CNN team help build Mali school

19 March 2009: Plan’s work with school children in Mali was the subject of a recent CNN programme, which featured employees from the news channel helping a community to build a school.

‘Backstory’ followed the progress of a Plan school improvement programme in the Kangaba District.

The project will provide 150 students with access to better education through a new school building, a healthy and safe environment through the construction of water boreholes and child-friendly latrines and better school governance, including a pupils’ committee.
 
Community members will also be trained in effective school management and new school committees will be responsible for the maintenance and repair of facilities, ensuring the programme is sustainable well into the future.

The project is in partnership with Turner Broadcasting, which owns channels such as CNN and the Cartoon Network Channel.

Volunteer visit

As part of the partnership with Plan, a group of Turner employees from the UK, Germany and Italy visited Mali to meet the community, to volunteer alongside them in the construction of the school building and to share experiences.

Watch video of the visit via CNN’s website.

“It was a fantastic experience for the visitors and the community,” said Thiekoro Coulibaly, Plan Mali Public Relations and Communications Advisor.

“We all learnt a lot from each other and found friends for life,” added Donna Lewis from Turner Broadcasting.

Turner Broadcasting has furthermore donated TV advertising space to Plan, to promote our child sponsorship programme across their networks and on the CNN website, resulting in increased awareness of Plan’s work across the world.

A short clip on the project was included in CNN Backstory on 18 March.

Please support Plan’s vital work by sponsoring a child or making a one-off donation.

Learn more about Plan's partnership with Turner Broadcasting