Making women more independent

Plan Guinea Country Director, Ibrahima Toure, distributing the training certificates

In the framework of the project, a series of training was organized to help strengthen the skills of 162 cooperatives of women smokers and fishmongers in the prefecture of Boke and Boffa in the western region of Guinea. The initiative seeks to deepen their knowledge, expertise and increase their future income. It also aims at improving living and working conditions of women to enable them to contribute more to care, education and schooling of their children.

"A woman, who earns more, spends more on her children. Supporting women by giving them training supports entire households and meets their children’s needs,” said Ibrahima Toure, Plan Guinea Country Director.

The training included topics on: small business management, credit and prevention and loss management, the knowledge on techniques of conservation and fish processing, hygiene and marketing and sales; and finally how to improve personal leadership skills.

"It's a godsend for me to participate in this training series. This allows me to make profit out of my fish trade and have more money to feed the family. Our resources are scarce and the father does not work," said Fatou Bangoura, who participated in the training.

"We are very pleased and proud to have provided such training to the participants to improve the lives of women. We are sure the women will use this knowledge to improve living conditions and health of their children," said Ms Sangare M'Balia, trainer.

The training, finished on 5 March 2011, at the Dixinn Youth House, ended with handing over the training certificates conjointly organized by Plan and the Guinean national confederation of professional fishermen (CONAPEG).

A group of women who benefited from the training

The project

The Sustainable Development of Artisanal Fishing and Aquaculture project covers Lower Guinea (the prefectures of Boke and Boffa and the community of Dixinn, Kaloum and Matam) and Forested Guinea (prefectures of Kissidougou, Guéckédou Macenta N'Zérékoré Yomou, Lola and Beyla).

The project also assumes:

• the training of 200 grassroots organizations, 162 cooperatives and artisanal fishermen in Lower Guinea and 38 fish groups in Forested Guinea; and the formalization of their groups as official structures
• the rehabilitation of 162 boats and the provision of 162 outboard engines of 15 horsepower
• the renovation of infrastructure facilities and 6 fish landing sites in Lower Guinea
• the development of 120 fish ponds in Forested Guinea
• establishing a renewable fund for the Cooperative Fish Groups 
• the creation of village savings and loan association (VS&L)

The project will strengthen the capacities of beneficiary groups, improve treatment facilities and storage of fish landing sites, improve and promote the sustainable management of marine resources and support participatory monitoring of coastal waters. The initiative complies with the EU Food Facility Programme and is funded at 90% (2,688,470 US $) by EU and 10% through Plan Ireland, for a period of 22 months from 1 January 2010.

Read more about Plan's work in Guinea.

Women of Koule celebrating the launch of the project

6 April 2011: Almost 10% of women in Guinea die in childbirth – many of them could be saved with better obstetric care during pregnancy and shortly after delivery. In January, Plan Guinea with financial support of Plan Japan launched a project to make sure that women get the necessary pre- and postnatal care they and their babies need.

"This project will implement strategies to improve the medical services in five rural communes; it will strengthen the capacity of health facilities in basic obstetric care and will ease the evacuation of pregnant women in health centres to the centres of reference," explains Ibrahima Fernandez, the Prefectural Director of Health of N'Zérékoré.

Caring for babies and mothers

Plan’s project aims at the prevention and management of obstetric complications in Koule, Koropara, Kobela and Pale in the prefecture of N'Zerekore and the commune of Zebela in the prefecture of Macenta.

With an investment of 150,000 US $, the project will realize the following activities:

• Training of health workers in emergency obstetric care
• Training of village midwives to identify signs of complications and risks during pregnancy and to refer women to the health centres
• Establishment and equipment of health centres 
• 

  Plan provides motorcycle ambulances to transport the sick to health centres

  The organization of awareness- raising campaigns in affected rural communities to inform families about the existence of the new birth health centres, and to inform about the need to refer pregnant women to these centres for better monitoring of pregnancy and childbirth
• The renovation of delivery rooms in health facilities in the five rural target communes 
• Free provision of drugs for women to treat complications after childbirth complications; and for the treatment of newborns in need of special medical attention
• Provision of a motorcycle ambulance for each centre (a bike with 3 wheels designed for transporting the sick) to transfer complicated cases to the Centre for Improved Health in Koule 

"With this project we will make sure that each woman enjoys her right to a safe delivery and can give birth in safety and under adequate care,” said Akoy Beavogui, Program Director of Plan Guinea.

Read more about Plan's work in Guinea.

Representatives of Plan Canada and Plan Guinea lay the first stone for education project

14 March 2011: On 17/18th January Plan Guinea officially launched Improving Access to Primary and Preschool Education Project in Forested Guinea in southeastern part of Guinea.

The two-year project aims at increasing children’s access to education by constructing and improving school infrastructure in the prefecture of Kissidougou, Guékédou, Macenta, N'Zérékoré, Yomou, Lola and Beyla.

In partnership with local partners and most importantly communities, Plan will

• equip almost 400 classrooms with school furniture
• construct 130 school latrines
• install 117 large-diameter wells with hand pumps
• build 10 Community Supervision Centres (CEC) of 2 classrooms each
• provide training to 20 coaches from CEC in Guinea
  

“Children must be recognized as social, political and economic actors actively involved in promoting their own rights, thus, playing a key role in transforming the world. To achieve this, youth must be provided with learning opportunities. That’s why we have developed this project to improve access to primary education and preschool in Forested Guinea,” said Akoy Beavogui, representative of Plan Guinea.

The project

The community of Bangoueta dancing and celebrating the launch of the project

In Guinea many girls and rural youth do not receive basic education. The literacy rate among youths (15-24 years) is now 59% for boys and 34% for girls whereas it is 30% among adults. The net enrollment ratio in primary education is estimated at 79% for boys and 69% among girls according to the UNICEF 2009 Global Report.

Plan’s Improving Access to Primary and Preschool Education project helps Guinean children and allows for equal access to education. Using community approach Plan strengthens community workers from the beneficiary communities, involves communities in managing funds and in the mobilization of local labor and local materials, also helps each community appoint a management committee to manage the project.

The project is part of the Ministry of Education’s Sector program implemented with UNICEF and executed by Plan and has a value of over US $ 7,8 million with contributions of US $ 1,357,578 from Plan Canada and US $ 6,481,020 from the World Bank through UNICEF.

Read more about Plan's work in Guinea.

Plan Guinea officials launching a project for war-affected children

3 March 2011: On 17th January, in the prefecture of Guekedou, Plan Guinea officially launched a large scale project for children and young people affected by armed conflict in the triangle Guinea-Liberia-Sierra Leone.

Following extensive research that revealed the high level of impact of conflict and war on girls and boys in Mano River Union countries, the project aims to reach 1000 vulnerable children and youth severely affected by armed conflict and violence in Kissidougou, Guekedou and Macenta. It is part of a cross-border initiative with Plan Liberia financed by Plan Germany’s Girl Fund.

This initiative will:

• provide protection and psychosocial support to children, implemented together with local child protection organizations World of Children and ADIB Guinea
• support vulnerable youth to generate revenues and learn new skills needed to succeed in life in partnership with a local association APARFE (Association for Protection, Improvement of Forest Resources) 
• contribute to peace building in the post-conflict zone in partnership with the Mano River Union of Women Network for Peace (REFMAP)
  

About the project

"Silent suffering" study presents the psychosocial impact of war, HIV and other high-risk situations on children in Africa

During the three-year project, Plan will promote the psychosocial well-being of children and youth and particularly of girls through psychosocial rehabilitation activities. It will also support them to access quality protection services; improve education and their chance for a sustainable livelihood. The project activities will include the strengthening of families, reunification of separated children, and community meetings to foster consolidation of peace and prevent future conflict.

"To manage this sub-regional project, all institutional, technical and community actors involved have to understand that protection must be guaranteed as a priority for local development," said Daniel Millimouno, representative of Plan.

To read more about the research at the basis of this initiative, please read

Silent suffering — About Plan — Plan International

The training provides girls with computer skills for the future

Plan Guinea is providing children with skills for the future teaching them on how to use the computer and the Internet. The training gives children access to new information technologies and to communicate with others using the internet.

The workshop is part of the Violence Against Children (VAC) campaign organized by Plan Guinea and West Africa Regional Office (WARO). The training helps children boost their future opportunities by teaching computer skills. The workshop expands their horizons by facilitating new networks among peers in different countries through email and web exchanges.

“I am very grateful to Plan for giving me this possibility to connect with my peers around the world. This is such a great opportunity for us, children, to develop skills for the future,” said Thomas Millimouno, a member of the listening club in Guekedou.

Exploring computer world

Twenty-six (26) children from Plan’s areas of operation in Guinea - Guekedou, Kissidougou, Macenta and Zalikwele– came together for the five-day workshop. Participants developed an understanding of the different types of computers and working programs including Microsoft Word. Students learned the history and evolution of new information technologies (navigation, messaging and searching by using Google). At the conclusion of the workshop, each participant set up their own Yahoo e- mail account and blog, and exchanged instant messages or emails with their peers. This opportunity has been a unique experience for some of the children.

Plan staff helps the participants take first steps into the world of computer and Internet

“Before, I didn’t know about computers or the internet, now thanks to Plan, I am dreaming of launching web pages and chatting with my friends around the world” - said Moussa, one of the participants.

To help the students retain their knowledge and enthusiasm gained at the workshop, Plan will facilitate access to computers and the internet and set up computer clubs. By regularly accessing technology, the comfort level of the students will keep growing, one day perhaps allowing them to access new livelihoods and jobs. Plan will continue to offer the workshop to new students several times a year.

Find out more about Plan's work in Guinea.

Some of the children's paintings on display in the museum

February 2010: Plan Guinea has funded an educational museum in Kissidougou in running an open doors project, fostering children’s creativity and cultural awareness.

The Musée Au Public Scolaire opened its doors to 50 children from 5 local schools, from 15th to 25th February 2010.

The project taught children about the arts and traditions of their communities, and to encourage creative expression. Workshops explored the museum’s collections, based on social life, economic life, cultural life, the effects of armed conflict, and children’s painting. The children then painted pictures about children’s rights, inspired by these themes.

Celebrating cultural richness

A kaleidoscope of different ethnicities live in Kissidougou, including the native Kissia, Kouranko, Lélé and Sarakolé. There are also the non-native Malinké, Peulh, Soussou, Toma, Gbèlè and Konianké peoples: this combined with waves of migration and conflict means there are lots of people with a mixed ethnic background. The co-existence of so many ethnic groups gives Kissidougou a rich and varied cultural heritage.

The open doors project aimed to celebrate this cultural richness, sharing it with local children. Their work was recognised by officials with 10 prizes awarded to the best artists, 7 boys and 3 girls.

Encouraging creativity

Prizes were awarded to the 10 best artists

The project had several aims over the 10 days: fostering and encouraging children’s creativity was a priority, as well as honing the students’ skills in artistic and cultural fields. Children also got the opportunity to broaden their knowledge of the culture and history of their country.

What's more, the children discussed the effects of armed conflict on Guinea's cultural heritage. They said that armed conflict is not true to Guinean moral values.

Another goal was to promote the museum and its collections to the wider public. Before the project the museum was not that well known, especially amongst primary school students, and now it is more popular. Because a space inside the museum has been dedicated to exhibiting student’s work, they now have a real sense of belonging.