The Association SABABU
Until end of 2008, this project has been driven solely by the musician Mamadou Diabate (a Burkinabe living in Austria).
In 2009 Mamadou Diabate & Christina Reif have founded the "SABABU - Association for Equal Opportunity and Promotion of Intercultural Dialogue". SABABU means chance in the West African language Bambara. This non-profit association wants to strengthen the principle of equal opportunities for people in developing countries through promotion and development of school projects.
Currently, the association has 83 registered members.
Management / Austria
Mamadou Diabate - President
"I come from a very large musician-family with a rich, 800 years old tradition. Despite of our reputation we were
- as far as I can remember - always pretty poor. I was 11 years old when I got my first pair of shoes.
The school principal has repeatedly chased me away because my parents could not afford the school fees.
At that time I decided to build a school that is free for everyone (except for that school principal ...)
In the age of 12, frustrated by my future prospects, I ran away and had to survive as street child. Music has saved me from slipping into crime and drug use. Fortunately, I met like-minded, musically talented young people. We killed the time with music, we quenched our thirst and hunger with music, we healed our wounds with music. Over time our reputation grew and we got invitations to perform on diverse occasions. Thus, we could also earn money. In 1998, under the name "Landaya", we won the first prize of the National Culture Festival (SNC) in Bobo Dioulasso. Then we had great expectations, but in vain. Nothing has changed.
Only in Austria, where I live since 2000, I realized that education is the indispensable foundation for any social, professional and economic development. With this project, I want to help children in my original home country, to have a better future. I am very grateful for the assistance offered by benevolent Austrians and Germans I got acquainted with during my tournees and workshops."
Mag. art Christina Reif - Vice President, Secretary
"In 2008 I was the first time in Burkina Faso. On this trip I made many impressive and exciting experiences. I met a very different
kind of social intercourse and cultural everyday life. Also, I had to see with my own eyes, how badly off a part of the population is
and how little resources they have to master their everyday lives. I was impressed by the friendliness that
the people managed to keep under those circumstances.
As Mamadou showed his school under construction, I was immediately excited and ready to help. We both know that the best way to change things in the long term, is to help children, because they are the future."
Barbara Blatterer - Cashier
"At the turn of 2011/2012 I was with my daughters in Burkina Faso. This was our first trip to Africa. Our tour group
consisted of 16 members of the association Sababu. One reason for this trip was in fact to visit
the school Mamadou has built and opened 1 ½ years ago. Although our visit happened during the Christmas
holidays all 150 children, the two teachers, the director, Korotim the cook, Fama the secretary and Gérard Bazoum
the school inspector came on the morning of 12/30/2011 in the school.
Words can not do justice to what we have experienced during these hours. 75 children per class with little means get there a chance of inestimable value. In a country where schooling is not accessible to everybody and you are always faced with poverty, education is probably one of the best ways to "help". We were all touched, excited, happy and satisfied. It's wonderful that you can do something for children born in a country that can not offer the opportunities that our children have. Thank you Mamadou! "
 |
 |
 |
| Michael Reif - Vice Secretary | Judith Reif - Vice Cashier | Peter Reif - Organiser of the annual Africa Festival in Neumarkt |
⇑top
Management / Burkina Faso
Currently, we have two teachers, a headmistress and a secretary. Furthermore, we engage a security service to protect the school grounds around-the-clock. We are very proud that we managed to hire a chef cook to provide the children with a hot meal every day.
 |
Go Traore - Principal Korotim Diabate - Cook Yacouba Hema - Teacher Fatogoma Diabate - Secretary |