Program Enhancements and Other Exciting Changes at GKEF

Program Enhancements

I'm really excited about what is happening with our program in Guinea right now. The "Guinea Kids" are being provided the opportunities to broaden their educational experience through field trips to learn about their greater community. They will travel to see downtown Conakry, Medina - the largest market in Conakry, and perhaps even a museum! All of which most of the children have never seen or experienced. Many of the children have never left their neighborhood of Enco-Cinq.

Karim Koumbassa, GKEF board member and family/community member in Enco-Cinq, came to me with this brilliant idea several weeks before he left Seattle to travel back home to Guinea for a few months. He will also take the children to visit some farm land where they will learn about where their food comes from while helping tend rice fields and fruit trees. "I want them to learn about all the things a person needs to know in life," said Karim.

We are fortunate to have Karim in Guinea once again this year to make sure the program in running smoothly, to meet with the parents of the students, and to make any needed adjustments. Karim truly has a passion for and dedication to helping all of these children.

GKEF has also added a new tutor, Mousa, who is helping Soumah give the students more specialized attention. Soumah focuses on the younger students and Mousa, the older ones.

New Fiscal Sponsor

We now have a new fiscal sponsor! Transformation of Education is an organization committed to creating a breakthrough in education where learning has no boundaries and no limits, where people learn to think big, adapt to their environment, and ultimately live a life actively engaged in fulfilling their dreams, driven by educators around the world who are passionate about making a difference. GKEF is proud to be associated with these ideals!

And...we have a new online donation page with Firstgiving.

New Website Coming Soon!....

We have been working hard to create a beautiful website with more information about who we are and more stories about the children in Guinea. Board member, Greg Evans, has volunteered countless hours toward building us this website. Please take a look when it launches and let us know what you think!

4th Annual Guinea Kids Benefit Concert

photo courtesy of Julie Graber c.2011
Guinea Kids Education Fund, with the help of many volunteers, put on a beautiful and exciting event this year to raise much needed funds in support of children's education in Guinea, West Africa. It was probably our best event yet! I was so proud of the work that went into making it such a great opportunity to experience the rich culture of Guinea. Unfortunately, due to a beautiful sunny day and a very busy time of year for many, the turn-out was much less than hoped for and, therefore, the amount we raised was affected. So, if you couldn't make it to the event or haven't donated yet, keep on reading! How you can help us make a difference and reach our goals will follow the highlights of the event!

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

Amidst a room decorated with gorgeous African fabrics, masks, artifacts, and drums, everyone sampled fried plantains and ginger juice, shopped in the exciting African Marketplace

photo courtesy of Mark Saran c. 2011

where you could experience a bit of West Africa trying to carry baskets on your head

photo courtesy of Julie Graber c.2011

or pound rice, all while Karim Koumbassa serenaded us with music on his ngoni, a West African string instrument.

photo courtesy of Mark Saran c. 2011

THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE SHOW INCLUDED:

* A sparkling dance performance from the 4 and 5 year olds in Marissa's World Dance classes from New Discovery School...

photos courtesy of Julie Graber c.2011

* An inspiring video presentation about Guinea and GKEF

* Traditional music and dancing from Guinea including a performance by Karim Koumbassa
photo courtesy of Mark Saran c. 2011

photo courtesy of Julie Graber c.2011

photo courtesy of Mark Saran c. 2011

We ended the afternoon with a community dance-along and lots of happiness!

HELP US REACH OUR GOAL

photo courtesy of Scott Tucker c. 2010

Thank you to all those who came to the benefit and who have contributed to GKEF's fundraising effort this Spring. Because of your generosity, thus far we have raised over $4300!

We want to reach and exceed our goal of raising $13,000 this year! If you weren't able to attend the fundraiser or didn't turn in your donation at the event, now is your chance to make a difference!

Here is how Guinea Kids Education Fund is making a difference for children and families in Guinea: for the children that enter our program, we pay for tuition, book supplies, uniforms, shoes, breakfast and lunch, and tutoring. For these children, we have completely changed the trajectory of their family’s futures along with the futures of the generations to come.

During the concert, Alya Koumbassa and Tina Zucchero, shared the touching story of how the parents of these sponsored students pooled what little money they had and bought a beautiful carved wooden statue as a symbol of their appreciation for the immeasurable difference we are making in their lives. The statue stands tall, slender, and proud and is of two people, both holding a book in front of them and a globe over their heads. Every meeting that the board members have, this statue is present to remind us of the difference we are making.

As we move forward and are clear about our mission, we have 2 goals in mind:

1. Maintain the high quality of our educational support program providing school tuition, supplies, tutoring and a meal program, and

2. Increase the quality of educational support we provide by:

a. lowering the student to tutor ratio,

b. upgrading and maintaining the students’ homework space, and

c. launching a new staff professional development program

We invite you to join us in fulfilling these goals by making a financial contribution.

photo courtesy of Scott Tucker c. 2010

HOW TO DONATE

• • Go to: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/gkef and donate securely online.
  • If you took a donation card home, you can mail it in. Just fill it out and remember to make checks payable to: Transformation of Education.
  • If your employer will match funds, here is the information they will need:
    
    

    Transformation of Education

    1506 Woodard Ct NW

    Olympia, WA 98502

    www.transformationofeducation.org

    Transformation of Education is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID 20-4359274

THANK YOU
We would like to send thank you's out once again to all of our volunteers who supported this event with their time, energy, amazing talents, and kindness. We watched a room transform before our eyes and a beautiful multimedia show full of talented performers filled our senses.

We would like to thank all of our board members for their countless hours of love and dedication. Huge thanks to our Guinean members Karim, Alya, and Yamousa Koumbassa and Francoise who handle managing the project in Guinea. Thank you to the student's tutor, Soumah.

Lastly, two important thank you's. One to all the donors who have and continue to support this project and keep it going. And, lastly, thank you to the GKEF students and their families in Guinea who work hard, persevere, and have hope.

Wonawali and Wontanara,
(Thank you all and We Are All Together)

The GKEF Team:
Marissa Baratian, Greg Evans, Kim Copeland, Lisa Sanderson, Alya Koumbassa, Julia Koumbassa, Karim Koumbassa, Sarah Lee Parker Koumbassa


Watch GKEF's inspiring video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8M70FkEl46E

Help us reach our goal of $13,000 and/or if you couldn't attend the fundraiser, please consider donating at:
http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/gkef

The Guinea Kids: In Their Own Words

While recently in Guinea, I sat down with some of the Guinea Kids to ask them about what they are learning at school and about what interests them. Here's what they had to say:

"I learn how to do math and read my lessons and learn to write and to draw. When I finish school I want to be a tutor and be a doctor."

~Yonfila Youla, age 9, year 2

"I like to learn the lecture and take my books and read. I sharpen my pencil and write down my lesson from the board. I want to be a construction worker and a mechanic."

~Mohamed Kairaba Koumbassa, age 8, year 2

"I like to read the alphabet and reading the board. I want to be a mechanic for fixing cars. I want to read Arabic."

~Ibrahima Calille, age 5, year 1

"I learn how to read the lessons at school and singing."

[What is your favorite thing to do after school?]

"I take my book and do homework."

~Mohamed Lamine Camara, age 6, year 1

"I learn how to read and write and to calculate and I am starting to learn to read in English a little bit. I learn how to read my lesson. I want to be a teacher."

~Mabinty Youla, age 12, year 5

"When I’m at school I learn how to do math and how to draw.

When I come home from school I say hello to my mom and dad and neighbors, change clothes, eat, take my books and study until it is time to study with everyone."

~ Alhassane Youla, age 10, year 5

"I learn French and “A” and “B” and “C.” When I come home I take my writing board and I take my uniform and my bag and go to school."

~Oumou Kieta, age 4, preschool

A Visit To Guinea

I recently had the delightful and deeply moving experience of spending a month in Guinea staying in the neighborhood where the Guinea Kids students live. Many of these children I knew when I visited 3 years ago and was overjoyed to see them again grown that much bigger! Addams is the girl in the center of the photo above. I fell in love with her the last time I was there. My final memory of her 3 years ago was one of her falling asleep in my lap on my last night in Guinea and then being carried off to bed. I didn't know if I'd see her again. Then later that year I heard that Addams was no longer living in the neighborhood. I didn't think I'd ever see her again. But as Sarah Lee Koumbassa, GKEF board member and my co-host in Guinea, greeted me on my arrival to the Enco-5 neighborhood last December and walked me through the neighborhood introducing and reintroducing me to neighbors and family, a little girl called Addams came forward. I was so surprised and delighted to see her again! And even though I was sure she wouldn't have remembered me at her young age, we seemed to picked right back up with our dear connection. And so it was with all of my Guinea family and with the children. I am also happy to say that Addams became our newest GKEF student while I was there! There is now a total of 26 children benefiting from the GKEF program.

Above are 2 more GKEF students, Mohamed Lamine (a.k.a. Bouboudi which means monkey in his native language of Sousou) and Mohamed (who usually acts more like a monkey than Bouboudi). Here both boys are ready to leave for school. It was deeply satisfying to spend time with each of the children in the GKEF program and to see and feel the impact GKEF is having 3 years after its inception. These children are understanding the importance and value of education as they become increasingly aware of all the people surrounding them who want to help them succeed; people like you who live on the other side of the world and yet care enough to support them and their efforts. And, believe me, they all work so hard to do well in school. When asked what they like to do after school, many of the children answered that they like to take their books and study with Soumah, GKEF's after-school tutor (pictured below center). When Soumah reviews the lessons with the students and asks them questions, they all eagerly raise their hands nearly jumping out of their seats (actually, several of them do jump out of their seats) to be called on to answer. Even if they don't have the right answer, they still want to participate and learn.

Above GKEF's 3 super staff members in Guinea: Yamousa, Soumah, and Francoise. Yamousa, our trusted financial officer, works incredibly hard for his family and for the GKEF program. I was delighted to meet Soumah and Francoise for the first time on this visit. They are the kind of people you instantly know are wonderfully caring, loving, and trustworthy. They are all dedicated to GKEF and we are so grateful for them! I cannot overstate the importance of having trustworthy, dedicated, and competent people providing our program's infrastructure on location. They give us peace of mind.

Tutoring Time!

After-school tutoring time! Or as Soumah and the children call it: Revision (avec l'accent francaise). The children sit smooshed onto 4 desk-benches that GKEF provided them last year. Unfortunately, one of the desk-benches was stolen and the 4 remaining are clearly inadequate space for them all. The 5 that GKEF initially provided were still not enough as Soumah explained that the children become distracted by their cramped quarters. During a GKEF meeting in Guinea, plans were made to have 4 more benches built for a total of 8 for the 26 students.

Today Soumah is reviewing vowels with the younger children while the older children read from their lesson books. Above Sedouba takes a turn saying the vowels with Soumah.

Above and below: Remember Binty Youla from GKEF's holiday season story card? Well, she's as bright and beautiful as ever. She always, always greets you with a warm smile on her face. I love this young person's strength to live in joy even though everyday life holds many hardships.

(photo courtesy of (c) Stephanie Allard)

(photo courtesy of (c) Stephanie Allard)

Binty Youla loves school and wants to be a teacher when she grows up.

A Meeting with the Students

With the help of Karim Koumbassa (GKEF board member and my co-host in Guinea) translating, I met with the Guinea Kids to share some things I brought from the states. Stephie Allard helped pass out the t-shirts that she and others made at Guinea Kids Open House last October.

The children speak in english and in unison: "Thank you Guinea Kids Education Fund. We love you and we thinking about you. Peace."

Fasinet and Mohamed model their new t-shirts.

I shared a book of stories and photos about New Discovery School where I teach in the states.

Books that were donated by families at New Discovery School were passed out for the children to look at. These simple picture books will be useful for them while they are learning English at school.

Joie de vive!

These children have so much joy to give to the world! They play as hard as they work!

Some of the children learn traditional dance with family friend, Lamini.

A big harvest of rice from the family land! All the children who are around help with the drying of the rice and have lots of fun doing it! Soulyman and Mohamed Lamine were like 2 dogs digging.

Sarah Lee, N'Bountou, and Youssouf help repackage the rice.

Soulyman helps carry kitchen items and an instrument called a bolon to be loaded up for a trip.

Always loving and affectionate!

Fasinet shows me how to play with the ancient game of hoop and stick.

Mohamed Lamine plays an instrument called a gongoma, made from a calabash gourd and saw blades.

To know Ismael is to know a bright and shining star. A most charismatic young person, he is our student in the highest level: year 7.

Mohamed and Mohamed Lamine (Bouboudi) help little Binty Youla with her drum skills.

Lots of this sport happening everywhere.

Playing with homemade toys made out of sticks and old tin cans. Bouboudi is even wearing a hat he made out of a discarded piece of cardboard.

Everyone loves to dance!

Ismael helps little Kadiatou on the drums.

Future GKEF Students?