The country is located on the African west coast, is rich in raw materials, has enough water resources and is still one of the poorest countries in the world.
The country is located on the African west coast, has about 11 million inhabitants, is rich in raw materials, has enough water resources and is still one of the poorest countries in the world (World Development Index 2010: Rank 156 of 169).
On October 2, 1958, Guinea became the first country in West Africa to break away from France, which subsequently dropped Guinea. This rapid independence resulted in economic and political isolation. To this day, the country is heavily influenced from the outside because of its raw material reserves. The first president, Ahmed Sékou Touré, remains a symbol of resistance to the colonial powers in Africa. After his death in 1984, the military regime of General Conté replaced the socialist government. In 1990, the people adopted a democratic constitution and elected Conté for president. In 2011, the former oppositionist Alpha Condé was his successor.
The country has one of the lowest gross domestic product in the world and more than 80% of the working population is employed in agriculture.
At least 35% of children under the age of five – and increasingly the trend – suffer from chronic malnutrition. The transmission rate of AIDS at birth is high. One million young people have no education. Almost 70% of the population over the age of 15 are illiterates. Insufficient medical care, poor hygiene and malnutrition result in an average life expectancy of just 46 years.
Despite the widespread poverty, life in Guinea is marked by an amazing social peace. Although religion plays an important role for the great majority of the population, there are no tensions between the Muslim majority and the Christian and other minorities.
Situation of the children
Maymouna, Alphonse, Miriam: they share a similar fate. We’ve found these toddlers among many on the street or at work. Their desperate situation was caused by poverty and / or loss of the carer.
Lack of childcare, malnutrition and no education lead to misery inevitably. Street children are getting new problems quickly. Adults exploit them. Girls have pregnancies. Children spoke of forced labor, prostitution and prisons. They often die of disease or are killed by “a bigger one”.
All street children have plunged into this misery, because at the crucial moment no adult stood by. Resocialisation of these children is made even more difficult by the lack of vocational training opportunities. The chances of gainful employment are small and the recurrance rate is therefore still too high.
That’s why we act. Mamadou & Bineta visits these children, talks to them and provides them with the essentials. Almost always it is possible to locate their relatives and reveal the background of misery. This way help can be provided effectively so that the children can return to their family or other people.
We will continue to accompany them there furthermore until family care and school lessons are ensured. Unfortunately, it does not always succeed. Therefore, we care for very severely traumatized children temporarily and in cooperation with the authorities in our reception centre.