It’s weird to say that I had a perfect day in Guinea. I
guess what comprises a perfect day has changed a lot in the last six months.
And it wasn’t just a good day, it was good days! I had two days back to back in
training when my purpose was clear. I was thrilled to be in Guinea and inspired
to work. The day started with meeting Elhadj Diallo, a cement seller. As part
of our training, we had to meet with an entrepreneur, asses their needs, and
then design a business training for them. I was so impressed with Elhadj. When
I asked to see his accounting system, he pulled out a stack of notebooks and
showed his handwritten records going back to 2007. During our SWOT (or as it is
called here FFOM) analysis, he told me that one of his strengths was welcoming
customers with a smile. My jaw dropped. Someone in Guinea knows about customer
service?!?! He also sends palm oil to women who resell it in small quantities.
He recognized that their success was his success so he set them up in a group
to do savings and learn management techniques. He was proud to say that they
don’t need him anymore since they can now manage the group themselves. We ended
up doing a training on marketing targeted at ONGs and he was thrilled that we
left him with visual aids. He could not wait to go teach what we had taught
him. A PCV’s dream.
After our meeting, we went over to the CECOJE and with
another volunteer, we presented the job interview portion of the Youth Employability
Workshop. The group I ended up with for our small group exercise and the girl I
had for my one on one interview both bolstered my faith in the future of
Guinea. They re the kind of youth you want ot build a better future with. Then
for lunch we had riz gras with lime!
We went out dancing that night and then got up early the
next morning to drive to Kindia to visit FABIK, a commercial farm. We were all
tired and a little car sick from the winding roads of the Fouta, but when we
arrived at the end of a dirt road, we were in paradise. We were met with huge
platters of banana chips and cold (!) ginger juice. The farm is owned by a
dynamic women, who happens to be the founder of AGUIDEP but whom I have never
met. She was in Morocco trying to set up exports, so her son took us on a tour
of the farm. As he walked us around fields of bananas, palm, and pineapple he
told us of his dream to incorporate agrotourism into his business. He pointed
at a patch of land and said, we can’t plant anything there, so how can it
generate revenue? We can put a guest house. He wants to be the most visited
site in Guinea and says that no guest will be able to leave without learning
anything. As we ate our delicious lunch, he pointed out where the pool will be
and the beach volleyball court. When people flee the heat and crowds of Conakry
on the weekends, they come to Kindia. He wants to set up an educational center
with a focus on nature and relaxation. He is a visionary businessman and an
interesting guy and I know this post is not doing justice to my amazement of
finding such a man and such a place in Kindia. Needless to say, all the girls
were sad to find out that he is already married. At the end of the two days,
there was one word to describe me. Happy. 
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