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?

Groovin' for Guinea: GKEF Gets By With A Little Help From Our Friends

Guinea Kids Education Fund would like to heartily express our thanks to Mandjou and Maya Kadakia of Mandjou Mara Djembefola who held a trio of fun events in Madison, Wisconsin to benefit GKEF in late October! Groovin' for Guinea -- A Benefit for the Guinea Kids Education Fund was comprised of 3 opportunities to give:

1. Maya Kadakia's West African dance class
2. An African music show at the High Noon Saloon with music by Chafo, Limanya, Kikeh Mato, and Tani Diakite
3. A West African Dinner at the Slow Food University of Wisconsin kitchen, including a performance and Guinea style dance party led by Limanya Drum and Dance Ensemble!

All the proceeds from these events went to GKEF! Well, that deserves a trio of cheers! Hip Hip Hooray for Mandjou and Maya Kadakia and for Madison, Wisconsin! Thank you to everyone who organized and came out in support of children's education in Guinea. Together we are making a difference.

Please visit Mandjou and Maya Kadakia at http://www.mandjoumaradjembefola.com/giving_to_guinea.

Spotlight on a Guinea Kid

Sia is a young girl who now attends Nimba Elisa School in Conakry, Guinea with the help of GKEF. She is one of the new students who started school last January. For Sia, the opportunity to receive an education is a special gift.

When Sia's mother was young, she was taken out of school to get married. This was not her personal desire, but was what her family chose for her at that time. Sia's father was not unsympathetic to his new wife's grief at not being able to finish her education. And so, when they had Sia they tried their best to send her to school. But as is the case with so many families in Guinea, these caring parents live in poverty and could only afford to send Sia to school sporadically. In addition she had been placed in a level at school that was too high for her. Both of these circumstances could hardly create a successful educational experience for Sia.

The day Karim Koumbassa of GKEF came to Sia's house to tell her parents that we want Sia to go to school with a GKEF scholarship, her mother cried with relief and gratitude. Sia's father expressed his gratitude as well, acknowledging that it was "because of him" that his wife had been unable to continue in school. We hope this most deserving family can rest a bit more easily knowing that their much desired education for their daughter is now possible.

With the assistance of Karim and Soumah, GKEF's after-school tutor, Sia was placed into the right level for her and is getting ready to begin her first full school year in the 5th Year Class. The school year in Guinea starts this month.

GKEF invites you to join us in celebrating the start of our 4th school year supporting children's education in Guinea later this month! Please RSVP to the Guinea Kids Open House to let us know you are coming!

Back To School Preparations

The school year in Conakry, Guinea doesn't start back up until October, but the Guinea Kids' students began their summer tutoring this past week in order to begin gearing up for another year at the Nimba Elisa School.

Tutoring in session.

Most of our students are doing very well in school and passing onto the next level. All of our new students who just began schooling this past January will be continuing on at the same level in the fall so that they can each get the full year of education in their respective levels. Our dedicated tutor, Soumah, will spend the rest of August and September helping all the children prepare for the year ahead.

Soumah with some students in the homework/tutoring place.

For several of the students, school is an extra challenge set within the harsh reality of life in Guinea. Seydouba, a preschool-age boy, was very sick for a while this year and missed out on a lot of school. He is doing much better now and will be back in school this October. Another young girl, N'mah, stopped going to school because her mother never went to school and didn't understand the value of it until Karim spoke with her.

One of our students, a 13 year old boy nicknamed Bosana, has been struggling for months to focus on school after the tragic death of both of his parents. Bosana is a very smart boy, but attending school has just not been important to him in the light of his loss. He has been avoiding going and instead wanders around the neighborhood. While Karim was in Guinea, he kept close tabs on Bosana and spoke earnestly to him about the importance of school and his responsibilities to attend as a member of Guinea Kids.

GKEF member extraordinaire, Alya Koumbassa, arrived in Guinea last week for a long awaited return visit to his homeland and will be conducting some important business for GKEF while there. One of these business items will be to continue the efforts of encouraging Bosana to remain in school. All of us at GKEF are truly rooting for this young man to find his way, take courage, and become inspired once again by the possibilities of an education.

Against all odds, we continue to hold a candle of hope for these vibrant and talented children to stay in school, obtain an education, and see opportunity and possibility open up for themselves and for their families and communities. May being a part of this project someday bring each of these children the self-confidence and knowing that they have been a part of something larger. And may they be inspired to give back to their communities each in their own way.

Many of the supplies that your donations provide!

While Alya is there he will also be overseeing the purchasing of new school year supplies, uniforms, and shoes for the 25 students. Alya will also continue to provide further managerial training to Yamousa, Francoise, and Soumah who have all been doing an excellent job for GKEF. Alya will support Francois and Soumah to meet with parents to share with them their children's grades and progress and continue to stress the importance of school. We are very grateful to have such a team of caring and trusted people supporting our program and making all of our dreams for these children a reality in Conakry.

Below is a very short video of the big street crossing on the way to school for the Guinea Kids. The road may be littered with obstacles, but we get by with a little help from our friends. Don't ever give up!

GUINEA KIDS GETS A MAJOR TUNE UP!!

PART DUEX

The Homework Place Gets An Upgrade

The big project that was accomplished this year was the renovation of the Homework Place. The space in the front yard of the Koumbassa home where the GKEF students gather for tutoring 4 days a week was formerly made from partial walls and a partial roof. It was not protected from Guinea’s intense rainy season or from the distracting noise next door. Above is a photo of what the Homework Place used to look like.

Karim organized workers and neighbors and even the kids helped in building a new structure.

The children in the neighborhood really enjoyed aiding in the construction of their own homework place. Imagine how good it must have felt to them to have the quality of their educations matter enough to have their own place built. Imagine their satisfaction and investment in helping to build their new Homework Place.

According to Karim many of the children were quite hilarious in their construction efforts. Once it took five children to attempt to lift a wheelbarrow full of cement, sand, and gravel, then they were mixing the wrong things together, and finally ended up throwing sand on each other! Needless to say, they had some fun!

Complete with three concrete walls and a full roof, the Homework Place is now a permanent building protected from rain and external sound.

Two new chalkboards, closets for teacher and student supplies, and custom made bench-desks were also added to enhance the use of the space.When the children first came to see the Homework Place after it was finished and the chalkboards and desks were arranged, they were all very surprised by their “fancy” new seats.

Karim asked them, “What do you think all these chairs are for?”
The answer he received was, “Are you going to open a movie theater?”
“No! They are for you!” The children were overjoyed.This is your place, kids. Enjoy it.