USAID/Guinea: Collection of Client Portraits

JULY 15, 2004

Collection of Client Portraits

Artisans in the area of the Forest Region of Guinea that was once devastated by rebel attacks are now reestablishing their businesses with help in the form of micro-grants from USAID to buy the tools of their trade.

Moussa Touré, who makes and sells cooking pots in the Madina market of Gueckedou, found himself in difficult times after rebel incursions into his town in 2000 and 2001. "When the fighting started, I left home with nine children, and three dollars in my pocket. I tried to come back from time to time, but one time I barely escaped, my shirt in tatters, because of the fighting. With regard to my work, I lost everything."

Moussa Touré, a blacksmith in Gueckedou, shows off an improved stove he made, thanks to a grant he received from USAID. The grant allowed Touré to resume his business following rebel incursions into his region of Guinea in 2000-2001. Read his story here below.

Thanks to a grant from USAID through non-governmental organization Premiere Urgence, Touré got the tools he needed to set up shop again -- aluminum, a wheel barrow, hammers -- and is back in business. "Thanks to your help," says Touré, "I am now back in business." He has also learned how to make an improved stove, which he sells now. "It heats up very well, and used less wood," says Touré.

After rebel incursions into three of Guinea's prefectures (Gueckedou, Kissidougou and Macenta) that border both Sierra Leone and Liberia, the U.S. Government was quick to provide humanitarian assistance to those who were displaced, and who lost their homes, their livelihoods, and often loved ones during the incursions. However, when residents returned to the three prefectures, they found that public and private infrastructure had been demolished, social services no longer functioned adequately, and their means to earn a livelihood have been destroyed.

USAID has over the past two years taken advantage of the climate of relative peace in the Mano River sub-region to help residents get their economic activities restarted. USAID, through non-governmental organizations Premiere Urgence, ARC, and Plan Guinee, selected 2,337 beneficiaries from the Gueckedou area to receive kits with tools for hairdressers, cobblers, blacksmiths, and other artisans like Touré, the pot maker, while 2,121 cultivators and farmers have received agricultural tools and seeds.

In addition, major renovation work has also recently been completed on major infrastructure projects, including a hospital, two schools, a vocational training center, a nutritional feeding center, and eight health posts and a work center for handicapped citizens. Local residents have also completed community projects such as improving two community water sources, and cleaning trash and debris off of public streets.

These activities, designed to stimulate local economic activity, and to build a culture of peace in these three hard-hit prefectures of Guinea, but also in the Mano River subregion, which includes Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, three countries sharing borders as well as strong cultural and economic ties that go back centuries. Once viable communities have been rebuilt, the basic conditions will be in place to allow for a progressive resumption of USAID assistance program, and hope for its residents of a more peaceful, prosperous future.


	Ali Badara's house was burned to the ground during rebel incursions in 2000-2001 in Gueckedou, but now he has gone back to work as a graphic artist, thanks to a small grant from USAID.

Ali Traoré Badara, graphic artist and owner of "The Sun" studio, has gone back to work in Gueckedou, after receiving a kit with work supplies from USAID. "My house was burned to the ground, and I needed to find a way to feed my family. Through Premiere Urgence, I received two work tables, and lots of paint and brushes, canvases and other supplies."

In speaking for himself and other artisans in the area, Badara points out, "We're in a location that was hard hit -- we've had a very tough time. But with the distribution of the kits, many people have now come back to Gueckedou and are back to work. Getting these supplies has helped us out a lot."

President of the local artisan association, Badara had the idea of holding an artisanal fair in Gueckedou. With financial support from USAID, he and other local artists displayed their wares in the Town Hall in Gueckedou on May 10 and 11th. "The idea was that if we produce these goods, we should sell them to help ourselves out of poverty. Eventually, we want to sell our goods outside of this area, even internationally."

Hawa Traore at the artisanal fair in Gueckedou, in the Forest Region of Guinea

Hawa Traoré suffered greatly during the rebel incursions into Gueckedou. “My house, and everything I owned was burned to the ground. My son was inside the house…I lost my son as well.” The rebel incoursions were with devastating consequences for Traore, who still has a hard time talking about what happened. Many families, particularly in the Gueckedou area, lost loved ones who were caught in the fighting during the incursions.

In spite of her tragedy, Traoré had to find a way to carry on after the death of her son. She also had to cope with the immediate problem at hand, which was to make ends meet for herself, her husband, her daughter, and two other children who were under her care--and do it literally starting from zero.

Having dyed cloth for years, she summoned her courage and applied for and received a grant from USAID to restart her business. “They gave me dye, gloves, basins--the basic materials I needed to restart. "I am selling material again," says Traore, proud of the material she has recently produced, "and now I am able to feed my family.”

Tamba Daniel Millimouno, an upholsterer in Gueckedou, found that he had lost everything when he came back to the town after the rebel incursions. Says Milliouno, "I had lots of tools before and didn't have to ask anyone for anything. But when I came back, everything was gone -- I didn't know what to do. I found myself having to beg to feed my family."

Tamba with a newly-recovered car seat he has repaired for a client in Gueckedou

Tamba Millimouno shows off a car seat that he has just upholstered. After losing almost everything during border incursions into Gueckedou, Millimouno was able to restart his upholstery business and make it profitable through a micro-loan from USAID.

Millimouno was put into contact with agents from USAID partner Premiere Urgence, who were giving small grants to artisans to restart their businesses. "When the agents came, I offered them a cockerel, but they wouldn't take it. They said, 'Keep it for your family.' I didn't take them seriously. I was surprised and happy to learn afterward that they chose me to be a beneficiary."

The grant Millimouno received allowed him to start working, and to make money right away through the sale of a living set, which he says came just in time. "My wife went into labor, and the sale allowed me to pay for her to have a cesarian. Thanks to Premiere Urgence, I had a big baby!" says Millimouno with pride.

One of the long-term benefits Millimouno got from the USAID intervention, which included a grant and the accompanying training in basic financial management, is that he now knows how to plan financially. "Before taking the training, I didn't know how to manage my money. Now I write everything down. I record what I make, and then I have funds for my working costs, funds for food and other necessities, and a fund for sickness or other emergencies.

"Premiere Urgence came to help those of us who had nothing," says Millimouno. "For that we are extremely grateful."

Jean Noel in fron of his watch repair stand in Gueckedou

Jean Noel in front of his watch repair stand in Gueckedou, in the Forest Region of Guinea.

Jean Noel, a watch repairman in Gueckedou, in the Forest Region of Guinea, restarted his business with a micro-grant from USAID partner Premiere Urgence. Noel lost his work materials during rebel incursions into Gueckedou in 2000-1002. Since he is handicapped and unable to run (he walks with sturdy crutches), he said that he was fortunate to have friends carry him out of harm's way when fighting erupted.

Although he is single, Noel says he is glad to be back at work since has seven people to take care of at home, including one elderly person, and six young students. "I'd like to thank Premiere Urgence for the tools they provided for me -- work tools are really what we need to succeed with our business affairs."

Stories and photos by Laura Lartigue