The Daganongou School
Supporting education for displaced children in Bandiagara
The Daganongou School opened in November 2024 in Bandiagara to serve the growing number of displaced children and teachers arriving from villages attacked by armed groups. Enrollment has grown quickly, from 360 students when it opened to over 535 in 2026—but the school lacks permanent classrooms, facilities and supplies to serve all the children. Support is urgently needed to provide stable, equipped learning spaces that ensure every student can continue their education.
"What motivates us is the kids. We don't want to abandon our children because of poor conditions. We ourselves have been educated, and we want the children to be able to learn, too."
— Alphonse Kassogué, Principal, Daganongo School
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Roots of the Daganongou School
Ongoing insecurity in Mali has pushed many families towards the town of Bandiagara, as entire villages have been forced to flee. Many teachers and students had to pause their studies to relocate. Alphonse Kassogué had been principal in the village of Doucombo since 2019. After being displaced himself, he came to Bandiagara hoping to reopen his school, but authorities divided his former students across existing schools. Kassogué spent five years at one of these schools before local leadership opened Daganongo to serve the growing displaced student population.
"Our resources are limited, but we’re doing our best. If we could have classrooms, desks, school supplies and an office, then we could offer a better academic experience. Since staff don’t have an office, we stay under a tree during the mornings. For the children’s files, I put them in my bag." — Alphonse Kassogué
The Need
Classes are held in tents that tear in the wind and let in dust
Students arrive without sufficient nutrition
Classroom spaces lack blackboards, desks and chairs
No office or workspace for teachers
A Presence for Displaced Families in Bandiagara:
Tandana has supported displaced students and families with the greatest needs in Bandiagara for five years through our Displaced Students Program, which provides 175 students and their families each year with school supplies, food, hygiene supplies, and remedial classes to help them succeed in school. Students have shown great dedication to their studies and made strong academic progress. Last year, 99% of students in the program completed the school year, and 81% passed on to the next grade. Among students who took the national 9th-grade exam, 67% passed—exceeding the Bandiagara average of 50%. Seeing this success, Daganongou School leadership approached our team about collaborating to support the school's growing student body.
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Tandana Seeks to Support Daganongou School Through:
A school meal program
Three new classrooms with furniture and blackboards
An office for teachers and school staff
Join this effort:
Your support will go directly to providing hundreds of students with the opportunity to fully engage in their schooling by offering nutritious meals and permanent, equipped classrooms.
Infrastructure improvements, including three permanent classrooms, equipped with blackboards, tables and desks, as well as a staff office and storage space, will cost approximately $75,000.
The school lunch program, costing approximately $37,000 per year, will provide nutritious meals, along with firewood and essential kitchen
equipment for the student body for all 180 school days.
