Dear Nathaniel - Yes, the donkeys are cute, and they work hard also. Donkeys are most often seen pulling donkey carts, two wheeled carts that carry very many supplies for many Maliens. The donkey carts are loaded with food, grains, construction materials, household supplies, people, motorcycles, and even 20' sections of wood to repair perogues (river boats). Also, donkeys were one of the first animals on earth to have been domesticated, since before the birth of Christ. Sad to say, donkeys are often abused. Many drivers of the carts carry big sticks and beat the donkeys when they do not go fast enough. Most donkeys can be seen with big welts on their backs, and even open, festering wounds. One day I saw a donkey faint, simply collapse, while attached to the cart because of the force used.
There are several websites where you can contribute to better living conditions for donkeys. 'Donkey Sanctuary' is one of them. I wish I could bring one home for you Nathaniel, but he would be too big for the plane. Thank you for your question.
Jim asks - Are there church soup kitchens that can help the beggars and children who do not have food?
Dear Jim - Not really. Most people in Mali have a hard enough time feeding themselves and their families. I believe the latest statistic that I heard was 80% of the people live on less than $2/day. Of the 2 churches in Markala, one cannot afford windows or a door. They have wooden planks for seats.
That said, Islam encourages people to give to those in need. The beggars will stop at peoples' homes during the day and evening meal times to ask for food, and often get it. My French tutor, Tamba, has informally adopted a beggar child, called a 'garibou', and feeds him 3 meals everyday, along with Tamba's own family. Tamba also feeds a local soldier who is stationed in Markala.
I hope this gives you a better feeling for conditions here. Thank you for the question.
Mike asks - Do people wear clothes in Africa?
Dear Mike - Africa is a very big continent, with 54 countries and 800 million people. My experience is in Mali, the largest country in West Africa, with 10.2 million people. So I cannot speak for all of Africa. In Mali, yes people where clothes. In fact, most people take great pride in the clothes that they wear. Most outfits are very colorful, clean and pressed (with a coal heated iron). On the other hand, women are very open about breast feeding their babies. Occassionally, one can see very young boys running around with no clothes during very hot weather, and pubescent girls doing work in their home courtyards with no tops on. Many people wash along the river banks. Men are very discreet. Women can regularly be seen with no tops.
Susan asks - I live in Rochester, NY where the murder and crime rate is 2nd highest in the State. It's very sad. Just today, 3 more people were murdered in the city. Is there murder and crime in Mali? Is there a police force?
Dear Susan - Violent crime in Mali is NOT frequent. I recently heard that of the over 200 capital cities in the world, Bamako, which is the capital city of Mali, is one of the safest. During the approximate 8 months that I have been in Mali, I have heard of 1 murder. I feel safe everywhere I have been in Mali. Small rural villages are very safe. In Markala where I live, I also feel safe everywhere that I go. Petty crimes, such as pick pocketing and simple theft are common in urban areas. Travel at night ouside of your village or city is discouraged in order to minimize the risk of such a problem. More well to do families will have walls built around their homes. Expatriates, for example embassy staff, will have guards at their homes.
There seem to be 2 primary police organizations. Larger cities will have their own police force. Then there is a national police agency called the Gendarme. Also there is an army presence in several medium to large cities. For the most part, all of the police, gendarme, and army staff that I see are not armed, and do not have radios or vehicles.
Areas north of Tombouctou and Gao are not safe. Algerian terrorists have taken control of much of the Sahara desert region. Occassionally they take hostages. Occasionally, a hostage dies.
In some other African countries, there are tribal wars that are occuring, with significant loss of life to both fighters and civilians. Just the other week, there was a skirmish on the border between Mali and Burkina Foso where several people were killed. Much work is needed to stabilize those regions.
Regina asks - Do people smile a lot in Mali?
Dear Regina - They most certainly do. Mali has a reputation of being a country with very friendly people. Everyday when I ride my bike around town, several dozen children wave and yell 'hello' (in French or Bambara), and even more adults share their greetings. There are about 6 customary greetings everytime that you meet someone. The greetings ask about your health, your partner, your children, your sleep, your day so far, and your family. Greetings accompany a hearty handshake. It is considered a significant social faut-pau not to greet someone. If someone becomes ill, people will bring food and stop over to the home of the person. If the person is in the hospital, most co-workers will arrive at the room to show their cocnern. It is a warm and friendly feeling. I wonder how it will feel coming back to the USA where greetings are not as prevelant.
Kay asks - How is your Pilates exercise? Where do you do it?
Dear Kay - I do Pilates 3x/week in my room. Each session is about 1 hour. I brought my exercise mat and balance ball with me (I could deflate it and it took very liitle luggage space.) I must say that Pilates has been a blessing in my life. It's core muscle strengthening abilities have eliminated chronic muscle and skeletal issues that I had in the past. It has really served to make my stay in Africa more plausible and enjoyable.