Coniba School Update

Hello blog followers,

Early in 2012 I posted a plea for funds to send my friend Coniba to medical school, and I sent personal emails to all who donated thanking them for helping to raise enough money for a year of tuition, so thank you! It has occurred to me that there are other people out there reading this blog so I wanted to post an update here as well. Additional funds have been raised and another volunteer (Katherine Arnold) has helped raise the funds for her third and final year, which she is now halfway through. I have been talking with her older brother about her options after school, whether she'd like to work in a big hospital in the city or return to the village to work there. We have discussed the pros and cons of both, and I have encouraged him to speak with her about going to a bigger hospital for some more experience before she returns to the village. I think this will allow her diversity of thought in her practice, help build her confidence and give her much more hands on experience. Either way, I know she'll be an excellent doctor.

The letter posted below also discusses the hardships my village experienced around the time of the coup. From what I can tell in conversations with my friends there, the situation in the south has been back to normal ever since the French intervention allowed Mali to take back the north. Clearly the situation up north is not back to "normal" yet, but because of the enormous size of Mali, this has had little effect on my village.

The letter I sent dated 6/2/12:

Hello all,

I want to sincerely thank you for your donations to my dear friend's education! As you may have heard, times are extremely tough in Mali right now, ever since the military overthrew the government and the rebels and Muslim extremists took over the northern half of the country. I was living in the south when I was there, and the community I call home has not yet been forced to flee. Food shortage is rampant and they are having extreme difficulty selling their goods on the market. Talk of closing the borders induces fears of fuel shortages, without which they would not be able to charge cell phones or leave the community and markets will further decline. Things have been hectic and the people there are certainly suffering. 

In spite of this all and thanks YOU who donated, my friend Coniba (Kadiatu) Berete was able to stay in school and she is just finishing up her first year of medical school. She is getting ready for an internship where she'll work for 3 months at a hospital and gain hands-on training. She sent me a thank you letter which I wanted to pass along to you. It is translated below:

Hi dear friend!
It's with real pleasure that I address this letter to you to give you my news. I am doing really well and I hope that this letter reaches you and your family/friends in the same good condition.
I'm writing to thank you for everything you've done for me concerning my school fees. I thank you infinitely!
Everything is well here, and with you, how are things? All my family is with you in spirit. You are unforgettable for me, and I hope we can always keep this friendship. These were the few phrases that I wanted to say to you.
I leave the pen here, though my heart is full of love. Thank you and your family.
Friends,
Kadiatou

I apologize this took so long to reach you and I hope it finds you in good health and spirits! 

Thank you again,

Chelsea