I am 32 years old and was born in Abidjan in the Ivory Coast, the son of Guinean parents. After my high school graduation I went to Europe and tried to make my luck there. After I learned German, I started to study law to learn the German-French law. Unfortunately I could not finish this study. After ten years in Germany at different places, including Berlin, I decided to travel to Guinea as a volunteer through the school project of the association "Bildungsförderung für Oberguinea e.V." to support my country of origin. One year in the service of Fodecariah. My mission this year is:
to organise educational activities with pupils
to set up a tutoring system between the most gifted and less gifted pupils
to organize socio-cultural events
training and awareness-raising for young people in the use of new information technologies, including the Internet
I will do my best to inform you about the activities and daily life of the residents during my stay
My connections to Guinea
I am the son of Karinkan Keita from Batè Gabad in the Kankan region and Bintou Kakoro from Diakana in the region. This makes me a son of this country, although I was born and raised in Ivory Coast before I went to Germany.
My first trip to Guinea was in 2002, when I spent two weeks in Batè Gabad, my father's village. I don't remember much about that trip, because I was very young at that time. The only thing I do remember is that on the market day of the village, you had to wait to be able to drive back and forth by vehicle via Kankan.
On the road in Guinea
Although Gbenso is only 15 km as the crow flies from Fodécariah, communication is almost impossible because it is separated by Milo, a confluence of Niger. Therefore, during the rainy season, one has to go to Kankan to cross the only bridge and then do the 35 km long runway.
Oumar is visiting his grandfather
Commitment to Guinea
In 2017 I travelled to Guinea for the second time and spent a month between Kankan, Diakana, Batè Baghdad and Gbenso. I noticed the great progress that has been made since then, both in terms of infrastructure and in terms of living standards. I therefore understand that Guinea, like many other countries in Africa, is in full swing. This has given me the desire to take part in this great and promising adventure. I would like to contribute something positive and concrete for the growing generation there. I would also like to mention that my parents were keen to maintain a strong bond with their country of origin. This feeling of a fruitful upbringing makes me today a young Ivorian of Guinean origin who wants to do something for his country. That is why I am now doing this year of volunteer work in Fodecariah. I hope to be able to build up connections and acquire resources that will enable me to participate in the development of this country. I wish this development to the country so much.