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Mali - Kita
I’m the one in the Unitehopeproject group that everyone now refers to as “Mali”, a country in West Africa I had hardly heard of before given the task to place one of the initial Unitehope angels there. Since then, I’ve learned a lot about the country and have become deeply attached to the people, mentality and culture. Before travelling there, I got in touch with the Swedish SIDA embassy and wonderfully generous and clever Camilla Bengtsson in Bamako. She let me stay in her home during my stay and even followed me to the remote ancient city of Kita, only 200 km from Bamako but a six hours chauffeured drive!
Here is my diary from my brief but beautiful experience in Mali, a place I intend to return to with my children one day.
Catarina Midby, Stockholm Fashion Journalists
16 September 21.00
This is it. I’m on my way to Bamako, Mali. I’m one of the very few European people on the plane. Nana, a seven year old Malinese girl, is sitting next to me. She is travelling alone and seems a little worried but is extremely talkative. I’m tired but excited about finally being on the way. A guy in front of me hands over his passport and immigration papers and asks me to fill them out for him. He can’t read or write and he has no date of birth in his passport. A beautifully dressed Malinese woman comes over to talk to me. She is a member of Parlament in Mali and works with women’s and girls’ issues. I’m beginning to understand just how different Mali will be, only five hours away but another world.
17 September 06.00
Wake up early in my mosquito net covered bed. Thank God for Camilla, whose place I’m staying at. She is responsible for SIDA’s work in Mali, and has helped organising everything for Hope. Also she’s coming with me,
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