A look back at my 1st solidarity trip to Guinea

For those of you new to my blog, I recommend you read this article to understand who Mohamed is and how we met him.

For the others, as you can imagine, it was impossible to go around the world without spending time with him. However, beyond this young man, we wanted to be able to support other young agricultural entrepreneurs through Zébunet and Guinée 44.

That’s why we spent almost two and a half weeks in the Kindia region of Guinea, and 3 days in the Boké region on a “mission” to visit and report back to the associations. Encounters rich in emotion.

At last, we were able to see Mohamed’s pineapple field? and spend long hours talking to many of those involved in the pineapple industry, with the young people involved and their trainers, to see together how best to help them in the future.

In addition, we offered local journalists two free training courses, like those we had run in Burkina Faso: one on podcasting, run by my boyfriend, and one on social networking, run by me.

Guinea: a country lacking in everything…

I’d already had the opportunity to discover sub-Saharan Africa through Burkina Faso, but when we arrived at Conakry airport and wandered around the streets, I realized that the country was less developed than Burkina.

Here, the consequences of political imbalances and independence from colonial France are fully felt. Indeed, following independence on October 2, 1958 and the departure of the French credits and executives who had kept the Guinean administration and economy running, Guinea was destabilized. The period of Sékou Touré’s dictatorship then prompted many Guineans, particularly the elite, to emigrate to developed countries.

Today, the country still seems to be looking for a “savior” to revive it, but in the meantime everything seems to have come to a standstill. Young people have lost all hope, and many are dreaming of “adventure” (immigrating to Europe).

Electricity is intermittent, running water non-existent (wells or boreholes at home for the wealthiest), even though Guinea is considered the “water tower of West Africa”!

As for the roads, apart from a few poorly-maintained asphalt main roads, the rest are dirt. As soon as it rains, getting around becomes complicated. So, when the only means of locomotion available is a motorcycle cab, without helmet or glove, and you have to ride with two people and a driver, you know you’re riding at your own risk.

Add to that widespread corruption and a failing school system, and you have a country adrift.

The great paradox is that Guinea’s soil is extremely rich. Indeed, it is one of the world’s largest producers of bauxite. It also has impressive diamond and gold reserves.

What’s more, as I mentioned earlier, the Guineans are incredibly welcoming, despite their poverty. Every time we went out, we received broad smiles and hands? outstretched to say hello and welcome us. And without expecting anything in return.

The word that came up the most was “foté”, shouted by children who spotted us. “Foté” means white!

Compared to the Senegal we visited next, it’s amazing how much we missed those sincere, kind smiles. We clearly saw the difference between a country where tourism is not present and one where relationships have been distorted by mass tourism.

What’s more, most of the Guineans we met during our stay are courageous, willing young people who just want to be supported. They are eager to see their country finally develop.

Like Burkina faso, I’d say that all these encounters and moments spent directly with the Guineans really moved me. We were able to exchange, offer and receive in return.

We have high hopes for the future and would like to come back very soon to see all these projects come to fruition. Our meetings have enabled us to set up a partnership between the MFR (Maison Familiale Rurale) and Zébunet. Over the next few months, some fifteen young people will be able to benefit from the same support as Mohamed.

How to make a solidarity trip to Guinea and my advice for this country

If I’ve inspired you to get involved in a small way, I’d like to start by suggesting that you get in touch with local associations near you in France. This will give you a better understanding of the situation in the country, and enable you to see what needs are being addressed. Indeed, there are often differences between what we think we know about the country and the reality 😉 you need to have lived there to get a better idea of the real problems. This avoids arriving with our “knowledge and preconceived ideas”. The real actors in development are the local people themselves.

Then identify the skills you can contribute. For example, training is very much lacking in Africa. Our professions: communication and journalism have been very popular subjects for contributions, but I’m convinced that other fields can be of great interest to people: agriculture, commerce, accounting etc…

Here again, by contacting associations directly, they can, like us, put you in touch with local people who can organize meetings and/or training days.

Guinea, a country worth visiting?

It’s hard to answer this question, as we didn’t have the time or the opportunity to visit the whole country. Nevertheless, in what we were able to see and do in 3 weeks, I can say that Guinea has some beautiful natural sites. But the lack of infrastructure makes it difficult to discover them.

First of all, I’d advise you to go outside the rainy season, ideally around November or December. The weather will be a little cooler and the season will still be ideal for enjoying nature and the waterfalls.

Secondly, I advise you against going alone, without any local knowledge or contacts. I warn you about the dangers of the road in Guinea. It’s best to take a driver with a good vehicle (4×4 type) to get around safely during your stay.

Once this formality has been completed and your visa application approved ;), here is what I recommend for your stay:

When you arrive in Conakry, if you’re out of the rainy season (the better :)), spend a few days on the islands of Loos, in the Gulf of Guinea. Twenty minutes by boat from Conakry.

Then head for Kindia.

Visits to natural sites on the outskirts of Kindia :

• The Kilissi waterfalls

A green setting with a succession of waterfalls. In the rainy season, the flow is impressive, but bathing is impossible (for safety reasons). Similarly, during this period, the infrastructure is left to deteriorate, but the setting is always magnificent.

• The bridal veil

• ” 15 ” is the nickname given to the site near Kindia by all the locals, especially the youngsters who love to go there for a weekend swim. With its Jurassic Park-like scenery, the site is a dream come true. However, the story told by Guineans about this natural area is darker, as some opponents of the former regime are said to be buried here…

Finally, if you have the chance, I’ve heard that the Guinée Forestière is also a wonderful place to visit.

Before your trip, organize some meetings!

? This was by far our favorite part of our stay: our meetings with Mohamed’s family and friends, with journalists, visits to media outlets, meetings with agriculture and agricultural training professionals…

With the mother of a friend, we were lucky enough to be able to prepare a meal with her. What a pleasure it was to spend nearly 3 hours with her learning how to prepare fonio! It’s a cereal typical of the country, similar to semolina, but very difficult to prepare. Moments like this are truly unforgettable, especially as it’s during these moments that we can chat and learn more about local habits and customs.

So much for my incredible experience in Guinea. It’s up to you to live yours in this field of solidarity tourism!

I would be delighted to discuss this experience with you.

See you soon!