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| Ambassador Anne Leahy in Guinea |
FIAG Onlus "Federazione Italiana
Amici della Guinea" is a non-profit association which has
been active for over ten years in Guinea, West Africa. The aim of the
association is to promote and implement micro-projects that will
improve the living conditions of Africans, especially in the areas of
health care and education. Sanitary and health conditions are appalling in
the country, with a life expectancy of less than 50 years and a mortality
rate of 90/1000 for children under one year old. Schooling
conditions are also very poor at all levels, ranging from dilapidated
structures to a complete lack of equipment and didactic
material.
Over the years, FIAG has been able
to carry-out a number of projects. Our association has built a
small first-aid pavilion in a small village in the bush, rebuilt
the roof of a school, supplied desks and chairs for a kindergarten, dug
a well for a small village, subsidised schooling for promising students whose
families do not have sufficient financial means, funded surgical
operations for children affected with oesophagus burns (after accidentally
drinking caustic acid), renovated a maternity ward in a hospital
of the capital, granted its first micro-credit to a
seamstress school teaching a trade to unwed mothers, and so on.
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| New roof built by FIAG for a local school |
FIAG currently has approximately 50
members. Many have been able to witness the projects accomplished in
Guinea through visits to the country and regular updates from its
President, Dr. Maurizio Bagarani, who currently lives and works as a
surgeon in Guinea. The association vows that every cent collected goes
directly to fund its projects without intermediary or operational
costs. A locally-appointed project manager is responsible for
providing updates, pictures and financial reports.
Many more projects are being planned for the
coming year, some requiring us to team up with other associations (joint
ventures) in order to be able to secure sufficient means. We
are grateful to the Canadian Club of Rome and are confident that,
with its support during this upcoming season, FIAG will be able to carry out
many worthy projects.
