Tamar Soffer, SI Hasharon, Israel, wrote the narrative.
Photographic illustration by Pnina Evental of SI Givatayim, Israel.
BACKGROUND The Sudanese Republic and Senegal became independent of France in 1960 as the Mali Federation. When Senegal withdrew after only a few months, what formerly made up the Sudanese Republic was renamed Mali. Rule by dictatorship was brought to a close in 1991 by a coup that ushered in democratic government. MAP from the WORLD FACT BOOK [HCF]
Tamar wrote: "I want to share with you some of this very interesting trip we have made to Mali - one of the 7 poorest countries in Africa. There is no infrastucture whatsoever - which means: no water only in wells, no electricity, some in parts of the bigger cities, no roads, of course no kind of sewage canalisation, and 90% of the houses are built of mud. In this situation live 12 million people.
"The main life source is the river Niger which flows for over 4160 Km in several African countries and is the center of life. There is a huge delta, we flew over it for over 3/4 of an hour which is the basis for cotton, wheat, vegetables and fruit. There is no hunger but the people are not nourished healthily. There are huge cattle herds, cows and lamb. The main transport vehicles are donkey carts, some have horses and there are also motorcycles. Cars are few. On our way to Tombouctou - 8 hours - we met 10 cars!
"The welcome sign was awaiting us after a long
way through the desert, and was very exciting."
"The landscape is desert with some plants - not sand dunes. There is one impressive mountain range the 'Fallais' streching 250 Km. There live the Dogon tribe.
"The mud buildings are most impressive, sometimes 3 storeys high, includung their mosques.
"The typical picture of women is a woman with one child on her back, one beside her and a huge burden on her head. They are the ones working in the houses and fields. A very hard life.
"There is compulsory schooling for 6 years which is not implemented and 50% are still illiterate.
"This is Mali - now you understand how important it is to help.
"The group of SI/E Soroptimist sisters. They came from:
Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Hungary, Italy and Israel."
"We were 34 Soroptimists and we visited some of the projects. The whole school waited for us, with all important people and a music band. Austrian Soroptimists donate money to enable girls to continue studies in the ages of 13-15. As a present we got a lamb!
" A Close Up, showing Chatliners in the Group: Tamar(far left) and Pnina(in front)
The third Chatliner, Angelika Harsant is not on the photo"
"We also visited a village where Soroptimists built a maternity ward. One doctor for 12000 people. Five hundred people gathered to meet us. It was really moving. We also visited a school which the Dutch Union has built, class rooms, blackboards, tables and chairs and even a vegetable garden. It looks like paradise in the gray desolation around. The only colour are the women's dresses.
"The high light was the charter in Tombouctou.
All I can say is, I felt like it was taking part in 'A thousand and one nights'!
Tamar Soffer."
Pnina continued with a description of the Chartering Ceremony: "We met with the new club members and were invited to lunch and closer meeting with them. We met in a large carpeted room and a beautiful lunch that they prepared for us was served. A tablecloth was opened on the carpets and the food was delicious! The meeting was very gay and nice contacts were established.
I have to add that our great chaperone all along the way was the Past President of Bamako Lumiere club (among others) Dr.Traore Coumba Dembele, a dentist and a charming woman who was a great help and a source of information.!!"
"Dr. Traore Coumba Dembele (shown above) deserves a lot of thanks and compliments for taking the time to be with us, thanks also to all the members who did everything they could do, to make us feel at home."
"The Charter Ceremony took place in a big open yard of a beautiful hotel. The candle ceremony was very nice as usual, the atmosphere was really like 'The Tales of A Thousand and one Nights'.... so exotic.
"In the photo above are the 2 leaders of the group. Holding the candle is Roswitha Ott, coordinator of SI/E for Africa, also called 'Mama Africa', as she does so much for the continent, as a Soroptimist and also as a private individual - a remarkable woman from Switzerland. Near her is Helga Hammerle, past governor of the Austrian Union and the head of the group. Again a remarkable woman and a great oganiser!"
"The new members of the Timbuktu Club.
There are 24 members, all of them dressed in yellow and blue!"
The Charter.
"Helga Hammerle is reading the Charter to all the new Members.
Near Helga is the president of the new club Ms.Baba Aissa Kalil Toure."
"The Charter testimonial is in the hands of President Baba."
Helga attaching the Soroptimist pin to President Baba.
The 24 new Soroptimists were all given a pin."
"Last, but not least, were all the presents sent to the new club. A long line! Allow me to be a "local patriot " and use the Israeli delegation as an example....
"From Left to right: Tamar Soffer, Dalia Weiler our present Union President (and the only Union President in the group), Helga Hammerle translating into French, and myself, Pnina.
"Dalia is presenting a framed certificate of a tree planted in the Soroptimist grove in Israel in the name of the new club. Our Union flag in 3 languages, Hebrew, English and Arabic. Israeli Union pins and a letter of blessings."
Pnina concludes:
"There are many impressions that we experienced in Mali. I invite you all to visit my Photo.Net International photographic site
I have opened a folder of Mali Impressions and will slowly add more photos.
Thanks and Greetings to all of you
Pnina Evental
SI Givatayim Club
Israeli Union Coordinator"
"The welcome sign was awaiting us after a long
"The group of SI/E Soroptimist sisters. They came from:
"We were 34 Soroptimists and we visited some of the projects. The whole school waited for us, with all important people and a music band. Austrian Soroptimists donate money to enable girls to continue studies in the ages of 13-15. As a present we got a lamb!
" A Close Up, showing Chatliners in the Group: Tamar(far left) and Pnina(in front)
"The new members of the Timbuktu Club.
"Helga Hammerle is reading the Charter to all the new Members.
"The Charter testimonial is in the hands of President Baba."
Helga attaching the Soroptimist pin to President Baba.
"From Left to right: Tamar Soffer, Dalia Weiler our present Union President (and the only Union President in the group), Helga Hammerle translating into French, and myself, Pnina.