Virginia Friends of Mali

“Here in Mali we say that the first cup is bitter like life, the second is sweet like love and the third is soft, like the breath of a dying man.”

Bonjour Amis du Mali, Our organizational website, vafriendsofmali.org, is temporarily down. If you are new to Virginia Friends of Mali and have any questions about us, please email us at virginiafriendsofmali@gmail.com. Notre site Web de l'organisation, vafriendsofmali.org, est temporairement indisponible. Si vous êtes nouveau à Virginie Amis du Mali et d'avoir des questions sur nous, s'il vous plaît écrivez-nous à virginiafriendsofmali@gmail.com. If you would like to make a contribution, please click the Donate tab above. Or send your tax deductible contribution to VFOM PO Box 4363, Richmond, VA 23220. Si vous souhaitez faire une contribution, s'il vous plaît cliquer sur l'onglet Versez dessus. Ou envoyez votre contribution déductible d'impôt à VFOM PO Box 4363, Richmond, VA 23220. Thank you / Merci , Ana Edwards, president / présidente VFOM

FREE performance by the amazing kora player PAPA SUSSO! with the renowned balafon (African xylophone) player BALLA KOUYATE! Papa Susso: Kora Music from the Gambia. Wednesday, November 18th, 7:30 pm. FREE. University of Richmond, Weinstein International Center.

Peace Baba (real name Oumar Cissé) is the most famous bead person in Mali. His nickname comes from the fact that he used, for more than 20 years, to take care of Peace Corps volunteers in Mopti Region, whose 'vacation house' was right next to his shop: Farafina Tigne is the name of his museum/shop and the website is fabulously extensive, including a decent travelogue description of the country's major towns and features of interest to tourists. Peace Baba has moved from his small store on the island that is Mopti town, to a larger store in Sevaré beside the main paved Great North Road. Here he has a museum of beads and crafts upstairs, and a fantastic bead shop downstairs. Peace Corps Baba (Baba - Father) is a great man with a magnetic personnality and communicatable English. His beads are SO WORTH WHILE (and such good value). Some Malian beads are 5000 years old. Some were made when Jesus Christ was alive. Some are made from the bones of fish or the nuts of t...