Hear My Heart: Children Advocating for Educational Rights

Timbuktu, Mali – Fatoumata Touré was born and raised in Timbuktu. This ancient city in central Mali was once famous as a center of Islamic learning. Like her ancestors, Fatoumata loves to learn. 14-year-old Fatoumata said: "I like taking history classes the most. The city of Timbuktu has so many stories!" She dreams of becoming a lawyer.

A thirst for knowledge and a passion to serve others clearly runs in her veins. Fatoumata's parents were both teachers in Timbuktu, and her eldest brother was a history and geography teacher in Bamako, the capital of Mali.

But many of Fatoumata's peers are not so lucky, and their path to school is elusive. More than 1 million children of primary school age in Mali are out of school, accounting for nearly a third of all children. In 2017, the proportion of out-of-school children of middle school age exceeded 60%.

Children face a myriad of challenges in their education: child labour, child marriage, a lack of quality schools nearby, and deteriorating security conditions that have forced the closure of more than 700 schools. Transportation and logistics are another difficulty: Fatoumata has to walk an hour a day to go to school.

In Mali, Fatoumata, who is a woman, is at a higher risk of dropping out of school than a boy.

children provide solutions

In 2018, with support from the governments of Norway, Denmark and South Korea, UNICEF significantly expanded its Back to School child advocacy ambassador training program in Mali. During the 2018-2019 school year, UNICEF and its partners in Mali trained more than 3,800 children and young people across the country to become community leaders fighting for every child's right to education. To strengthen gender equality, UNICEF has trained an equal number of boys and girls to become Children's Advocacy Ambassadors. Fatoumata is one of them.

These Children's Advocates are trained to speak to their peers and their parents about the importance of education as they prepare to return to school after summer break. They learn key messages about the benefits of education, how to communicate the added value of education to concerned parents, and how to track out-of-school children with the help of an interview guide.

After receiving training supported by UNICEF, the Child Advocacy Ambassadors return to their communities to go door-to-door to educate parents about the importance of sending their children to school. They also go to cooperative radio stations to promote the value of education. They make sure that children are given a chance to speak at community meetings.

These children's ambassadors share a common goal: to get as many Malian children as possible back to school.

Passing the torch

When asked why he became a UNICEF "Back to School" children's advocacy ambassador, Fatoumata said that it was because there are many children who drop out of school.

"There are a lot of children in Timbuktu who don't go to school. Often, their parents don't have the means to send them to school, or they themselves lack the motivation to go to school," she said.

"There are 12 schools in Timbuktu, including 5 private schools and 7 public schools. Public schools are free! I often tell parents and their children this when I visit homes." Fatoumata said.

Before the start of the 2018-2019 school year, Fatoumata visited about 50 families. "I think 20 of those home visits were successful, but the reality is that it's still difficult," she said.

Old Tradition and Education

In the west of Kais, far from Timbuktu, another child advocacy ambassador, Naminata Sanogo, is making home visits in Kenieba.

Although these areas may be more than 1,500 kilometers away, the obstacles faced by the children in Nanamita's hometown are equally daunting.

"Many girls in Keith are victims of child marriage," said Nanata, 17. Most families insisted on the girl's role as wife and mother, not as students or professionals.

"One out of every two girls is married before the age of 18! Child marriage is one of the root causes of children dropping out of school here," said Nami Natta. "I want parents to understand that girls should be in school, not at home. .”

Objective difficulties and education

Being a Back to School Children's Advocacy Ambassador has to overcome logistical challenges. Alou Keïta, 11, is a children's ambassador in Mopti, where the Niger and Bani rivers meet. Political instability has led to heightened insecurity in Mopti and a rapid increase in the number of school dropouts. Sticking to his promise, Alu often takes canoes and other unconventional means of transportation to visit the families of out-of-school children.

"Nothing stops me from telling my friends about the importance of education," Allou said. "In the bomb shelter, on the motorcycle, on the walk, or through discussions on the radio, I will do whatever it takes to educate parents about the importance of education." Kids go to school. I want no kids on the streets, I want all kids to go to school!"

for their future

"Parents teach their children to go to school. Teachers teach students in schools. I am both teacher and student," Fatoumata said.

From Timbuktu to Kidal, across Mopti and all the way to Kayes, Fatoumata, Naminata, Alu and their fellow children's ambassadors are slowly transforming people's mindsets for their Pursue a better future with your own country.

Their efforts mean that children also have a voice in decisions affecting their own future.