Brang Mai of Mali Yang village recounted his experiences I ll never forget the day when Chinese men came to check terrain conditions for road construction in December 2011. We were drying paddy on the embankment, and because they didn t want to walk in the mud, they stepped on the paddy with their shoes.

A view of the Niger river from the embankment of Sekoro, Mali A traditional Malian boat on the river Niger, en route to the market Ouro Mody, a village on the Niger bank traditional Fula architecture The mosque of Djafarabe, in Fula territory Women fetch water from the river to water rice paddies A fisherman's son tends to play with the tool of the trade Life aboard the UNESCO boat A crew member, in traditional head dress A Pirogue (dugout) sailing off as dusk descends on the Niger