Empowering Young Guinean Women in Conakry Through Sewing
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Guinea, located in West Africa, is a country that faces numerous challenges affecting its economy, politics, social and environmental aspects. Guinean youth, representing more than half of its population, are at the heart of these challenges. Difficulty accessing education, unemployment, economic precariousness, etc. It faces multiple obstacles. However, it carries with it hope for a better future, and with the right support, it can become an engine of positive transformation for this nation. Our NGO LIFE is working in this direction with the establishment of vocational sewing training for young Guinean women from living areas in Conakry.
A few words about the current situation in Guinea
Guinea is going through a pivotal period in its history, marked by political, economic and social transformations. Political instability has remained a major challenge since independence in 1958. In 2021, the country experienced a new military coup, overthrowing President Alpha Condé, which opened a transition period under the leadership of Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya. This transition raises both hopes and uncertainties about the future of this state, in particular about the return to democratic and stable governance.
The Guinean Economy
Despite its significant natural resources, in particular bauxite, the main aluminum ore of which it is the largest producer, Guinea remains one of the poorest countries in the world. Its economy is heavily dependent on mining, a sector largely controlled by multinationals, which limits the benefits for the national economy and for the local population. Moreover, the agricultural sector, which employs the majority of the population, is largely non-mechanized, with low productivity. To make matters worse, it is affected by the consequences of climate change, which is increasing the frequency of droughts and reducing water resources. Basic infrastructures, such as electricity and access to drinking water, remain inadequate, especially in rural areas.
Did you know : according to the authorities, Nearly 44% of Guineans live below the national poverty line, set in 2019 at 16,423 GNF per person per day, or around 1.6 EUR.
Guinean Society
At the social level, inequalities persist between the different regions of the country, and ethnic tensions, exacerbated by political crises, constitute an obstacle to national cohesion. Access to basic services, such as education and health, is limited, especially in rural areas. The education system suffers from a lack of resources and quality, while the health system is underfunded and under-equipped, as evidenced by the difficulties encountered during health crises such as the Ebola epidemic and the recent COVID-19 pandemic.
And Guinean Youth in All This?
Guinean youth, although affected by the country's economic, social and political challenges, remains a symbol of hope for the construction of a better future.
Unemployment and Economic Precariousness
Job opportunities are extremely limited for young Guineans. The lack of perspectives causes many to feel frustrated. Some try to migrate to other countries in search of better opportunities, sometimes at the risk of their lives.
Rural Exodus and Migrations
Faced with the lack of economic opportunities in rural areas, many young people are leaving the countryside to try their luck in cities, where they hope to find a job. However, Guinean cities, like Conakry, are already overcrowded and lack the infrastructure to accommodate this growing population. This exodus is causing living conditions in urban areas to worsen.
Limited access to education
Although progress has been made in terms of school enrollment, the quality of education is low. Educational infrastructure is often inadequate, especially in rural areas, and teachers are poorly trained and poorly paid. Poor access to quality education limits future opportunities for young people, making it difficult for them to enter the labour market.
A lack of entrepreneurial support
Many young Guineans are enterprising and creative, but they often lack support to develop their projects. Access to the financing, training, and resources needed to start and grow a business remains limited. This is hampering the development of local entrepreneurship, which could however be a driver of economic growth and job creation.
Encouraging Hope and Opportunities for Guinean Youth
Despite these difficulties, Guinean youth have enormous potential to play a key role in the country's development. She is dynamic, resilient, and eager for change. Several initiatives and opportunities are emerging to support it and help it meet the challenges it faces. Among them, our NGO LIFE proposes with its local partner FAG-HDF to support girls and young women from Conakry who are out of school or not attending school.
Let's take a closer look at what this project is all about.
The Objectives of the Sewing Training Offered to Young Guinean Women
Contribute to the improvement of the status of women in Guinea
Despite growing recognition of their rights, young Guinean girls and women often face deep-rooted gender inequalities. They are exacerbated by cultural practices such as early marriages, female genital mutilation, and discrimination in access to education and economic opportunities. The literacy rate among women remains low compared to men, limiting their active participation in political and economic life. For those with diplomas, the unemployment rate remains quite high due to the lack of employment or the mismatch between training and market needs.
Furthermore, although progress has been made in the area of legislation to protect their rights, enforcement is often insufficient. The fight for the empowerment of women in Guinea also faces structural challenges, such as poverty and political instability, making improving their status a complex but essential priority for the country's development.
It is to meet this imperative that the project entitled “Vocational training and empowerment of young girls and women from experienced backgrounds in the Republic of Guinea” was set up. It consists in offering the opportunity to women involved in training to succeed and develop in order to empower themselves, as well as strengthen their purchasing power by creating a coworking network and a laboratory for the professional success of women in Guinea.
The Implementation of the Sewing Project
20 Years Old Girls from Conakry Are Selected to Follow the Training for 1 Year and create their business in the sewing trades. A flexible fund is available to help them set up their sewing business, with follow-up after the training. This support covers workshop rentals and a fund of GNF 5 million per beneficiary for the purchase of equipment and business start-up costs. The sustainability of the project is thus ensured. A bank account is opened in the name of each beneficiary with individual follow-up for one year in order to have convincing and positive results.
Our partner in the field
To perfectly meet the needs of the target population and guarantee the sustainability of the project, our NGO LIFE collaborates with an association well established in the field, which knows all the specificities of the project. It's about The FAG-HDF, association under the 1901 law relating to the creation and functioning of organizations resulting from migrations (OSIM) in France. It works essentially for the socio-economic development of Guinea and the improvement of the health and educational conditions of Guineans in France and Guinea as well as for the promotion of its culture internationally. Since its creation in 2018, the organization has carried out several humanitarian and development projects with its partners, mainly in France and the Republic of Guinea.
By providing young girls with educational opportunities, protecting them from gender-based violence, and helping them become progressively independent, we are helping to shape a generation of young women who can transform their future and that of their country. Continued support for projects like this is essential so that Guinean youth, and especially young girls, can realize their full potential and participate actively in building a more prosperous and equitable future for all.
Together, let's support access to education and training for young people in all countries.
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