Becky and Rick Thyne shared the following thoughts (reposted here with permission) upon hearing that the gender conferences would continue.
Dear friends of Guinea and the Peace Corps programs there:
Our son Jesse Thyne and his Peace Corps Volunteer friend and colleague Justin Bhansali were killed in a highway accident near Pita nearly seven years ago, on January 7th, 2000. They were returning from a holiday in Ghana, each heading back to the kind of important work all of you are so deeply involved in.
What prompts this note is the announcement about the gender conferences. Jesse was deeply commited to the women and girls of Diountou, the village an hour from Labe where he worked. After he died, several of our friends donated money to a fund in his memory, which we used in conjunction with the people of his village and Jesse's Guinean friend and patron, Mamodou Korka Diallo, to build a Center for Women and Girls in the village.
We're pleased to know that all of you are still making such an heroic effort to draw attention to gender inequality and to lift up women and girls so that they share in the benefits of education and dignity to which all of you are so dedicated.
We're also reminded that many of you will be on the road during these holidays and we're eager for you to be very careful and prudent as you travel.
We send you our continuing gratitude for your bravery and deligence as you continue in "the hardest job you'll ever love," and we send you our warmenst holiday greetings
Becky and Rick Thyne
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Monday, December 18, 2006
[FOG/PC-Guinea news]: Gender conferences a go!
Friends of Guinea Secretary Stephanie Chasteen passed along the following information from PCV Brian Buehler. He reports that Peace Corps Partnership Program (PCPP) has agreed to allow funding for the gender conferences. These conferences, run by Peace Corps volunteers in the field, have been one of the most successful projects ever sponsored by FOG. Thanks to everyone who wrote to PC and PCPP in support of the conferences! Brian B's letter is below:
Friends of Guinea,
We received confirmation last week that OPSI will again permit camps – which includes the Gender Conferences – as viable projects under the Peace Corps Partnership Proposal (PCPP) guidelines. This is exciting news, as it will truly facilitate the funding of the Conferences. It was clear that your communication had a fundamental influence on their thought process as they made this decision. Thank you for continuing to work hard for the people and volunteers of Guinea. You are having a great effect here, even from so far away!
We have been working hard on the Girls’ Conferences, and they promise to be excellent this year. With the move last year of the Fouta Conference, we will be well integrated into the community of Mamou and can take full advantage of all its resources. Basse Cote Volunteers will also participate in Mamou, where they should find the facilities at ENATEF excellent as always and the burden of travel a bit lighter. Planning for the Haute Guinée Conference is in full swing as well, with the usual generous community contributions and volunteer enthusiasm. We also look forward to incorporating two local organizations into the fold as planning partners for the Conferences. This will aid the volunteer organizers in their preparation and ease the transition from one generation of volunteers to the next.
We will be submitting the PCPP Proposal for the Girls Conferences shortly. Thanks very much for your help over the past few months, as we could not have done it without you.
Brian Buehler
Third-year Agency Initiatives Volunteer
Peace Corps Guinea
Friends of Guinea,
We received confirmation last week that OPSI will again permit camps – which includes the Gender Conferences – as viable projects under the Peace Corps Partnership Proposal (PCPP) guidelines. This is exciting news, as it will truly facilitate the funding of the Conferences. It was clear that your communication had a fundamental influence on their thought process as they made this decision. Thank you for continuing to work hard for the people and volunteers of Guinea. You are having a great effect here, even from so far away!
We have been working hard on the Girls’ Conferences, and they promise to be excellent this year. With the move last year of the Fouta Conference, we will be well integrated into the community of Mamou and can take full advantage of all its resources. Basse Cote Volunteers will also participate in Mamou, where they should find the facilities at ENATEF excellent as always and the burden of travel a bit lighter. Planning for the Haute Guinée Conference is in full swing as well, with the usual generous community contributions and volunteer enthusiasm. We also look forward to incorporating two local organizations into the fold as planning partners for the Conferences. This will aid the volunteer organizers in their preparation and ease the transition from one generation of volunteers to the next.
We will be submitting the PCPP Proposal for the Girls Conferences shortly. Thanks very much for your help over the past few months, as we could not have done it without you.
Brian Buehler
Third-year Agency Initiatives Volunteer
Peace Corps Guinea
Sunday, December 10, 2006
[FOG/PC Guinea news] Progress on Gender Conference funding snafu
Earlier, Friends of Guinea reported on threats to the Gender Conferences by some recent Peace Corps administrative changes. Peace Corps Guinea Country Director Steve Petersen reports the following update:
FOG members:
We received guidance that indicates OPSI [Office of Projects and Special Initiatives] will fund 'camps', but the guidance didn't specifically address the issue of funding transportation and lodging. Though a large part of any 'camp' cost, this cannot be assumed (and, the guidance was based on the liability issues involved with 'camps', not the lodging and transportation issue), so I asked for clarification.
Today I received word from PC/W [Peace Corps headquarters in Washington] that lodging and transportation can be funded, and we are now actively working on getting the proposals (for both the girls and boys conferences) ready to send to OPSI. We'll let you know when they have been reviewed and posted.
I am also working on getting the excess funds returned from the conferences last year applied to the the events planned for this year; something OPSI told us they would do, and now that the lodging and transportation issue has been resolved, I believe it is something we can make happen.
Best to all of you, and thank you for your continued support.
FOG members:
We received guidance that indicates OPSI [Office of Projects and Special Initiatives] will fund 'camps', but the guidance didn't specifically address the issue of funding transportation and lodging. Though a large part of any 'camp' cost, this cannot be assumed (and, the guidance was based on the liability issues involved with 'camps', not the lodging and transportation issue), so I asked for clarification.
Today I received word from PC/W [Peace Corps headquarters in Washington] that lodging and transportation can be funded, and we are now actively working on getting the proposals (for both the girls and boys conferences) ready to send to OPSI. We'll let you know when they have been reviewed and posted.
I am also working on getting the excess funds returned from the conferences last year applied to the the events planned for this year; something OPSI told us they would do, and now that the lodging and transportation issue has been resolved, I believe it is something we can make happen.
Best to all of you, and thank you for your continued support.
Saturday, December 09, 2006
[Health news] Malaria worsens AIDS risk?
According to a BBC report, scientists working in Kenya believe that there may be a link between malaria and the spread of AIDS across the African continent.
The study, published in the journal Science, says the way the two diseases interact can help them spread faster.
When people with Aids contract malaria, it causes a surge of HIV virus in their blood, making them more likely to infect a partner, the research says.
Meanwhile people weakened by HIV are more likely to catch malaria.
AIDS and malaria are the two biggest natural killers in Africa.
Note: the abstract of the Science article can be found here.
The study, published in the journal Science, says the way the two diseases interact can help them spread faster.
When people with Aids contract malaria, it causes a surge of HIV virus in their blood, making them more likely to infect a partner, the research says.
Meanwhile people weakened by HIV are more likely to catch malaria.
AIDS and malaria are the two biggest natural killers in Africa.
Note: the abstract of the Science article can be found here.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
[Development issues] HIV-AIDS funding crowding out other health programs?
This brief piece from the Center for Global Development warns that HIV/AIDS programs may be crowding out other health initiatives in a competition for scarce resources.
The piece pointed out:
For instance, over the years 1998 to 2003, as funding for HIV/AIDS grew from 9 percent to 43 percent of overall U.S. foreign assistance for health and population, funding in the health sector strengthening category nearly vanished, declining from 20 percent to just 1 percent. Aggregate funding for all other major causes stagnated, save for infectious disease control. We see similar trends among other donors and within developing countries.
The editorial notes that as serious as the AIDS pandemic is, HIV/AIDS related deaths comprised around 5 percent of total mortality in low and middle-income countries.
In addition to rapping what it calls the HIV-AIDS lobby's insularity, the editorial argues that funding to strengthen the public health sector should be given more priority since it would help efforts to combat not only HIV-AIDS but other health crises.
The piece pointed out:
For instance, over the years 1998 to 2003, as funding for HIV/AIDS grew from 9 percent to 43 percent of overall U.S. foreign assistance for health and population, funding in the health sector strengthening category nearly vanished, declining from 20 percent to just 1 percent. Aggregate funding for all other major causes stagnated, save for infectious disease control. We see similar trends among other donors and within developing countries.
The editorial notes that as serious as the AIDS pandemic is, HIV/AIDS related deaths comprised around 5 percent of total mortality in low and middle-income countries.
In addition to rapping what it calls the HIV-AIDS lobby's insularity, the editorial argues that funding to strengthen the public health sector should be given more priority since it would help efforts to combat not only HIV-AIDS but other health crises.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
[Guinean news] Protesters shot in Fria
Guinéenews has two articles (here and here) on rioting in the western mining city of Fria. The city's residents took to the streets to protest against the 'castastrophic state' of the roads and broken promises to improve them. Protesters dislodged big stones and used them to erect barricades on the city's main arteries. The mayor intervened and the situation appeared to calm.
However, Guinéenews reports that the following day, the 'forces of order' invaded two schools (the lycée Cabral and collège Tito) and proceded with what observers described as "excessive force and arbitrary arrests" against students (and teachers) who were in the middle of class. After these incidents, students marched to the center of town were engaged in violent battles by soldiers who'd been sent from Conakry. Shots were fired into the crowd and several were seriously wounded, according to Guinéenews.
However, Guinéenews reports that the following day, the 'forces of order' invaded two schools (the lycée Cabral and collège Tito) and proceded with what observers described as "excessive force and arbitrary arrests" against students (and teachers) who were in the middle of class. After these incidents, students marched to the center of town were engaged in violent battles by soldiers who'd been sent from Conakry. Shots were fired into the crowd and several were seriously wounded, according to Guinéenews.
Thursday, November 30, 2006
[Guinean news] Declining socioeconomic conditions in Guinea
The UN's IRIN news service has run several disturbing articles on the declining socioeconomic climate in Guinea.
-Primary and secondary school enrollment is falling dramatically as cost of living skyrockets.
-Conditions at universities aren't much better.
-The dramatic rise of violent crime in Conakry. Perhaps this is because...
-Crime is the capital's only growth industry.
-Malnutrition is also on the rise. The country's main pediatric hospital reports having admitted more than double the number of children for malnutrition already this year than in 2003.
The Wall Street Journal reported (article available only to the paper's subscribers) that rising global energy prices are making things worse in Guinea.
Maybe the Guinean government is counting on its recently launched $36 billion lawsuit against the Democratic Republic of the Congo to solve these problems.
-Primary and secondary school enrollment is falling dramatically as cost of living skyrockets.
-Conditions at universities aren't much better.
-The dramatic rise of violent crime in Conakry. Perhaps this is because...
-Crime is the capital's only growth industry.
-Malnutrition is also on the rise. The country's main pediatric hospital reports having admitted more than double the number of children for malnutrition already this year than in 2003.
The Wall Street Journal reported (article available only to the paper's subscribers) that rising global energy prices are making things worse in Guinea.
Maybe the Guinean government is counting on its recently launched $36 billion lawsuit against the Democratic Republic of the Congo to solve these problems.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
[Guinean news] Conté to stay until 2010
There have long been rumors of tension between those generally seen as the two most powerful men in Guinea: the country's richest businessman Mamadou Sylla and Fodé Bangoura, who is a top aide to the head of state Gen. Lansana Conté and widely seen to be the de facto head of the government. A few weeks ago, Sylla was indicted for 'complicity to steal public funds' for the amount equivalent to US $2.5 million. Sylla had been nicknamed the 'PUP's money man,' referring to the ruling Party for Unity and Progress but he seems to have come out on the short end of the power struggle provoked by Conté's long illness.
Speaking of the ailing head of state, he recently gave an extremely rare interview with Agence France Press and Radio France Internationale journalist Mouctar Bah and Le Monde's Serge Michel. He reiterated his desire to finish his current term, which ends in 2010 (he took power in a 1984 military coup).
Speaking of the ailing head of state, he recently gave an extremely rare interview with Agence France Press and Radio France Internationale journalist Mouctar Bah and Le Monde's Serge Michel. He reiterated his desire to finish his current term, which ends in 2010 (he took power in a 1984 military coup).
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
[Guinean news] Cholera strikes again
The UN's IRIN news service has a piece on the resurgence of cholera in the country since the beginning of the rainy season. The health ministry has reported over 600 cases this year.
"The latest wave is occurring because of poor sanitation during the main rainy season and a lack of potable water," said Emmanuel Roland Malano, who head's the government's division of epidemiological diseases.
"The latest wave is occurring because of poor sanitation during the main rainy season and a lack of potable water," said Emmanuel Roland Malano, who head's the government's division of epidemiological diseases.
Monday, November 06, 2006
[FOG/PC Guinea news] Gender conferences threatened by administrative change
For several years, FOG has sponsored girls' and boys' conferences. By all accounts, these gender conferences have been invaluable in promoting gender equality and female empowerment.
FOG has helped fund the conferences via the intermediary of the Peace Corps Partnership Program (PCPP), which is the "official" Peace Corps funding mechanism. However, the PCPP has changed its rules such that transportation and lodging costs can no longer be funded. This change threatens the future of the gender conferences since transport and lodging for participants is the primary expense.
(For more details on the issue, click here)
FOG officials are pursuing this issue and is waiting to hear about alternative funding routes from Peace Corps Guinea.
FOG's board urges members to contact Peace Corps officials and express their concerns.
-Peace Corps Director Ronald Tschetter: rtschetter@peacecorps.gov
-Peace Corps Deputy Director Jody Olsen: jolsen@peacecorps.gov
-
Peace Corps Chief of Operations, Africa Region Lynn Foden: lfoden@peacecorps.gov
Postal letters can be mailed to each of these officials at:
1111 20th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20526
USA
FOG has helped fund the conferences via the intermediary of the Peace Corps Partnership Program (PCPP), which is the "official" Peace Corps funding mechanism. However, the PCPP has changed its rules such that transportation and lodging costs can no longer be funded. This change threatens the future of the gender conferences since transport and lodging for participants is the primary expense.
(For more details on the issue, click here)
FOG officials are pursuing this issue and is waiting to hear about alternative funding routes from Peace Corps Guinea.
FOG's board urges members to contact Peace Corps officials and express their concerns.
-Peace Corps Director Ronald Tschetter: rtschetter@peacecorps.gov
-Peace Corps Deputy Director Jody Olsen: jolsen@peacecorps.gov
-
Peace Corps Chief of Operations, Africa Region Lynn Foden: lfoden@peacecorps.gov
Postal letters can be mailed to each of these officials at:
1111 20th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20526
USA
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