RSS

Tag Archives: www.samake2012.com

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?

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 
1 Comment

Posted by on March 7, 2012 in Past Posts

 

Tags: , , , , ,

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.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 
3 Comments

Posted by on March 3, 2012 in Past Posts

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Sikasso makes its voice heard

25 Feb

Team Samaké headed by Yeah left at 4 am in the morning so they could make it to a meeting in Sikasso, which is 375km or a 6-hour drive away. The next campaign area would be an essential one for the Samake2012 campaign.

Sikasso is a picturesque city in the south of Mali and the capital of the Sikasso Region.  It borders Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Guinea. The reason this region is essential is because of its size. It is the second largest electoral region with a population of about 190,000. Yeah was traveling to Sikasso to meet with an essential group whose support or lack there of could bring either success or failure to his campaign. This group is none other than the mayors and commune leaders of Sikasso.

One of Yeah’s most basic policies is decentralization—the return of power from the central to local governments by empowering local governments to take a more proactive stance in running their day-to-day affairs. You would think that the minute a mayor heard decentralization, they would immediately be on aboard given that more power would rest with the Mayors office than before. However the biggest change would be accountability. At the local level, these leaders would have to be accountable to the constituents of their communes. It is easier to cheat someone when you cannot see their face. But when you are literally sharing the same bread, it is not that easy. To truly want to serve and empower one’s people, mayors need to embrace decentralization.

When Yeah initially started to speak, the skepticism hung around the room like a wet blanket. However the power of seeing something can never compare with words. The minute the video that shows his story ended, his audience was sold.

Here was a man who had never taken a dime of any Malian’s money. Rather, he had given much back. The schools he has built through generous donors in America would not only affect this generation but generations to come. The medical and dental expeditions that had come would help extend someone’s life and in some cases save lives. The school supplies that he encouraged Americans to donate would allow children to each experience if only for a little while the joy of having their own supplies. Having clean running water in Ouelessebougou would help reduce diseases. A solar panel would help produce electricity to run a commune. Computers would infuse a fresh life of technology into classrooms. What these mayors saw was what Yeah could do given a few resources. Now imagine, if he was able to turn a country rich in resources to a country that utilized its resources to benefit its people and not its leader’s pockets.

The vision Yeah emphasized in French was: « Ma mission est d’assurer un Mali décentralisé pour une école de qualité, une meilleure gestion des ressources humaines et financières, une meilleure responsabilisation des décideurs, et la promotion de l’entreprenariat ». (My mission is to provide a decentralized Mali to ensure higher quality of schools, better management of human resources and financial resources, better accountability of decision makers, and promoting entrepreneurship). The excitement was palatable as Mayors got up to shake his hand. I’m not saying every mayor in that room was converted, but we made enough of a stir that mayors would at least question the current policies that hindered growth and prosperity in their communes. The outcome of this first huge meeting was a large group of mayors from Koutiala (one of the regions) approached Yeah and told him they would hold a rally and invite the surrounding communes to come and hear his message. This was only the beginning of an amazing day.

Speaking to the mayors

The next essential meeting was held at the Hotel Maissa. Here the target group was a youth leadership group that was first created when PACP was announced. They were extremely excited to finally meet the candidate on whose behalf they had been campaigning for so long. Yeah spoke with quiet command. He spoke of his dream for a safe and stable Mali. He spoke about the needs of this youth group to have a stable education and job when they graduate. He gave them a hope that their time had come. It was time for their needs to be brought to the forefront. Education or the lack there of is a big issue in Mali today. For the past 6 months, the high schools and universities have been shut over a teacher’s strike. The government had been unable to fix the issue in a timely and just manner to all parties. How can a government like this function? 50 more years of inadequacy will continue if Malian youth do not fight for what they deserve. They deserve a better education, they deserve a better job, and they deserve a better future for themselves and their families. And it’s not too much to ask. The education system needs to be revamped. More than a 1000 more schools need to be built and teachers trained. Yeah Samaké is the man for the job!

Participants at the Meeting

One of things that Yeah has reiterated time and again is that “Mali is not a poor country; rather it has been made poor by the actions of its leaders”. On the way back, the team was taken aback by the serene beauty of Sikasso. It is hard not to fall in love with the serenity and uncomplicated way of life that these people have. In some places, you can even see the red brick wall (tata) that dates back to the French invasion. This region without a doubt could join the ranks of Timbuktu in terms of tourism. Sikasso also has one of the biggest networks of tunnels that are man-made. These tunnels were used by locals as hiding places during the war but now serve as a place to perform rituals. The view was breathtaking and indescribable.

One of the tunnels

The next interesting scene is closely related to one of Mali’s exports. Mali is the third biggest producer of gold in Africa. Lo and behold, what do we find as we are driving back? Gold Panning! We ran into a huge crowd of men, women and children surrounding a few extremely deep holes in the ground as they brought up bucket after bucket to pan for gold. This was awesome to watch!

Seeing how the bore hole works

The trip to Sikasso was an eye opener, not only in terms of support but also a wake up call to a different way of life. We think life is difficult if we are missing a TV or our Iphone. Malians are nor asking for much. What they are asking for is a good education, a stable healthcare system, jobs when they graduate and a fair chance to make a decent life for themselves. I truly believe that Yeah is the man for the job. This country needs someone who will put their interests first before their own, someone who will not embezzle from the country and someone whose expertise lies in education in developing countries. Please help us make these things a possibility by supporting us at www.samake2012.com. Together, let’s celebrate the country Mali can become under good leadership. Vive Mali!

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

(Thank you to the Arringtons for the pictures and Cole & the Goodine group ( Travis and Joe) for their Midas touch on this video.)

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on February 25, 2012 in Past Posts

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

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

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on February 23, 2012 in Past Posts

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Youth Leadership Meeting, Commune V in Bamako welcomes PACP and a treat!

19 Feb

Youth Leadership Meeting

The youth from the different districts of Bamako came to listen to the PACP President speak of his vision for a stable, prosperous Mali. The youth represent an essential part of the voting block. Believe it or not, only 38% of the voting population voted in the 2007 elections. In a country of 14 million people, that is not only astonishing but also disappointing to see the lack of democratic responsibility. However when one sees the state of education, the economy and healthcare, one can truly understand how voting is the last thing on someone’s mind. The stakes, however, are even higher this time. With unemployment hovering at unimaginable numbers ( reported at 13%, but in actuality a lot higher), and the education system riveted with strikes currently, the Malian youth are suffering. Yeah spoke to the vision that PACP stands for. The PACP charter emphasizes the values of patriotism, citizenship, decentralization, freedom, democracy, human rights, and good governance. As Yeah spoke, his audience of youth remained quiet and attentive. He reiterated the need for Malians to come together and work towards a stable government. He also showed where Ouelessebougou was 3 years ago and where it stood today as one of the top ten cities instead of the bottom five. All this is possible for Mali. However Malians need a strong leader that is not afraid to take on the old system of corruption and self-service. This was an amazing meeting and an important one at that. It is the hope that the Malian youth will believe in their strength and voice. Their presence at the polls will be essential not only to PACP’s success but also to determining which leader will lead them to a brighter future.

Commune V(Five) in Bamako welcomes PACP

As the hot Malian sun bore down, about 100 Malians gathered in Commune V. The guest of honor was PACP President and Presidential hopeful Yeah Samaké. Surrounded by other party members, Yeah was welcomed by youth leaders in the commune. Also we had special guests from Utah, James and Shelby Arrington. James and Shelby are simply one of the sweetest couples we know and we are very ecstatic that they would come all this way to visit and lend their services on the campaign trail in Mali.

Welcome Sign

Commune V Supporters

Bandiougou Soumaro

Mali's future

Party representative Bandiougou Soumaro, spoke highly of Yeah’s accomplishments and the hope that Malians could count on if they wanted a better life with more opportunities. This like all other rallies was accompanied by music and dancing. Some of the music was specific to Yeah’s accomplishments. I can’t still comprehend how a person can sing impromptu like that. The words just flow out of their mouths. We were then invited to witness a rare treat. James believes so much in this campaign that he has kindly allowed us to publish this in the hopes of raising money for Samake2012.I will let the videos below speak for themselves.

These two events are yet another indication of the growing support among Malians. Please support us at www.samake2012.com and help me bring the stability and the leadership that Mali desperately needs.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on February 19, 2012 in Past Posts

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Ségou mayors support decentralization

18 Feb

Team Samaké left for Ségou, Mali early in the morning on February 16th. Their mission: to educate mayors from the region of Ségou about the Samake2012 vision for a stable, prosperous Mali filled with opportunities for its people.

Ségou (Seku, Segu) is a city in south-central Mali, lying 235 kilometers (146 mi) northeast of Bamako on the River Niger, in the region of Ségou. It was founded by the Bozo people, on a site about 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) from the present town. With 100,000 inhabitants, it is the third largest city in Mali.

Yeah central point to creating a prosperous Mali is decentralization. What you might say, does decentralization have to do with a stable, prosperous Mali? In theory decentralization has been around for a long time. In practice, it does not exist.  The time has come for the central government to return power back to the local governments, creating an environment in which the people can hold their own leaders accountable for the actions in the commune. I think of it in this way too. As parents, we struggle sometimes to let our children make their own decisions. Failure to let them “live a little” will make them dependent individuals that cannot manage their own lives/decisions. However, if you teach them everything you can and then let them go, they are held accountable in part by the acquaintances that surround them. Without teaching them, they don’t and can’t differentiate from right and wrong. The same is with decentralization. USAID states in its In-Country report of Mali: “We find that the state has devolved some degree of authority and has made modest efforts in other areas (most notably the prospects for accountability implicit in local elections), but that autonomy and capacity remain generally low at the local level.” The central government needs to let go of power and return it to the local leaders. It is harder to hold a big government organization accountable in a country the size of Texas. By letting people at the local level conduct hold their commune leaders accountable, they will see a lot more return on investment of the taxes they pay. Take Ouelessebougou for example. 3 years ago, it was listed as the 699th commune out of the 703 communes in terms of development and transparency. Only 10% of taxes were being paid and mayor office employees had not been paid in 6 months because the previous mayor had been embezzling money. Look at Ouelessebougou today. Today due to measures instituted to ensure transparency and accountability 80% of taxes are being paid on time, employees are paid without fail on the 25th of every month, and Ouelessebougou is listed in the top ten cities in Mali. There are experts at the mayor’s office in the different sections of land, water and other areas, to allow people to discuss their issue directly with these individuals without waiting for the Mayor to make a decision. Power is distributed so that people within the Mayor’s office are empowered to make decisions and held accountable for the decisions they make by the Mayor and his constituents. Development wise Yeah has been able to lobby and get funds from the central government to build the first ever high school in the region, the biggest hospital in the region and the biggest solar panel field in Mali. If Yeah is elected on April 29th 2012, he could spread the success of decentralization to the rest of Mali.

That was the message of hope that Yeah wanted to share with these mayors of Ségou. About 100 mayors crowded into the room. Many had been drawn to the free lunch that Yeah was offering. The leading Mayor of Ségou introduced Yeah to his colleagues. Saying: “I am not here for myself, I am not here for Americans or for the French, I am here for the Malians”, Yeah seized their attention. He started telling about all the things he had been able to accomplish for his fellow-Malians. There is not one Malian candidate running today that has served his people without benefitting like Yeah has. Yeah’s words were solidified by a video showing evidence of the schools built, the water system in Ouelessebougou, the new school and hospital and the solar panel field. The skepticism vanished as the video ended. Yeah had instilled a new sense of hope in these mayors as he spoke about the power of decentralization and how it could better serve them as mayors and help them better serve their own people. The room filled with raised hands to ask questions. The questions continued with a passion and the gusto with which they were asked would have kept Team Samake there for a long time. The question surrounded topics like education, electricity, water, healthcare and decentralization. At one point, one of the mayors stood up to dispute Yeah’s policy of decentralization. Yeah did not even have to answer as seven mayors stood up to defend him and re-explain how things could only be beneficial for the mayors to better serve their communes. This was the take away point. Yeah Samake was the candidate that could best represent mayors and better support them so they could in turn support their people’s needs.

This was a successful trip for the Samake2012 campaign. The support just keeps growing day after day. It will be important to capitalize on these connections that we are making. This is Mali’s time. Decentralization is the key to creating a country that is stable and empowering people to stand up for the things that truly affect their daily lives. Please support us at www.samake2012.com. We cannot do this without you. Together, let’s welcome a new day in Mali and a new sense of hope for the Malian people. Are you in?

 
1 Comment

Posted by on February 18, 2012 in Past Posts

 

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

The spirit of Samake2012

12 Feb

The campaign has made some great headway in Mali. The faith in this campaign continues to grow strong both on the ground and from followers in America. There are new things that happen almost every day that strengthens our commitment and faith that we can win this election.

The one thing that does amaze me here is the spirit of volunteerism. People say that we do things only if there is some benefit to it. In other words, what they are saying is that human beings are very selfish beings that pursue the things that will benefit themselves. To be honest with you, if that is what is fueling people to support Samake2012, more power to them. If Malians realize what is at stake, they will be more likely to invest in it. Most of these Malians barely earn more than a $1/day. Most of these Malians have had children that have died from preventable diseases like malaria and dehydration. Most of these Malians have barely even made it to 7th grade because of the lack of middle schools in their village. Worse still is that even if they made it past college, now no jobs exist to help care for their families needs. Now, ask me if you think that these people are being driven to support Samake2012 for the wrong reasons. I think not.

On a daily basis I see people who give up of their time and efforts to benefit the campaign. A few of them have been with this campaign since its inception in early 2011. They do not benefit financially from this campaign. Some Malians like Coulibaly have come from as far off as New York City. Coulibaly left a job for a month to come to Mali so that he could campaign for Yeah in the remote areas like Mande in Mali. He has not benefited financially from this decision rather his commitment shows that he believes in the change Yeah could bring to Mali. There is Camara from France that also came to Mali for a week to help campaign in Beneko and other villages where he has contacts. There are others like Kadi, a young  lady, who volunteers at the PACP Headquarters, helping answer any questions that supporters may have. We have Zhu, our driver from Ouelessebougou, who has sacrificed time and even not seeing his family for weeks as he drives Yeah full-time in Bamako. We have Dra, a university student, who stays with us to help with any tasks that Yeah needs completed at short notice. Then we have Sibiri, our youth leader, who day in day out breathes this campaign. He is the one that spends his after work hours and weekends recruiting youth followers. There is Kane who is busy running around Bamako dealing with red tape we may run into. We have Fomba, our Secretary General, who is so committed to this campaign that he dedicates the free time he could be spending with his family so that he can campaign for Samake2012. Then there is Karim in Ouelessebougou who spends his free time on his motorcycle to travel to distant villages spreading the Samake2012 message. All these individuals usually will ask in return is money for gas. The biggest debt that cannot be paid back is time, heart and dedication. Then you go across the globe to America. The effects of Samake2012 and the belief in Yeah is amazing. There are the videographers from Goodline, Travis and Joe who came all the way to Mali, so that they could better envision Yeah’s message and effect and did amazing videos to showcase Yeah’s work. There is Cole, who also came to Mali at the same time, to help better design the Samake2012 website and has from the get-go done some brilliant work on the website, billboards and logo. There is Susan E. that does an amazing job with our social media on Twitter and has been a wonderful support to us. There are other wonderful people like Chris J, Kent, Lew, Scott and Julie, Yodit, Robert D, Ryan M, Bill B, Dave W., Brad S and others that donated of their valuable time and talents. Let’s not forget our wonderful interns Kyle and Liz who paid their own ticket to Mali so they could volunteer their time helping us on the ground.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

The Samake2012 campaign is no longer just a Malian campaign. It is a campaign that will affect the face of Africa and all the Western countries that come into touch with it. Think of it. Those of you who have met Yeah know of what he is capable of and what he has already done for his people. Those of you who haven’t, have read of his amazing journey and his contribution to Mali. Yeah has the ability to change Mali for the better. Without the volunteers, this campaign would have been hard. Never underestimate the value of yourself and what you can offer. If you believe that this campaign is an effort to break the chains of poverty, illiteracy and bad healthcare, then support us. The people on the ground in Mali need change. Every dollar counts. If every person we knew donated the money they used for one morning coffee, we could easily raise a $1000 in an hour. A $1000 helps us hold a rally in a big village. A $1000 can fill the gas tank of 50 motorcycles. Support does not have to be financial. The power of the human voice is unmatchable. Tell a friend. Tell 100 friends. Post it on Facebook, Twitter and any other outlet you can think of. We have the ability to win this. But we cannot do this without you. This isn’t about winning the election on April 29th 2012. However the election is the first step to creating a secure Mali of equality and better living conditions. Please help us. Click on the picture to donate today:

PLEASE SUPPORT SAMAKE 2012

You may also click below to donate:

https://secure.donationreport.com/donate.html?key=ZIXMMNJSKLPH

To signup to volunteer please go to: http://samake2012.com/volunteer/


 
Leave a comment

Posted by on February 12, 2012 in Past Posts

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

PACP Leadership Conference: une réussite totale( A total success)

05 Feb

PACP held its first major leadership conference February 4th 2012. The aim of the conference was to educate community leaders in the communes of Bamako about the potential of Yeah Samake as the future President of Mali. About 20 journalists and the major TV network ORTM covered this event.

At 10am, Yeah, I and the rest of PACP leadership walked into an auditorium housing about 200 people. This was a little different from the dancing and music that usually greets us at the rallies. The hushed silence erupted into clapping as we walked down the aisle to the stage. The room felt like it had a heavy air of skepticism. Many of these community leaders are educated and it was essential that this town hall style meeting be held to get them on board.

The meeting started with a 5 minute video about Yeah’s achievements in Mali to date. It showed the schools that were built, water pumps installed, children that came to the US and the computers that were donated. It showed the medical teams that came every year to treat people from as far as Mopti and Sikasso. The highlight of the video was the solar panel installation in Ouelessebougou. I say this was the highlight because it was during his welcome speech at this function that Yeah challenged the President to allow decentralization to happen more completely. Yeah’s central policy is decentralization of the central government’s power so that the local government can function effectively and address corruption more effectively. When the people can hold their government accountable, the government will be more effective and be less prone to corrupt leaders. In a big country like Mali, this is more important than ever. The video also showed the President’s speech at this event in which he is almost endorsing Yeah by saying he wished there were more Malians that gave back to their people like Yeah did. The video was punctuated by clapping but the end gave way to a standing ovation.

When the video ended, we took the stage again. The difference between Yeah and the other candidates is that Yeah has a story to tell. His humble beginnings resound clearly with other Malians that share it. However his aspirations and his education are a lesson to many that if you push hard enough, even the poorest person will prevail. He is also the statement of the end product of education that shows Malians what one can become with a good, sound education. Yeah spoke very eloquently in French to his audience. He spoke of his life early on, his father who was the visionary and his mother who was the silent supporter. Yeah’s mother was an amazing woman, from what I have heard. Her silent agony as her children suffered was evident in her actions. During the days when the family would usually go hungry, Yeah’s mother would also go to the families in the neighbor collecting the chaff of the millet. She would bring this back, salt it and give it to her kids so that they would have something in their stomachs as they headed to school. In my opinion, she was as much a visionary and supporter as Tiecourafing Samaké. My daughter Carmen carries her name Sanamba as her middle name and I hope that Sanamba’s strength and spirit will guide her through life. Yeah spoke also of how he had the opportunity to gain an education and how he came back with the Mali Rising Foundation through generous donors to give the gift of education to villages that otherwise would have seen decades more of illiteracy. He introduced his brother Drissa, who now has a PhD and his brother Daouda who has a Bachelors as products of the same success story. When he was done, he opened the forum to questions.

The questions came in huge numbers and addressed everything from Yeah’s plans for education, the issues in the North of Mali and electricity. This part of the forum was in a mixture of Bambara and French. Yeah advised that many of the issues in Mali today are based on a lack of education and employment opportunities. He spoke about the issues in the North highlighting that it was not a Northern problem but a Malian problem. He spoke of how if the ways existed for people to make money through honest work, there would be no need to join the terrorists in the North. He advised that Malians should support the army to fight the problem in the North instead of just saying it was the North’s problem to fight it. The army needs to secure the borders so militants cannot cross with arms. Currently, there is fighting in the North region and strikes in the south as people protest the government’s lack of response to the fighting as well as the government sending few soldiers with limited arms to fight them. On the issue of electricity, Yeah used Ouelessebougou as a prime example of affordable energy. The solar panels in Ouelessebougou currently provide electricity to the residents. If elected, many more installations of this kind would go up to create clean, affordable energy. Yeah during the Q&A round also introduced my background. He said he believed in Mali so much and that I had the same convictions. He asked why else would I uproot my family from the comfortable, opportunity filled life of the US to come to Mali. Why else would I enroll my children in the Malian education system? He spoke of my faith and my hope for Mali under a strong leader. Another question raised was about women and opportunities for them. Yeah spoke about how the woman is an essential part of society and the educational opportunities need to be given to them as well so that they may become equal partners in the workforce. Yet another question focused on corruption and how Yeah would combat it. Yeah used his term in Ouelessebougou as a prime example of combating corruption. When he became mayor in 2009, people refused to pay taxes because the taxes were going into the mayor’s pocket. By introducing an open line of communication and accountability, Yeah was able to ensure that the taxes were collected and people shown where their tax money went. Today Ouelessebougou boasts a 68% tax collection rate. When Yeah first became mayor, all the salaries were months behind. Yeah paid all the salaries and since he has been in office, the salary is paid without fail on the 25th of every month. This would not be possible if corruption continued to seize the funds that people were paying in tax money. The questions went on and on. Even as we approached the final minutes when we had to end, people still wanted continue.

This was an excellent meeting and more town hall meetings of this kind are planned in other electoral districts. The people need to hear Yeah’s message. When we left that room, even the biggest skeptics became supporters. No one can deny Yeah’s amazing story or what he has done for his people. There is not one candidate that has given back to the Malian people like Yeah has. There is not one candidate that has the background that Yeah has which allows him to understand his people’s current suffering.

Yeah Samake is the candidate if Mali wants change. He is the candidate if Mali desires to get out of the hole 52 years of corrupt, bad leadership has thrown it into. He is the candidate of hope for a better education system that ensures Malian graduates can compete against foreign graduates. He is the candidate if Malians want a role model that can show what honest, open leadership is. He is the candidate who can bring Mali as an equal to discussions at the UN and African summits instead of the country asking for handouts. Mali is not a poor country. The actions of its leaders have made it poor. The time has come for Mali to raise itself out of the misery its former leaders have condemned it to. Yeah is the candidate that can reform Mali and make it a symbol of opportunity and change. The time is now. If you can help, the time has come to help. The elections are 3 months away. Support us at Samake2012.com. We need all the help we can to help Mali become the country where opportunities are in abundance and dreams become a reality. Vive PACP! Vive Yeah Samake! But most of all Vive Mali! May the hopes and dreams of all Malians be answered with Yeah Samake as President.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

IN THE NEWS

Journal 22Septembre: Contre le banditisme armé au Nord: Yeah Samaké propose un verrouillage de nos frontières

http://www.maliweb.net/2012/02/09/contre-le-banditisme-arme-au-nord-yeah-samake-propose-un-verrouillage-de-nos-frontieres/

 
10 Comments

Posted by on February 5, 2012 in Past Posts

 

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

PACP welcomes American interns

28 Jan

PACP and Yeah were excited to welcome 2 new interns who have come to Mali so that they can be part of this awesome journey to Koulouba. ( Malian Presidential Palace). I am sure they will add wonderful insight in exchange for a wonderful experience with the warm, wonderful Malian people. Welcome Liz Jessop and Kyle Rehn!

Kyle, Sibiri and Liz: Already fast friends

Liz is an exception young lady who in my humble opinion has experienced much. She is pursuing a BA in International Studies, BS in Political Science and a minor in French at University of Utah. I told you she is exceptional. She had just returned from her last internship in India and is excited to represent Yeah in the race for the Presidency. I am excited to work with her as we work towards winning this election. She is fast picking up Bambara. Check out Liz’s journey in her own blog here

Kyle is a wonderful young man with a wonderful sense of humour. He is currently pursuing a Bachelor’s of science degree in economics and a minor in business at University of Utah. I am excited to work with Kyle as he provides me with a onsite view of rallies and what we can do to make them better. Like Liz, he too is working hard to learn Bambara in addition to French. He is also easy to tease so it provides some good humor at someone else’s expense. 🙂

What can I say. They have only been here a few days and are doing awesome. I can promise the moms of Kyle and Liz that I will take excellent care of them. You have raised some good, solid kids. I am extremely excited for all the possibilities to come. Thank you Kyle and Liz for sacrificing much to be part of this journey! Thank you Courtney at the Hinckley Institute and Cameron Diehl for arranging this wonderful opportunity.

 

 
2 Comments

Posted by on January 28, 2012 in Past Posts

 

Tags: , , , , , , ,

Portable water, education, better healthcare and above all a sense of service

15 Jan

As mid afternoon approached on January 14th 2012, 300+ men, women and children gathered in Sanakoro Djitimou to greet and welcome a presidential candidate. 10 National PACP party members headed by Party President Yeah Samake met the newly elected PACP representatives in the commune of Sanakoro Djitimou. For this event, 27 different village representatives came to hear Yeah and PACP speak. The mayor’s representative Bagayoko also came to greet the party. The party came to display their new logo and what their values were. Yeah spoke with eloquence of what could be achieved in Mali if he was given the chance to lead his people.

Yeah and his party representatives were greeted with loud singing and dancing. The dancing was unusual in that it represented an old form of dancing showing that the commune had not lost its traditions.

This was an awesome meeting. Yeah was in particular touched by the actions of an older man who came to shake his hand. This man called Traore expressed a deep gratitude for what Yeah stood for and hoped to bring to Mali: portable water, education, and health services. He hoped that Yeah’s sense of service would affect his fellow Malians.

The entire event was covered by National TV and will be aired by ORTM tomorrow night.

It is the hope as rallies like this happen that people can be shown what is possible if Yeah is elected. It will be important on Yeah’s part for him to balance the new with the old so that traditions that do work are not lost. The day fast approaches when a decision will be made. It is a hope that the decision for a new leader will be Yeah Samake.

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 
Leave a comment

Posted by on January 15, 2012 in Past Posts

 

Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Newer posts →