"Mali" a Mali Travel Page by titti

<p><FONT COLOR='#990033' SIZE="2">Mali consistently ranks among the bottom ten countries in the world in literacy, health, clean water, maternal death, infant mortality, and life expectancy. Hundreds of children as young as six years old are trafficked across borders into slavery in West Africa to work as domestic servants, on farms and in markets in the region's wealthier countries.
Most work long hours in harsh conditions and receive little or no pay.
The main trafficking routes are from Mali, Benin and Togo to Gabon, Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria and Cameroon.
Children are transported over land and by sea facing arduous journey and lack of food and water. West African governments in the region are aware of the problem and of the need for action to end it, but many destination countries are still not taking the steps necessary to end the exploitation of children in slavery and other abusive labour.
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<p><center><FONT COLOR='#990033' SIZE=”4”><b>young businessmen</b></font></center>
<p><center><img src="http://www.virtualtourist.com/p/.92643/v@4_a-2-1-666.jpg"></p></center>
<p><FONT COLOR='#990033'>Meeting children will always mean listening to a long litany of “ca va bombon-bicchì-argent … ca va bombon-bicchì-argent …”. Some children recently developed a new way to get in with tourists and increase their incomes. They hike the <i>Falaise de Bandiagara</i> carrying a dusty folder. As soon as you stop walking, since you are breathless, one of them will come, sit beside you, approach you asking where you are from… Then, with the biggest carelessness, he opens his folder and shows you his drawings. No reason to be annoyed by this. Drawings represent traditional masks, the same that dancers still wear for ritual (and tourist) dances. You’ll see gazelles, antelopes, jackals and <I>Kanaga</I>, all of them drawn with pen and pencil, and slightly coloured.
Soon, you’ll realise that you’re dealing with young artists-businessmen, and you’ll probably catch the opportunity to get your hands on a real business…like I did.
Now, I regret buying just two drawings; at least to show you more masks!
If you are going to Mali, please take part in this business, without hard bargaining, of course!</FONT >