Strengthening Civil Society in the City

Boké, Guinea's mining heartland, presents both economic opportunities and significant social expectations. An active civil society has emerged: organizations like C-DEV, the National Network of Civil Society for Environment and Sustainable Development (ReNaSCEDD), and the NGO Actions Mines monitor issues of access to drinking water and youth employment, and have formulated a list of demands with the communities. A dialogue project called "Boké Hèry," led in 2018 by Search for Common Ground, brought together communities, local authorities, mining companies, and civil society organizations. It addressed tensions surrounding youth employability and recommended supporting local initiatives by young people and women. The Local Economic Development Fund (FODEL), launched in Boké in December 2018, prioritized good governance, transparency, and the empowerment of women and youth, with civil society acting as a watchdog. In 2023, the UNDP supported income-generating activities for women affected by mining in the Boké and Kankan regions, in partnership with four local NGOs. These organizations remain fragile: irregular funding, need for training in advocacy, management, and accountability, and coordination with the municipality needs strengthening. This mission mobilizes the diaspora to support these actors: by financing structuring projects (water, schools, health centers, incubators, women's activities), providing expertise, creating links with NGOs, universities, and donors, and supporting the professionalization of local organizations, in coordination with the urban municipality of Boké.