In Mali, West Africa there are so few middle schools most rural students have to walk more than 10 miles a day to attend. There is no public transportation. Many, mostly girls, drop out.

"I wanted to do something for my country. I have been given so much I felt I needed to give something back," Samake said.

Samake, who lives in Alpine, came there by a somewhat roundabout way. He was originally sponsored by a family from Boulder, Colo. he met while they were visiting Mali where Samake was a middle school teacher. He taught English as a second language and also translated for American visitors.

"I was shocked when I first came to the U.S. I didn't know I was poor. I had lived all my life with no electricity and no running water. The U.S. was so overwhelming to me," he said.

While in Boulder he visited with his host's son at BYU. The family encouraged him to return to Mali and get a school visa and come back to BYU.

"I wasn't sure it was the best thing but the prospect of getting more education decided me," he said.

Before he left he got a contract to translate 40 hours of a documentary movie on Mali for the Women's Research Institute. He came back and got his master's degree in public policy. He met and married his wife Marissa. They now have a son, Keanan, and a daughter on the way.

"I came to Alpine when I met Marilou Moser at a dinner I attended given by her daughter, Louise Illes, who is an associate dean at UVSC. Marilou invited our family to live in her basement in Alpine. I could never afford to rent a house here. It has been a blessing."

Illes said she was impressed by Samake when she had him in her Nonprofit Business Strategies class at BYU,

"I think the research he did enamored and empowered him to start his nonprofit organization. He is an extraordinarily conscientious man. When my mother and I traveled with him to Mali in January I was so impressed with the way he confidently approached the highest officials to convince them to add their support to his organization."

Samake said Mali Rising has a unique approach to building the schools.

"There have been other people who have come to Mali to help the people," Samake said, "I was the recipient of their generosity. However, many would come in and build a school but then would have to support it."

"The schools cost $50,000 to build," he said. "We go directly to the village elders and tell them if they will raise 20 percent of the cost we will furnish the rest. They might have to go to the bank or sell some land but then they have a stake in the project.

"We also bought an adobe making machine which we can use to make the earthen bricks to build the schools. We hire local workers which adds to the village economy."

One of the biggest problems in Mali and all over Africa is the prevalence of corruption.

"Every person who handles any materials for you wants a cut," he said. "I absolutely refuse to give it to them. I tell them the shipment is for a nonprofit organization and therefore tax exempt. The only way to stop the corruption is to not be part of it. I hope to be an example. If others see I won't pay maybe they will decide they will not either.

"When they see I won't give them a bribe they go on to the next person. Sometimes they will delay our shipments but I know the ambassador to the U.S. from Mali and I call his office and they make sure the shipment gets through."

He has met with the President of Mali and other high officials.

"It is one of the most stable democracies in Africa. I brought the ambassador to Salt Lake and took him to meet President Hinckley. The ambassador was very impressed with the LDS Church's organization and humanitarian works. The church sent the students in Mali 1,000 school kits and BYU sent 250 computers and even paid the shipping," Samake said.

Samake wants to return to his country in 2011.

"I will still be involved with Mali Rising but I want to go back and see what other things I can do to help the people there," he said.

Mali Rising will host a fund raising golf tournament on Sept. 17 at Cascade Golf Center. On Oct. 11 a dinner auction will be held at the Salt Palace where the ambassador from Mali will attend.

Several local people have already raised enough money to fund the schools. After going to Mali, Moser decided to raise enough money to build a school and name it in honor of her late husband Ross.

Donations are welcome. For more information call Yeah Samake at 801-979-0241 or visit the Web site at www.malirising.org.