How to promote a sustainable future for African education

Friends of Conakry Refugee School (FCRS)

Vision for a sustainable futureConakry Refugee School

Our Vision is of a community where no

child goes to bed hungry or scared,

that has the ability to provide good

quality education for all its children and has the self-respect

and dignity that comes from having a

sustainable future

The situation

Education for all in Guinea?Large refugee community in Guinea

following the civil wars in Sierra Leone and Liberia

Lack of places for the refugee community

Overcrowded classrooms and limited educational resources

Reality: Education is not free in Guinea

Language barrier of the refugee community

The situation

The Conakry Refugee School (CRS) Set up in 1991 for refugees fleeing from civil wars in Liberia and Sierra

Leone The staff and students Challenging conditions and threat of closure With the support of FCRS, the school has been able to keep its doors

open for all who want to learn. CRS is still financially unsustainable because pupil fees cannot cover costs.

Guinea• Guinea remains overlooked by many

humanitarian and development actors due to its relative wealth, high level of corruption and political instability

• Living conditions extremely poor for the majority of the population

• Poor level of education• Improved stability: window of

opportunity in Guinea

The opportunityOur work

• Ensure the running of the school, students are fed and safe while they work towards a more positive future through education.

• FCRS and CRS: Relationship of mutual trust and respect

• Acquisition of a long-term lease on a building provides new opportunities:

subsidise their own outgoings and generate income from their assets

build on this foundation and further develop our relationship from one of donor and recipient to one of full partnership.

The solution• A project to allow CRS to be increasingly self-sufficient and

sustainable.• Sustainability for CRS will mean:

hard work, discipline and entrepreneurship Generating enough income to pay teachers a living wageMaintaining levels of excellence in teaching and learning Support for those not able to pay fees themselveswill deliver dignity, respect in the community, control over

their own future and optimism for the future

...the solution• Four micro-business plans to enhance the educational outcomes

for the young people of CRS while generating funds to allow the school to become increasingly self-sufficient. The projects:

are within the core capabilities of the school and its staff benefit the students by enhancing their skillshave demonstrable demand and are of low risk for the return

they will deliver

Micro businesses1. A Language School2. An ICT School3. A Soap Making Vocational

Enterprise4. A restaurant and catering

enterprise

The challenge• £19,000 to be raised by June 2013 so that the ICT suite can be

made ready for the first courses in XX?.

• £8,000 already raised and major donation of computers and printers secured from The University of Bergen, Norway.

• Your donation will allow us the take full advantage of this opportunity and launch the first micro-business.

• An additional £24,000 will need to be raised by 2014 to set up the remaining businesses.

• Our analysis shows that after the initial start up period these businesses will generate profits of £15,700 as well as providing the students of CRS with ICT lessons, vocational training and the language skills.

the rewardYour donation will help to create a community where no child goes to bed hungry or scared, that has the ability to provide good quality education for all its children and has the self-respect and dignity that comes from having a sustainable future.

ICTC SchoolWhat the market research shows 90% of both the English- and French-speaking communities consider that there

are not enough IT courses available High level of demand: 90% express interest in enrolling in an IT course at CRS Viability: ¾ of the English group and over half the French group report that they

are able to afford the course fee. The ICTC School

• The ICT School will run courses for CRS students during term time and for the wider community after school and in the vacations.

• Existing staff will receive training and will run the courses.

• Computer literacy is essential part of the school curriculum if students are to be prepared for the world of work or further education.

• Courses will take place in a purpose built, secure room within the school.

• Lessons will cover word processing, data collection and spreadsheets and use of the Internet.

“As we are living in the world of technology, with CRS lying far behind the rest of the world in information technology, pupils and staff see this program as an opportunity to acquire one of the most fundamental skills needed to access the world. With no other IT located in the Simbaya Gare community, local residents and pupils will also welcome this opportunity.”

Isaac Philips, Director CRS

Language SchoolWhat the market research shows...

• 90% of the English-speaking (refugee) and almost 75% of the French-speaking groups report that there are not enough language courses available.

• Over half the English and nearly two-thirds of the French communities are interested in enrolling on a language course at CRS, with approximately 70% of each group confirming an ability to pay the course fee.

The Language School

• Will run French courses for CRS students during term time and English courses for the wider community after school and in the vacations.

• Will greatly enhance the value of the education the students already receive, their employability and their chances of accessing further education within or outside of Guinea

• Capitalise on the schools’ most valuable asset to the wider community, its ability to communicate in English: provide a space for the development of intercommunity relationships build vital networks that will enhance their social capital

“In view of the great interest of the Guinean population who want to speak and write Standard English, and the influx of English companies who have invested in Guinean resources; causing the awareness of advancing their language skills which will serve as principal tool to seek employment, the school deems it necessary to embark on a Language Program. This program is also needed to facilitate an integration program for the Liberian, Sierra Leonean refugees living in Guinea”

Soap Making Vocational EnterpriseWhat the market research shows….

• Soap is a very important commodity in the community

• High level of demand: over half of those surveyed reported purchasing over 10 bars of soap per month

• Viability: over 90% of people reported a willingness to buy soap from CRS

Soap Making Vocational Enterprise

• Soap making is a good basis for a sustainable social enterprise

• Structured training in soap making and selling products to generate funds for the school

• Relatively little equipment needed

• Ingredients are reasonably easy to source

• Students can begin making soap at home and selling it within their communities and scale up their business over time

“The course would enable us to train and empower individuals to cater for their livelihood through skill acquired in soap making. To serve the community with quality products of laundry soap, bath soap and other detergent at affordable cost”

Restaurant and Catering Enterprise