I come from a very large family in Burkina Faso that nourishes a 800 years old musical tradition. Despite our renown reputation we have always been rather poor. I remember getting my first pair of shoes only by the age of 11. When I was 12 my future seemed to hold nothing for me so I decided to run away from home.

I have lived on the streets for several years and making music is what saved me from criminality and drugs. I was lucky enough to meet other youngsters interested in music and so we spent our time practising and learning different instruments. In fact music helped us against hunger, thirst and pains. After some time we stared getting small gigs on festive occasions and were able to earn some money. In 1998 we even won the first prize of a cultural festival in my home town Bobo Dioulasso. Our hopes for success were then very high but the big breakthrough still didn't occur.

In 2000 I came to live in Austria und soon realised that education is the essential basis for all social, professional and economic development and I have been more than privileged to meet people willing to help me make it. So now it is my turn to give on what I have been given. For me this meant a free primary school just like the one I would have wanted to attend. Today more than 650 kids attend the the Sababu primary school and each one of them has more chances for a better future.

All I can say is a huge and great THANK you to all the helpers around the world who actually made it all happen. Without this continuous support the Sababu school would have never been possible. I am looking forward to the next steps and can't wait to get started with the building of the new Sababu High School.

With my kindest regards and best wishes for a prosperous 2019!

Mamadou Diabaté