meeting with the mayors and their councilors in the surrounding regions. Initially, the mayors were very skeptical. A mayor running for President is unheard of. When the mayor who had organized the meeting introduced Yeah, he made sure he also said that he did not necessarily agree with Yeah, but wanted to hear what he had to say. There were about 60 people in attendance, 30 of which were mayors. The event started with a quick introduction followed by Yeah’s movie bio in French. The people loved the video and were anxious to ask questions. Yeah spoke for about 10 minutes on his plans for Mali and what he has already done for Ouelessebougou. He appealed to the mayors by asking how historic it would be to have a fellow mayor run for President and who better than mayors to understand how local government really works. Then the questions began. One person asked how many wives and children he had. Polygamy is a widely accepted practice in the Muslim culture of Mali. Yeah, with pride, announced he had two children and one wife and would only continue to have one wife. They asked to know more about PACP, what it represented, and how it was started. Yeah explained the change that PACP stood for and was proud to speak about its focus on employment, education, and technology development in agriculture. He continually stressed the point that Mali must invest in teachers to improve education. By the end of the discussion, the leading Mayor of the event was a proud supporter of Yeah and in addition Yeah had collected a band of mayors to support him.

Another essential meeting happened as  Yeah met with some teachers in Koutiala to find out what their needs were and how he could best resolve the educational issues plaguing the country and trickling into Koutiala as well.

At night the group settled down at the house of the local imam in Koutiala. The imam is the Muslim leader in the community. He invited the group to join them in the evening prayer. The brother of the imam gave the group a special blessing for safe travels and a successful journey. This speaks to Yeah’s statement that despite being a Christian in a 90% Muslim country, religion does not divide or judge; rather the invitation shows how faiths can come together for a common goal.

At 10pm, the group continued to another campaign event with supporters in Koutiala. The group was large and the questions never-ending. At one point the power shut off and immediately phones lit up the night as the meeting continued. The excitement is growing!

Next morning the team headed to a youth meeting at the headquarters of Radio Equité. About 75 youth gathered to hear Yeah speak. The youth asked how he would help them to get jobs and to increase opportunity for education. He spoke of his plan to place universities in every region and to create more jobs for youth as they graduate. The youth were excited about the hope Yeah brought. As Yeah was leaving, many people surrounded him for pictures and additional questions. They would have stayed with him all day if time permitted.

Next the team headed to the small village of Humallaye. This meeting was setup by local youth volunteers of PACP.  Koné of PACP spoke to about 40 people introducing Yeah and his vision. Yeah then spoke. He spoke of the understanding he had for the conditions that the villagers lived in and how he believed he could make their lives better as President. He then gave a Samake2012 button to the chief of the village, symbolizing that if ever he were elected and the chief felt like he was not keeping his promise, then the chief and his councilors could come to Koulouba and question Yeah’s actions.

As Team Samake headed back to Bamako, they stopped over in Kouri for a meeting with mayors in that area. Kouri in Region of Sikasso is located roughly 218 mi (or 351 km) east of Bamako. As the meeting ended, they went on to a rally in the heart of Kouri. Beautiful women welcomed the group with their singing while Liz, our intern, encouraged the people to join in the dancing. Yeah welcomed the 90 people in attendance. The message was the same, filled with the same conviction and the same hope.

At midnight, Team Samake made another stop to meet with 10 supporters. Yes I did say midnight. These people had been waiting for Yeah to come since 6pm. Yeah tried to cancel but all they had said was even if Yeah came at 5am they would still be there. Such was the commitment. Even at such a late hour, Yeah was on top of his game and excited to share his message. And the people there stated that their waiting had not been in vain.

All these meetings in Koutiala were amazing and essential to Yeah’s campaign. The support Samake2012 got from this region was amazing and it was a testimony of the conviction people have in Yeah and what he could achieve for Mali. People want their country to be a successful country with a way to care for its people. Yeah is the man for the job and more and more people are starting to buy into the Samake2012 dream for an educated, stable Mali. What about you? Support us today at www.samake2012.com. Together we will celebrate the dawning of a new day in Mali.

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Posted by on March 3, 2012 in Past Posts

 

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Diorila welcomes back a local favorite

01 Mar

As Team Samake arrived in the village, they were greeted by a horde of children and villagers who enthusiastically followed Yeah to the stage for the rally.

A large group of drummers welcomed Yeah while a man, wearing an intricately designed mask with beautiful red beadwork, danced.

There were about 150 people in attendance, including all of the excited children. As the event began, there were various dances performed by the women and the men in their own individual circles. Culturally, Malian men and women do everything separately in public. Our friend James and intern Kyle joined the African men by dancing with them in the circle. Check out their interesting contribution:

Numerous other performances were given by the drummers. The village chief then proceeded to introduce Yeah and other party members. Yeah eloquently spoke once again of a new day for Mali. After Yeah finished speaking, a special performance was given by local talent Petit Ballo who wrote a song about Yeah Samake. His support has brought an even greater enthusiasm to our campaign!

Petit Ballo performs

Listen to the song by Petit:

PETIT BALLO YEAH SAMAKE 2012

After the rally, Team Samake walked over to the MRF built middle school, Sue Taylor Middle School of Diorila, to visit with the children and see the condition of the school. The children were excited and crowded around the windows and every opening of the school. The people were excited to see the return of Yeah and anxious to see what else he could do for their village.

After lunch, which was generously provided by the villagers, there was a soccer game sponsored by PACP in a neighboring commune. The mayor welcomed Yeah. There were about 80 people in attendance. The imam and Chief of the village welcomed Yeah with a speech of support. Yeah’s councilor Broulaye Doumbia spoke to the people about Yeah and his accomplishments. He spoke fondly of Yeah’s character and courage to help his country.

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The events were short but served its purpose of reminding the villages in this area of what Yeah has already done for them and can continue to do if he is elected President.

 
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Posted by on March 1, 2012 in Past Posts

 

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Mandé welcomes PACP and Yeah Samaké

23 Feb

Mamadou Coulibaly wanted to help the Samaké2012 campaign in Mali. The one hitch was that he was in New York. So what did he do? He left a job for a month and came to Mali to campaign in the remote villages. The product of his success was experienced in Mandé.

Mandé is a commune in Kati, which is in the Koulikoro Region of south-western Mali. Here the villages are still built in the traditional way, the scenery is beautiful and the Malinké, very welcoming.

As PACP reached Mandé, a large group met them outside the outskirts of the commune and welcomed them in. A group of community leaders, dressed as gunmen, marched ahead and sounded their guns periodically as they entered Mandé. A kora (an ancient Malian musical instrument) was played as the party leaders settled down. Under the shade of baobab trees, a huge crowd of 300 people had gathered from the surrounding 19 villages. As is traditional, dancing celebrated PACP and Yeah’s arrival to the commune. As the community leaders sat down on fur mats, the show began.

Procession of gunmen welcome PACP

Kora players--Such beautiful music

To begin, two men in feather headdresses performed impressive jumps for their appreciative audience. These two men then proceeded, one at a time, to travel around the circle, bent over leaning on two thin sticks, and dance to the beat of the drum, directly in front of the audience, particularly the community and party leaders. In addition, four young girls impressed Team Samaké as they performed army-like squats and jump routines in addition to moving rhythmically with the drums as an older woman chanted. Music forms an essential part of key ceremonies in Mali and is used as a form of welcome for important visitors. With PACP this was no exception. The people of Mandé were excited to meet the man who for weeks they had heard, from Mamadou Coulibaly, nothing but good about.

One of the men in feather headdresses dances in a circle balanced on sticks

Mandé dancers

PACP is a representation of what Mali deserves and a promise of what Malian people will get if they elect Yeah Samaké. The community leaders were very receptive of the party’s message of hope. Secretary General Fomba spoke of the importance of voting and how the people of Mandé are indeed an essential component of a successful Mali. He proudly spoke of Yeah’s achievements and reiterated that Yeah could indeed fulfill their needs. One of the things Mandé really needs right now is a water source. Currently, villagers will walk to surrounding villages to get clean water. Yeah then spoke. He spoke with passion of the need of the villagers to empower themselves. Through decentralization, it will become possible for villagers to become responsible for the policies that govern them. Yeah then distributed 15 boxes filled with notebooks, pencils, office tools, and other school supplies to the commune, which were received with gratitude. At the end of this grand ceremony, the man behind putting it together, Mamadou Coulibaly spoke. He spoke of the vision that PACP is and the good that Yeah could do if given a chance. PACP awarded him a Samaké2012 button to symbolize the service he has done.  He has truly been a great asset to Team Samaké.

The rally ended with a bang! The villagers performed, to the beat of the drum, some more freestyle African dances for Team Samaké.

This commune of Mandé represents a small part of Mali that is hoping for change. There are many villages and communes like Mandé that hope their next President can bring a social and economic change to Mali. Things that we take for granted like running water and electricity are things unknown and wanted in Mali. It is the hope that Yeah can bring the structure and growth that Mali needs. Please support us so that Malians everywhere can get the basic things to survive. Malians are not asking for a hand out, they just need a hand up. Please extend your hand any way you can in terms of financial or verbal support at http://www.samake2012.com and together let us give our fellow Malians a hand up.

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This event was also reported by reporter Yaya Samaké in the Malian newspaper 22Septembre: http://www.maliweb.net/news/politique/2012/02/23/article,49891.html

 
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Posted by on February 23, 2012 in Past Posts

 

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