December 16, 2004: Headlines: COS - Mali: Service: Crafts: African Crafts: In 1999, Mariam Sidibé teamed up with Peace Corps volunteer Allison Williams (97-2000) to spread the word about her center and learn any new skills that could help her girls as well as her own family. Later that year, Allison sent Mariam to a Peace Corps/USAID sponsored project to teach women how to crochet recycled plastic bags into marketable goods

Peace Corps Online: Directory: Mali: Peace Corps Mali : The Peace Corps in Mali: December 16, 2004: Headlines: COS - Mali: Service: Crafts: African Crafts: In 1999, Mariam Sidibé teamed up with Peace Corps volunteer Allison Williams (97-2000) to spread the word about her center and learn any new skills that could help her girls as well as her own family. Later that year, Allison sent Mariam to a Peace Corps/USAID sponsored project to teach women how to crochet recycled plastic bags into marketable goods

By Admin1 (admin) (pool-151-196-43-253.balt.east.verizon.net - 151.196.43.253) on Friday, December 17, 2004 - 8:23 pm: Edit Post

In 1999, Mariam Sidibé teamed up with Peace Corps volunteer Allison Williams (97-2000) to spread the word about her center and learn any new skills that could help her girls as well as her own family. Later that year, Allison sent Mariam to a Peace Corps/USAID sponsored project to teach women how to crochet recycled plastic bags into marketable goods

In 1999, Mariam Sidibé teamed up with Peace Corps volunteer Allison Williams (97-2000) to spread the word about her center and learn any new skills that could help her girls as well as her own family. Later that year, Allison sent Mariam to a Peace Corps/USAID sponsored project to teach women how to crochet recycled plastic bags into marketable goods

In 1999, Mariam Sidibé teamed up with Peace Corps volunteer Allison Williams (97-2000) to spread the word about her center and learn any new skills that could help her girls as well as her own family. Later that year, Allison sent Mariam to a Peace Corps/USAID sponsored project to teach women how to crochet recycled plastic bags into marketable goods

Madame Dembélé Mariam Sidibé is the founder and Director of “Muso Danbe” a life skills center for orphaned and handicapped young girls in Kayes, Mali

Caption: Mariam shows off her handiwork. A "bou-bou" or traditional gown made out of mud cloth.

Madame Dembélé Mariam Sidibé is the founder and Director of “Muso Danbe” a life skills center for orphaned and handicapped young girls in Kayes, Mali. Muso Danbe means women’s dignity in Bambara, the predominate local language of Mali. Mariam, the mother of six children, has always had a desire to help those less fortunate than her. Early on she saw the need to provide trade skills to orphaned and handicapped girls because of the difficulties they face in Malian society. One of the most important roles a Malian woman must play is of wife and mother. Since family and community traditions are passed down from mother to daughter, orphaned girls often lack critical domestic skills such as cooking, child rearing and family etiquette due to being separated from their mothers too soon. Handicapped girls are considered less desirable for marriage because it is believed they can neither have children nor do housework because of their physical limitations. Mariam knew that without marriage or some other means of providing for themselves, these girls would be forced onto the street as beggars or prostitutes.

Although Mali is a poor country, some trades can bring in good money, such as cloth dyeing, tailoring and cooking. Mariam, a consummate cook and creative artist, began her center in 1998 and soon began to teach these girls how to cook, design and sew clothing, make soap and learn French. The center produces beautiful, high quality cloth ranging from rich bazin, to colorful batik to traditional mud cloth and indigo. Mariam has also proven to be a savvy marketing woman, seeking out promotion assistance from anyone who will help her from World Vision to the United States Embassy in Mali.

In 1999, Mariam teamed up with Peace Corps volunteer Allison Williams (97-2000) to spread the word about her center and learn any new skills that could help her girls as well as her own family. Later that year, Allison sent Mariam to a Peace Corps/USAID sponsored project to teach women how to crochet recycled plastic bags into marketable goods. Over the five-day period, and without any previous training in crocheting, Mariam taught herself how to crochet and brought the skill back to Kayes where she promptly taught her girls. Within weeks, Mariam and her girls were producing coin purses and beach bags to sell to tourists. But she didn’t stop there; she also made dolls, chairs, pillows and mattress filled with the scraps left over from the other items. She even taught prisoners in the local jail to use recycled plastic bags to make rope instead of the traditional plastic rice bags.

In 2003, Mariam represented the cloth dyers of Mali at the Smithsonian’s annual Folklife Festival in Washington DC. All who stopped by her booth were impressed by the quality and craftmanship of her work. When asked why she works so hard she replies simply that she wants to take care of her family and because God is good and blesses all those who help others.





When this story was posted in December 2004, this was on the front page of PCOL:

Our debt to Bill Moyers Our debt to Bill Moyers
Former Peace Corps Deputy Director Bill Moyers leaves PBS next week to begin writing his memoir of Lyndon Baines Johnson. Read what Moyers says about journalism under fire, the value of a free press, and the yearning for democracy. "We have got to nurture the spirit of independent journalism in this country," he warns, "or we'll not save capitalism from its own excesses, and we'll not save democracy from its own inertia."

December 10, 2004: This Week's Top Stories December 10, 2004: This Week's Top Stories
Dodd says Rumsfeld's answer was unacceptable 9 Dec
RPCV Blake Willeford runs classic movie theatre 9 Dec
RPCV says education is key to curbing AIDS 9 Dec
RPCV Dannielle Tegeder opens exhibition 9 Dec
Shalala 1st Woman In Touchdown Club 9 Dec
"Today we have a new country" says Toledo 9 Dec
DDN wins Investigative Reporting Award 8 Dec
Celeste on Panel to study Colorado finances 8 Dec
RPCV leads Rotary Club medical team to Togo 6 Dec
Vasquez to speak at Hawaii, Wisconsin commencements 6 Dec
Tom Murphy warns Pittsburgh on budget abyss 2 Dec
Venezuela RPCV Martha Egan runs Pachamama imports 30 Nov
more top stories...

RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack RPCV safe after Terrorist Attack
RPCV Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, the U.S. consul general in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia survived Monday's attack on the consulate without injury. Five consular employees and four others were killed. Abercrombie-Winstanley, the first woman to hold the position, has been an outspoken advocate of rights for Arab women and has met with Saudi reformers despite efforts by Saudi leaders to block the discussions.
Is Gaddi Leaving? Is Gaddi Leaving?
Rumors are swirling that Peace Corps Director Vasquez may be leaving the administration. We think Director Vasquez has been doing a good job and if he decides to stay to the end of the administration, he could possibly have the same sort of impact as a Loret Ruppe Miller. If Vasquez has decided to leave, then Bob Taft, Peter McPherson, Chris Shays, or Jody Olsen would be good candidates to run the agency. Latest: For the record, Peace Corps has no comment on the rumors.
The Birth of the Peace Corps The Birth of the Peace Corps
UMBC's Shriver Center and the Maryland Returned Volunteers hosted Scott Stossel, biographer of Sargent Shriver, who spoke on the Birth of the Peace Corps. This is the second annual Peace Corps History series - last year's speaker was Peace Corps Director Jack Vaughn.
Vote "Yes" on NPCA's bylaw changes Vote "Yes" on NPCA's bylaw changes
Take our new poll. NPCA members begin voting this week on bylaw changes to streamline NPCA's Board of Directors. NPCA Chair Ken Hill, the President's Forum and other RPCVs endorse the changes. Mail in your ballot or vote online (after Dec 1), then see on how RPCVs are voting.
Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying Charges possible in 1976 PCV slaying
Congressman Norm Dicks has asked the U.S. attorney in Seattle to consider pursuing charges against Dennis Priven, the man accused of killing Peace Corps Volunteer Deborah Gardner on the South Pacific island of Tonga 28 years ago. Background on this story here and here.
Your vote makes a difference Your vote makes a difference
Make a difference on November 2 - Vote. Then take our RPCV exit poll. See how RPCV's are voting and take a look at the RPCV voter demographic. Finally leave a message on why you voted for John Kerry or for George Bush. Previous poll results here.

Read the stories and leave your comments.






Some postings on Peace Corps Online are provided to the individual members of this group without permission of the copyright owner for the non-profit purposes of criticism, comment, education, scholarship, and research under the "Fair Use" provisions of U.S. Government copyright laws and they may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner. Peace Corps Online does not vouch for the accuracy of the content of the postings, which is the sole responsibility of the copyright holder.

Story Source: African Crafts

This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Mali; Service; Crafts

PCOL15425
69

.


Add a Message


This is a public posting area. Enter your username and password if you have an account. Otherwise, enter your full name as your username and leave the password blank. Your e-mail address is optional.
Username:  
Password:
E-mail: