TIMBUKTU, MALI—Timbuktu was once one of the world’s most prominent culture hubs. Scholars, traders, and artists flocked to Mali’s capital city to take in its prestigious university, bountiful gold and salt reserves, and vibrant cultural scene. But now, decades of political instability have left the once great country in a state of devastating poverty.
Things were starting to look up for Mali in 2008, as funds were poured into the preservation of ancient manuscripts, relics from Timbuktu’s days as an international beacon of scholarship. The grip of French colonization was loosening as well, but this didn’t last long.
Dr. Kara Moskowitz, a professor of colonial African history at the University of Missouri at St. Louis, describes how difficult it is to break the chains of colonization: “These structures often remained in place at independence, making it difficult for newly postcolonial African nations to establish themselves in the global economy under their own terms, especially when they became independent on unequal footing.”
Indeed, the state of poverty in Mali is dire. It currently ranks 175th out of 188 countries in the United Nations Development Program. 45% of the nation lives in extreme poverty. The country is home to some of the worst malnutrition rates in sub-Saharan Africa, as well as high infant and mother mortality rates.
Mali was also not prepared for the uprising of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (or AQIM), a faction of al-Qaeda that seeks to establish Sharia law in North Africa. The AQIM overpowered the government and crushed competing rebel groups. Poverty and oppression worsened as extremists limited access to education.
As AQIM moved in, 657 schools closed as teachers and students fled violent attacks. Girls were hit particularly hard. They found themselves in an impossible predicament: stay home from school, or go, and face anything from discriminatory dress codes to rape.
Currently, about 1.2 million Malian children between the ages of 7 and 12 are not in school—50% of country’s elementary school aged children. Parents are hesitant to send their children to school. Financial and food insecurity lead them to push their children into domestic work, or working on the streets as hawkers. School is seen as a waste of time.
But, there is hope. Schools in Mali are using what precious resources they have to provide food for students, making it much easier for them to come to school. Food is purchased at local markets, spurring even more economic activity. Giving children some security makes education and the opportunities it provides more accessible.
Poverty in Mali remains an unstable situation. But, by improving access to education there is potential for Mali to rise again. It can reclaim its status as one of the most powerful cultural hubs in the world—it just needs a little help.
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