I was born in a small village in the Kayes region. A small village, but not like any other. I spent the early years of my childhood in my home village, Badumbé. It is a village I love dearly because it gave me everything, and I owe it everything in return. That wonderful childhood spent with my parents will always remain etched in my mind and memories. Like all the other children in the village, I attended the Koranic school. All the children went to this school to learn about the Muslim faith or the basics of Islam. It consisted of three straw-thatched classrooms built by the villagers. This was done on the orders of the village chief and with the help of all the families. There was a single Koranic teacher who rotated between the classes. This was because the children were all at the same level, having started together. So, the three classes simply represented the three years of Koranic instruction I had to complete. In total, I spent three years learning about Islam.
