[FOG news] 2008 FOG board announced

Friends of Guinea would like to congratulate the following people who were elected to the FOG board during recent elections:

Secretary: Stephanie Chasteen

Communications Director: Brian Farenell

Financial Officer: Shad Engkilterra

Projects Director: Claire Lea

Membership Director: Brian Clappier


We'd like to offer a big thanks to our outgoing officers for their volunteer service: Annie Kneedler, Mackenzie Dabo and Emily Ramshur.

Thanks again both to our outgoing officers and to our new and continuing ones.

[FOG news] Board nominations period extended; volunteers still needed

Dear FOG members,
The nominations' period has been extended until this Friday March 21. We have not yet heard from any volunteers for the available positions (secretary and communications) so if you might be interested, please contact me at this email address in the next few days.

Full updated info can be found by clicking here.

Thanks,
Brian Farenell
FOG Elections Coordinator

[Guinean news] Calm returns to Fria

Guinéenews reports that after the rioting of earlier this week, calm has returned to Fria. The management of the aluminium company Russal was forced to provide electricity to the town. The plant was blamed by rioters for hogging all the municipal power.

The cabinet has decided to send a delegation to Fria to explain to the population the 'limited possibilities' of providing electricity to the town.

[Guinean news] Rioting rocks Fria over power cuts

Protests have hit the coastal Guinean city of Fria, causing the evacuation of many foreign workers in the town's alumnium plant.

Protesters erected burning barricades and attacked homes and hotels housing expatriates from a Russian-controlled alumina plant on Tuesday.

The riots broke out after several days of power outages which many residents blame on the alumnium plant's consumption of electrity.

[Guinean sports] Guinea's top club excluded from soccer league

The Conakry soccer club AS Kaloum (ASK) has been kicked out of this year's Guinean first division over a dispute with the country's soccer federation Féguifoot.

Guinéenews reports that ASK signed a sponsoring deal with the mobile telephone company Areeba without informing the federation. Féguifoot has an exclusive contract with a rival mobile company Orange.

Kaloum tried to play its opening match against a club from Boké but were not allowed to wear their jerseys with the Areeba logo on it. The club refused to play the match.

The second most successful club in Guinean history, ASK has won 12 championships and 6 Guinean Cups, including last year's edition of both.

[Guinean news] Meningitis hits Kissidougou area

Guinéenews reports on a disturbing meningitis outbreak in Guinea's forest region. The latest cases hit the village of Farawalla, which is located in the Alibadariya sous-préfécture of the Kissidougou préfécture.

20 cases have been reported in the village, including 5 deaths.

Public health officials in the area have created a crisis committee to tackle the disease.

[FOG news] 2008 Friends of Guinea board elections upcoming!

Dear Friends of Guinea members,
Some of you may have election fatigue, but Friends of Guinea are holding elections that everyone can get excited about and candidates don't have to spend a dime!

Every year, the following positions for FOG's board are up for election: membership director, communications director, advocacy director, financial officer, projects director and secretary.

Any member is eligible to run for any position.

But we particularly need volunteers for the following board positions:

-Communications director

-Secretary


The communications director is responsible for any communications that might occur with outside organizations, such as other Friends of * organizations. The communications director is also the point person for the newsletter coordinator, web admin and blogmaster.

The secretary is responsible for organizing quarterly board meetings and keeping minutes for it. The secretary is also the 'record keeper' of FOG's historical archives.

A full explanation of the duties of all the officers can be found here

If you have questions about or want to know more about any of these positions, please contact me at communications @ friendsofguinea.org

Nominations will be accepted through Friday March 21. Ballots will be emailed to all FOG members on March 22 and the voting period will conclude on March 28. And new officers will start on shortly thereafter, though outgoing officers will remain available in the beginning to assist with the transition period.

If you are a member of FOG and would like to run for any of the positions on the board or have any other questions that might not have been addressed above, please contact me at communications@friendsofguinea.org

Thank you.

Brian Farenell
FOG Elections Coordinator

[FOG news] What else should Friends of Guinea be doing?

Currently Friends of Guinea does many things thanks to the time and effort of its volunteers including...

-Maintaining Guinea general listserv
-Maintaining Guinea PCV parents' listserv (GPS)
-Maintaining RPCV directory
-Publish a quarterly newsletter
-Maintaining a website (as well as a version in French)
-Publishing a blog
-Offering resources for prospective PCVs and their families
-Funding of development projects in Guinea, including the gender conferences
-Partnering with organizations like Guinéenews and Partage Québec Guinée


We can't guarantee that we can do everything but we'd certainly like feedback from members about what sorts of things you'd like to see us try that we are not currently doing. Please leave your ideas in the comments section of this page or email me at communications @ friendsofguinea.org

Brian Farenell
Communications Director