The International Rescue Committee recently issued a report highlighting what it calls an ‘alarming’ rate of domestic violence in West Africa (Voice of America news article here; more info from IRC here). The IRC stated that primary threat to women in many West African nations was not war but domestic abuse. The NGO noted that 2/3 of the women who sought help from them had been battered by their husband or partner.
Guinéenews reports that a Conakry theatre company is producing a play based on the memoir L’Enfant noir. Often translated into English as “Dark Child,” L’Enfant noir was written by the Guinean author Camara Laye and is generally considered one of the seminal works in African literature. The play is being produced by the company Labortor’arts in conjunction with the Franco-Guinean cultural center.
Friends of Guinea is excited to welcome a new slate of officers to its board of directors.
SECRETARY: Pat Barron
MEMBERSHIP: Teresa Pope
GUINEA PARENT SUPPORT: Betty Walker
COMMUNICATIONS AND WEB ADMIN: Amy Hylinski Daffé
FINANCES: JanRose Ottaway Martin
PROJECTS: Anne Sites
Mackenzie Dabo (newsletter) and Urska Manners (listserv) are remaining in their positions.
Outgoing communications director Brian Farenell will still maintain this blog as well as the FOG Twitter feed.
A big thank you to the outgoing officers for all your service to FOG!
Stephanie Chasteen (secretary)
Brian Clappier (membership)
Karen Starr (web)
Shad Engkilterra (finances)
Donald Parker (projects)
President Alpha Conde has announced that legislative elections originally scheduled for July 8 will be postponed indefinitely. The delay, demanded by the opposition, is designed to improve the voter registration process.