Big Hope Mali English Club
From your DEF to your career.
English for your exams, your scholarship and your job — every Saturday, 9:00–12:00, at CMPBAS, ACI 2000, Bamako.
We are Changemakers
Nous sommes des agents de changement
Anw Ye Yelema Kebakaw Deye
Every Saturday • 9:00–12:00
CMPBAS, ACI 2000, Bamako
100+ members
Active & growing
Nov 2022
Founded
MECC
Member
Your path
One club, a clear path: wherever you are, we help you take the next step.
01
DEF Boost — English for the DEF
7e–9e pupils and adult beginners
Real DEF English papers (2012–2026): reading, writing, grammar and the confidence to speak.
02
English for the Bac
Lycée students
Real Bac papers, essay writing and debates.
03
TOEFL & English for scholarships
University students aiming to study abroad
Preparation for the TOEFL and for scholarship applications.
04
Professional English
Working adults
Professional English: speak and write English at work — professional emails, presentations, meetings and calls.
Everyone practises together on Saturdays; the focus rotates through the year.
100+ members
Active & growing
Founded 2022
Nov 23, 2022
Weekly Sessions
Every Saturday
Community Driven
We are Changemakers
A hope born from community
We decided to create a hope — a hope for them, a hope for the society, a hope for anyone willing to learn English. That is why we named our club Big Hope Mali: we hope to be a hope for this country.
Before becoming a formal club, Big Hope Mali was a small circle of members who met regularly, supported one another, and practiced English whenever they had the chance. Most could not hold conversations yet; they had the will to learn and kept building step by step.
On 23 November 2022, the group held its first formal session and officially became a club — driven entirely by community need and collective consensus. The early sessions were held at night in the founder's home yard, bringing together a dedicated group under the stars.
Big Hope Mali English Club is a programme of the association Djigui-Ba-Mali, registered in Mali.
Motto
"We are Changemakers"
Nous sommes des agents de changement
Anw Ye Yelema Kebakaw Deye
11 → 100+
Members in under 2 years
Membres en moins de 2 ans
Cours Modernes Privés Bilingues Amadou Sow (CMPBAS)
ACI 2000, Bamako
Every Saturday / Chaque Samedi
What happens at our sessions
Each Saturday session (9:00–12:00) follows a structured, engaging format. All levels welcome — short placement test.
Opening
The whole group starts together with a short, inclusive moment of prayer.
Hot seat
One member answers rapid-fire questions in English.
Expression & vocabulary
Useful words and expressions for real life.
Interpretation & debate
A new topic every week, discussed in depth.
Dictation & listening
Listening, spelling and attention to detail.
Break
A shared snack, potluck style: those who can bring fourou-fourou, gnomi, sugar or milk powder, and everyone eats together from the same plate.
Grammar
Rules learned through practice and peer discussion.
Thought of the day
A proverb, a wise saying or a life lesson, shared in English and discussed together. A club tradition since our first sessions.
Game
English games that make the lesson stick.
Reminders & closing
Announcements, then a friendly review of the day's mistakes: a volunteer notes them during the session and explains the right word or pronunciation without naming anyone. Then a short closing prayer and the club's traditional family photo.
During the school year, every Saturday also includes a DEF moment for 9e candidates, built from a real DEF paper.
We never promise a grade, a scholarship or a job. We walk alongside our members with practice, tools and advice, and we keep them in our prayers.
Real moments, real community
What you gain by joining
An open Saturday community in Bamako where English is spoken, not only studied.
Real speaking practice
Every Saturday you speak English out loud with other members — not only from a textbook.
Open to all — join in two minutes
Open to all. Joining takes two minutes with the short form.
A clear 3-hour structure
9:00–12:00 every Saturday: Hot Seat, vocabulary, debate, dictation, grammar, and games.
Confidence without fear
A supportive room where mistakes are part of learning — not a reason to stay silent.
A community, not a classroom
Alumni of international scholarship and exchange programmes, professionals, teachers, students and pupils grow together in Bamako.
A clear path from the DEF to confident English
DEF Boost — English for the DEF, English for the Bac, TOEFL & English for scholarships, and Professional English — one club, the next step.
Learn together every Saturday
Practise English with other members in a supportive, structured community.
Community Saturday Sessions
All levels welcome — short placement test. Join our weekly Saturday sessions and practise with other members in a supportive, structured environment.
All levels welcome — short placement test
Every Saturday, 9:00–12:00
CMPBAS, ACI 2000, Bamako
- Hot Seat, Expression & Vocabulary
- Interpretation & Debate
- Dictation & Grammar
- Games & Group Activities
- Family Photo Tradition
- 100+ members — all connected via WhatsApp & online activities
Guided by passion, driven by community
The club is run by volunteers and led collectively: the same team leads the association and the club.
Mahamadou KANE
Founder & Secretary General
Mahamadou KANE founded Big Hope Mali on 23 November 2022, channeling a lifelong passion for English language education into a structured weekly club that has grown into a community of more than 100 members. As the club's initiator, he shaped its learning structure and continues to guide its educational vision. He serves as Founder & Secretary General of Big Hope Mali English Club and Secretary General of Djigui-Ba-Mali, and represented Big Hope Mali at MECC for one year, strengthening the club's visibility and voice. He completed the U.S. Department of State's OPEN course "Professional Development for Teacher Trainers" (Arizona State University, 2023) and has taught English from pre-school and primary to university level since 2017. He is a Fulbright Scholar, holds an MBA from the University of Florida (2026), is PMP® certified (PMI), holds a Master's in Management of Projects and Organizations from TechnoLAB-ISTA, and a Bachelor's in Financial Sciences and Accounting (FSEG, Bamako). Admitted to a PhD in Construction Management (University of Florida), starting August 2027.
Setigui Famakan DEMBÉLÉ
President & Chairman (since November 2022)
Setigui Famakan DEMBÉLÉ has served as President & Chairman of Big Hope Mali since its founding in November 2022. A true pioneer of the club, he was part of the original group that chose English as the shared language of dialogue long before the club had a formal identity — a commitment he has upheld ever since. During the club's most difficult moments, when sessions risked coming to a halt, his personal courage and relentless outreach kept the community alive: he continued to invite and rally members, ensuring weekly sessions never stopped. He also contributed to the club's founding documentation. Professionally, he is a Civil Servant and Foreign Affairs Counsellor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Mali, a graduate of ENA with a Master's in International Public Law, and has received international diplomatic training in Turkey and India. As Chairman, he presides over every Saturday session and closes each gathering with the beloved family photo tradition.
Mamadou FADIGA
Vice President & Head of Curriculum (since November 2022)
Mamadou FADIGA has been Vice President of Big Hope Mali since the club's founding in November 2022 and is the person most responsible for the weekly session schedule. As chief moderator, he has guided the majority of sessions from day one — building the official weekly template the club uses, choosing debate topics, conversation themes, and vocabulary workshops, and keeping every session organized and consistent. He has also represented the club at MECC for more than a year and served as Secretary of Information at MECC for one year, strengthening his communication and leadership experience. Beyond his role at Big Hope Mali, he is a Web & Mobile Developer certified by Orange Digital Center, a Computer Science teacher at multiple high schools in Bamako, and also teaches Biology, Physics, and Chemistry at the secondary level. Holder of a License in Computer Science Management from ESCAE, he brings technical expertise and deep educational commitment to the club's leadership.
Ready to speak English with confidence?
Join a community of 100+ members in Bamako. Sessions every Saturday at Cours Modernes Privés Bilingues Amadou Sow (CMPBAS), ACI 2000, Bamako.
Under 18? Register with a parent or guardian.
How to join
1. Fill in the short joining form (2 minutes): forms.gle/DureJWLHjD86R2Jt5
Need help? Come on a Saturday and the welcome desk will register you, or call +223 97 21 23 33.
2. You receive your member number and are welcomed as a new member.
3. Come on Saturday at 9:00 to CMPBAS, ACI 2000. Under 18? A parent or guardian signs the authorisation form at the welcome desk. Members who attend regularly for about three months become full members: they take part in the life and decisions of the club, can take on volunteer roles and may stand for election to the executive committee.
100+
100+ members
Active & growing
Scholarship & exchange alumni
Anciens boursiers et participants d'échanges internationaux
Professionals
Professionnels
Teachers
Enseignants
Students
Étudiants
Pupils
Élèves