The Guinea Mission of the U.S. Agency for International Development: Advancing Democratic Governance
Speech of Hadja Nene Adama Sow, Prefectoral Federation of PTAs, Dalaba
Hadja Nene Adama Sow was one of five recipients of an achievement award at a recent ceremony in Conakry that recognized the contributions of Guineans who have received training support from USAID. Sow received her training through PACEEQ, a USAID-funded education program that provides support to local parent-teacher associations (PTAs) as well as Local Alliances for Girls' Education. The following is a translation of her remarks.
"When the Parent-Teacher Association was created in 1986 and until 1997, PTA board members were chosen from the community's most influential persons (rural development committee members or district presidents), in collaboration with local school director. The board didn't include women or, if it did, she was most of the time in charge of social affairs; in other words, preparing meals for visitors.
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| Hadja Nene Adama Sow |
"Starting in 1998, things began to change with the implementation of USAID-funded education programs in support of Guinea's educational system. Those programs trained the PTAs at the local level through workshops, brainstorming sessions, forums, study tours, monitoring and evaluation. In the training modules, we covered (among other themes) equity, gender, health and HIV/AIDS, governance, decentralization and quality of education, strategic planning, and organizational development. The training modules enabled us [women] to understand our roles and responsibilities, and to actively participate in improving Guinea's educational system.
"Thankfully PACEEQ's approach - in the framework of the consortium of World Education, AED, RTI, EDC and Save the Children - specifically targeted women. Today, we women - mothers and spouses - are happy about the results of program. Women and youth are now involved in the decision making process at all levels and there is an increased number of women holding key positions on PTA boards.
"For example:
"The training in strategic planning and organizational development for the regional PTAs and FEGUIPAE (national council of PTAs) enabled them to request from PACEEQ the financial and technical support to organize their General Assembly. It should be added that the General Assembly took place in Dalaba at my request. I had the opportunity to provide logistical support for the General Assembly. The elections resulted in the election of 17 members, of which seven were women. This was made possible by PACEEQ with funding from USAID/Guinea.
"The last activity in which women distinguished themselves was the Mamou Regional Forum to discuss lessons learned from the PACEEQ project. In this forum, the Alliances, the PTAs, the sub-committees and other partners lobbied for school. That's why I'm very happy and proud to pay a tribute to PACEEQ, our principal partner and trainer, thanks to USAID/Guinea.
"In closing, I would like to take a moment to express again the satisfaction of women in general and all the other actors in the education system for the frank partnership we are experiencing with the PACEEQ project. We sincerely hope and wish that the magnanimous work undertaken by PACEEQ, with USAID/Guinea's support, will continue to grow in all schools for the benefit every girl and boy in Guinea.
"We would like to thank USAID/Guinea for its technical and financial support to made it happened. To Mr. Clifford H. Brown, USAID/Guinea Mission Director, and to the entire staff we simply say, "on diorama bouy" ("thank you so much" in Pular).
"Thank you."
Translation by Mariama Dalanda Barry and Alpha S. Diallo
Last updated February 5, 2007.
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