Sheep and mango trees

“Did you realize there was a live sheep in the trunk?” That’s a question I never, in my right mind, thought I would ever ask someone but alas, the man sharing a taxi with me (and another MFC intern) proved me wrong. There are sheep everywhere. Dozens lie on top of buses. Others sit, tied to a pole while counting down their last days. Most people in Mali are muslim and therefore, preparing for the fête de tabaski where they will savour some sheep in large families.

A colleague has invited me to spend this holiday with him and his family and I told him it would be an honour to join them. I guess you could say that the turkey is going to look a little different this year…

It has been the first sign that the holidays are coming. No Santa Claus paraphernalia at every street corner. No decorations coming out November 1st. And certainly no pressure to empty bank accounts on scented candles and power tools. In fact, the thought of the holidays hadn’t even crossed my mind until last week when I got an email from my parents asking me what I wanted for Christmas. Would it be too much to ask for every child in Mali to get an education and a full stomach?

I’m currently reading The End of Poverty by Jeffrey Sachs and it has been difficult at times, especially when he discusses how easily malaria can be mitigated in Sub-Saharan Africa by distributing bed nets and anti-malarial medicine. You can’t find a bed net anywhere in Garalo, either in a house or a store. Colleagues at work sometimes seem to disappear for about a week and every time I ask, the answer is what I fear: malaria.

It’s probably too late to suggest this as most of this blog’s readership have probably finished their shopping but I want to throw it out there in your consciences anyway. Consider making a donation on behalf of a friend, brother, sister, cousin, neighbourhood barber, yodelling teacher, local 7-11 clerk, father, mother and/or step-(all of the above). If you don’t know where to start, here are some places:

One Sky
Amnesty International
UNICEF

If you are worried about the way your money will be used, I suggest One Sky’s Sowing A Seed program as 80% of it goes directly to buying school supplies (the other 20% is for administration costs to keep the program viable). If I’ve won you over with the bed nets in Garalo example, send me an email and we can figure out a way to get some there.

As sheep replace turkeys and mango trees replace Christmas trees, my thoughts will be with all of you back home. Joyeux Noël et Bonne année à tous.

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