November 11th 2002

Dear Miss Wilson,

Good morning! I'm happy to send my news to you. It's fine here; I hope you are fine too. Sekou Keita is attending the first class this year. One elder sister is at the 4th grade, another is at the 2nd grade.

The rainy season is over now.

I let you know that Sekou's father has travelled; he is in Libya now.

In the village, people are now harvesting their farm products - our village is 22km from Kita. I'm the mother and every year I grow peanut in my field.

Sekou's grandfather is very old. He tells interesting stories to Sekou. There are four main celebrations in our village - the Ramadan "Aid El Fitre", the Tabaski "Aid El Kebir", the "Bekifa" and the "Maribayasa". The Tabaski day is a great day in our village. That day each family chief slaughters at least one ram to be eaten. Young men and girls spend all the day playing and dancing to the drum.

Yours Truly,

Sadio Sangare
Sekou's mother