Travel to Timbuktu

For centuries Timbuktu has exchanged its gold for science books, building schools and tirelessly copying the knowledge that arrived across the great desert by the hand of its calligraphers, in order to spread it across Africa. 

In the deepest darkness of the European medieval ages, the city was a light house of civilization that attracted students and experts from all over the Islamic world.

Timbuktu Brent Stirton55

1. The city of Timbuktu

    I would have liked to travel from Bamako to Timbuktu by boat, but the Niger river does not have enough water this season. I have to go by the road because there are no seats in the next planes and I don't want to stay in Bamako…
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2. The scourge of Timbuktu

I cannot understand why there are so many organizations from all over the world with centers in Timbuktu for helping people in need. Notwithstanding these centres, listening to people talking about the situation and seeing at the state of…
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3. Qaddafi’s canal

The new canal Last year, Qaddafi, the President of Libya came to Timbuktu to help the city, thanks to his great past as a beacon of faith and religion. Qaddafi asked the wise men of the city "what do you want me to build for you? Do you…
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4. The dry well of the Tuaregs

Ali Ould Sidi is the director of the cultural mission in Timbuktu. In his company, you are always sure to eat well because he is a gourmet who never misses an opportunity to taste something good. He not only takes care of managing projects…
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5. The association of courageous women

I went to the center founded by Timbuktu women with handicaps. The purpose of the foundation is to help each other and to welcome donations from organizations who are working to help the people of Timbuktu. The Germans gave them sewing…
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6. The school teacher

We had been waiting for my Senussi tailor for almost an hour, so to stretch our legs we went out into the street. I saw a handicapped girl arriving in our direction. I said to Ali: "Do you want to ask her if she is part of the Tahara association?" I…
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7. The millet bags

One morning I went to Abdurrahman the manager of the Hendrina Khan hotel. He helps the poor a lot and I asked him to buy millet for me. H informed me that these Tuaregs are so poor that they don't even have camels and that I would have to…
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8. The desert food

Millet is the favorite food of desert people because it is refreshing. It also costs half of what rice costs, but it is a lot of work to prepare it. Millet must be washed very well because when you buy it, it is full of earth and sand. When…
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9. Ali Ittiram

Ali Ittiram is one of Timbuktu's herbal doctors. I ask him about the properties of local plants. I have seen him treat malaria with herbs several times, it works in an amazing way, but he doesn't want to reveal his secret. He prefers to sell…
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10. Timbuktu’s well digger

He is to examine the well to understand why there is no water and if it is possible to make it generous with abundant water. Ibrahim knows all the modern techniques for building and reclaiming wells: he is a legend in the desert, his wells…
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11. Internet café library

I heard on the television that the library of the Timbuktu mosque had opened an internet point where there was a high speed connection. The Imam of Timbuktu’s Grand Mosque is AbdurRahman As-Suyuti, his family has inherited many ancient manuscripts…
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12. The Timbuktu manuscripts

I was explaining something to my dear friend the Imam AbduRaahman and I noticed that while I was speaking to him he appeared lost in thought. I said, "I see you are listening to me, but your heart is somewhere else, is something worrying you?" -…
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13. My desert walking stick

  The old Ismail has offered me the strangest of walking sticks. Ismail is the holy man of this piece of Sahara, the Tuaregs have seen in him the signs of a Man of God, although they concede that he is a little disturbed in his mind. However,…
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14. Starting the work

Ibrahim had transported all the material to the well and this morning we brought all of his team to the site and started preparing the field where they will have to stay until the work is finished. Ibrahim had put his rifle in the car so…
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15. Wells in the sand

A desert well is constructed as if it was made of two tubes, one been inserted inside the other. The first tube, of bigger diameter, travels downwards until it reaches the water level. The second tube is inserted into the first one. It continues…
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16. Timbuktu petrol stations

Petrol can be bought by the liter everywhere in the world, but only in Timbuktu have I seen it sold in one-liter bottles. It is totally appropriate to say "the petrol station on the street corner". Also on the roundabout. Gasoline…
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17. Aromatherapy in the desert

As soon as I arrived in Timbuktu, I had the opportunity to help people with my "Aromatherapy First Aid Kit". Belly pain, sore throat, joint pain etc ... I have called my way of healing with essences "first aid aromatherapy" for a long time…
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18. The orphans of the desert

When I saw the boy's bleeding head I was moved. The poor boy had ringworm and had scratched his head until it bled. He could not sleep at night and not even during the day. I immediately sprayed Cicatrix to disinfect it, then I prepared…
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19. Around the well

We are in the Sahel, the sub Sahara, but the desert is advancing every year. The salt from the Taudani mines, 840 km further on in the desert, is still partly carried by camel back. Little guests finish our leftovers, they…
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20. Ali Ittiram medicinal plants

  Gorboy tree (wild dates). Probably the most important of his remedies. Saboy tree Amalagia tree Camel dungs Ganda Dar grass (black) Ganda Dar grass (white) Shells from the river Niger The gum tree Ginger roots   …
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21. The king of the Jinns

  The workers want to abandon the well. They are afraid. During the night, they hear strange noises and the king of the Tuareg told them that some envious people made a curse on the well and that someone will certainly die. It is probably…
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22. Down the well

  The well has been reinforced right down to the water and Ibrahim’s workers are emptying the well of sand. This is the most delicate operation of the whole process, because without a special technique, the sand would rise as it was removed,…
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23. Solution for disabled women

  Today was a good day. We are happy Ali and I. We had been looking for 3 weeks for a way to help disabled women without finding the right one. To make sure that all the women were present at the meeting, we decided to let people know that…
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24. The new team of the well

Its been a month since we started work. Ibrahim, Ali and I often return to Timbuktu but the workers have to stay here and they are tired. Some of them have also become listless and the work is not proceeding as it should. Ibrahim has decided…
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25. Desert doctors

The "king" of the Tuareg, as Ali calls him, has made an empty warehouse available for us to use as a clinic. Today is the day for appointments with the sick. The "king" himself gets his eyes, damaged by the winds and the sand, treated by…
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26. The fortieth day

  Today is the fortieth day since I signed the contract with Ibrahim to rebuild the Tuareg well. Today was a day of hope and truth. There is never hope without there having been despair first, and in fact yesterday was a day of discouragement…
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27. The small engineer of the desert

  Baba is not one to get underfoot. I have been seeing him for a few days now by the water tank, alone and playing with the sand, but I have not paid attention to what he was doing. I only discovered his game today; Baba is building a miniature…
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28. New well, new life

  The well is about to be completed, inshaAllah, as we always say here. The day set to reach the depth of 5 metres of water is tomorrow. We are very confident of success because the premonitory signs are multiplying. The first sign…
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29. Bir Amin, trusted well

  On the third day we measured the depth of the well. Mamutu had already done it the previous day and everyone knew they had already won the 20,000 franc prize. But that's not the case, there are still eighty centimetres missing to get…
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30. The last day

  Today we returned to dismantle the camp and pour Zam Zam's water into the well. The "King’s" nephew worked with our workers in a way that impressed us all. He worked much harder than they did without ever creating a problem. His uncle…
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31. Farewell to Timbuktu

The people with whom I have spent all my time over the last two and a half months, Ibrahim, Ali and his daughters, have accompanied me to the airport. My last view as we take off, is of my friends on the ground. From the sky Timbuktu,…