The Fondation Beigbeder (Beigbeder Foundation) aims to promote Malian culture, arts and crafts. Visitors can immerse themselves in African culture and encounter the population of the nearby villages, as opposed to only meeting other tourists and tour guides during their trip to Mali. The foundation also offers foreign artists a peaceful place to work or a temporary home for a period up to three months, as well as a place to exhibit and sell their products.
About 75% of the Malian population is illiterate, the majority of them is under the age of 25. A substantial part of the profit from the Centre Culturel is spent on teaching children and adults to read and write at the local school. They also get a free meal a day in the Sandcastle's restaurant.
If you wish to support the foundation, you can do so in many ways. There's a need of childrens' clothes, schoolbooks and bicycles. Also, a solar pump for the well or any other solar (light) materials are more than welcome.
The foundation's patron is the French writer Frédéric Beigbeder.
11-year-old Mohamed (Momo) is the first in his family to attend school, and proud of it! He is sponsored by the Beigbeder Foundation. Momo dreams of a job in foreign affairs when he grows up.