We work with primary and secondary teachers in rural areas in Guinea to help children and adolescents reach their full potential. The education system in the country generally focuses on rote memorization. Students are taught to remember information but are not pushed to higher levels of learning, namely application, analysis, evaluation, and creation (Bloom’s Taxonomy). Further, cities located upcountry get the least qualified teachers, exacerbating inequities. This education system leads to poor learning outcomes. For example, 83% of Guinean children of late primary school age are not proficient in reading (World Bank). This failure of the educational system is reflected in the fact that only 6% of the population aged 25+ attain tertiary education (USAID). It also limits children from becoming critical thinkers and applying what they learn to create or secure employment in the future. Regardless of these issues, in rural towns, students are resilient and often do everything they can to succeed and contribute to the community.
We also work with unemployed rural Guinean youth to give them the opportunity to prosper in place despite persisting adversities (poor education and unfavorable economic policies and practices). The high rate of unemployment and underemployment is creating a strong sense of hopelessness and despair in Guinean communities. For example, 60% of university graduates are unemployed (Guinean National Institute of Statistics, 2016). This lack of opportunity creates a high desire among even highly educated young people to escape the country to go to Europe or the USA, leading to a massive brain drain from the country.
In the summer of 2006, a forerunner of Jeune Espoir (Jeunesse Espoir) came to be. That summer four college students from North America led a 6-week program at the Center of Hope called Centre Espoir involving 15 Guinean youth chosen after application to participate. They learned computer skills and English, studied and debated issues of the day, did community service, and visited NGOs and private enterprises in the area to see what they were doing to contribute to the community.
One of the participants in that program was Sekou Mansaré, who went on to found the NGO Jeune Espoir in 2014. In the summer of 2009, he and his friends began running the computer skills training center at Centre Espoir . Later this developed into a cyber café where people could send and receive email and go on the Internet. He also identified and installed software for learning English and began teaching live English classes as well. Centre Espoir also became a hub for after-school tutoring in school subjects, homework completion and studying for national exams.
The ONG Jeune Espoir is now carrying on a good part of the work that Centre Espoir’s founders formerly did. When its three arms are fully functioning, JE will be empowering Guinean youth to participate in and contribute to the global economy from right where they are — Guinea. In so doing, they will break the cycles of unemployment, poverty, and emigration to the West.
As described by Taplin and others (2013), the Theory of Change defines or redefines an initiative’s goal and maps backward to identify all necessary preconditions to happen for success.
Our Theory of Change shows the impact (Successful School-to-Work Transitions and Responsible Leadership) that we would like to see achieved in the lives of as many Guineans as possible.
Then, it shows the outcome pathways that lead to the impact. "Relevant and Rich Learning Outcomes" are essential to having “graduates who are self-starters, resilient, innovative, and highly skilled". “Skilled, Analytical, and Environmentally Conscious Entrepreneurs" who have “Access to Funding” are necessary to having “Responsible and Prosperous Entrepreneurial Projects.”
For “Relevant & Rich Learning Outcomes,” we initiate teachers to "Powerful Blended Learning" and students to "Digital Literacy, English, and Inter-Cultural competencies." We also build “Locally Relevant Digital Educational Resources” for students and their teachers.
To have “Skilled, Analytical, and Environmentally Conscious Entrepreneurs,” we take youth entrepreneurs through our “Sustainable Livelihood Identification and Creation Program". To have “Access to Finance” to start or improve their entrepreneurial projects, we do "Fundraising Campaigns" for our beneficiaries.
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