PROJECT RIGHT-TO-KNOW

Project Right-to-Know is a project of mobilization and realization of change to the marginalized communities and their access to opportunities and resources in the mining areas of Guinea. Launched by the NGO, ‘United Action for Community Development www.unaction.org' so as to raise awareness of the communities in the mining zone in Guinea; to prevent and train them about forthcoming ecological problems we are going to face in the future.

The massive exploitation in the mining areas in Guinea -West Africa is causing huge vulnerability among the communities living in mining zones in Guinea. Those communities are depending on agriculture, farming, hunting, forest, drinking water, and breeding as the source of their life and income. Today in Guinea, the mining companies are destroying all these in complicity with local government. The governments or the authorities do not deploy any action to protect the community's rights or reward the farmers.  They are complaining without results. Additionally, they are illiterates, there is no intellectual community leader to take action against the government towards the process for justice and reparation of their calvary. The Chiefs of those communities are corrupted by the government and the mining companies. The mining companies of aluminum, gold, and bauxites are damaging the lands of farmers without preparation, including deforestation. During the transportation of raw materials (bauxite, uranium, and aluminum) to the port of Conakry, the dust pollutes the air, covers sources of drinking water, covers farms thus make communities miserable and vulnerable.

As NGO legally registered in Guinea, we have consulted and recruited lawyers, and non-corrupted government officials. We are also in contact with environmental activists to establish campaigns to take immediate action against the government and authorities that promote injustice; and at the same time train communities on how to protect themselves against such terrible forms of abuse, while keeping in mind the importance of ecology, ecological regeneration, and possible future. We will divide the training into different two regions; southern and northern regions. There will be workshops for communities as non-formal training which will be a combination of training and campaign strategy that will awake the consciousness of these communities.

THE IMPACT AND RESULT:

To raise awareness of the community and Guineans about future ecological problems, climate change, and global warming-related to deforestation and land misuse. To make life accessible and affordable to communities living in rural areas so that they can protect themselves from abuse; Engage them in ecological regeneration by planting trees that have been destroyed by logging and mining companies.  Build a strong and resilient community. Build a new leadership in the community and take up ecological and climate issues as the primary cause of the continuity of life on this planet.

Our immense challenge today is not how to face the government or take action but it is the essential materials and budget to realize the project because our government and the local authorities don't want to hear the project that highlights their malicious and weakness. By contrast, through the local authority threats, young leaders attempt to come to help those communities in mining areas. We know if we depend on the government and local authority to realize this project, nothing will change.  

To raise awareness of the community and Guineans about future ecological problems, climate change, and global warming-related to deforestation and land misuse. To make life accessible and affordable to communities living in rural areas so that they can protect themselves from abuse; Engage them in ecological regeneration by planting trees that have been destroyed by logging and mining companies.  

PLACE OF IMPLEMENTATION

• The project will be implemented in the North and South of the country
• Region Base Cote North:  Boke and Kamsar
• Region of Forest:  Nzerekore and its sub-regions