Welcome to the best website for information about Peace Corps Guinea! If you’re thinking about volunteering in Guinea, you found the right place. We’ll tell you about the history of Peace Corps in Guinea. We’ll also explore Guinea as a country. You can learn the languages spoken there. You can also read about other volunteers’ experiences. Here you can find info on safety and health too. We’ll also share how to contact former Peace Corps volunteers who were in Guinea. Get ready to learn more to help decide if volunteering in Guinea is good for you.
Volunteers in Guinea work on projects in Agriculture, Health (leave in December), and Education (leave in June).
What is the History of Peace Corps in Guinea?
The Peace Corps started working in Guinea in 1963. It was one of the first countries to get Peace Corps volunteers. They’ve done different jobs like teaching, healthcare, farming, and community work. For education, volunteers have taught in schools and helped with teacher training. In health, they’ve worked on disease prevention and supporting local healthcare. Agriculture volunteers helped farmers with new methods to grow food. And in communities, volunteers have worked on projects to improve jobs. In over 60 years, Peace Corps volunteers have made a difference in Guinea, helping with development and making friends between Guinea and the United States.
What about Guinea as a nation?
Guinea, situated in West Africa, has a diverse landscape that includes coastal plains, dense forests, and highlands. These contribute to Guinea’s rich biodiversity. Add to that, Guinea has a lot of natural resources, including bauxite, iron ore, gold, diamonds, and uranium.
In terms of politics, Guinea gained independence from France in 1958. After independence, Guinea pursued a socialist agenda and maintained close ties with the Soviet Union. Followed by a military coup. But since 2008, Guinea has moved more toward democracy although it still has challenges with political stability, corruption, and social unrest due to ethnic tensions.
Despite these challenges, Guinea has made progress in recent years towards democratic governance and economic development.
What languages do they speak in Guinea?
The official language of Guinea is French. It is used in government, education, media, and formal communication. But there are also over 24 indigenous languages spoken in Guinea, with Pulaar, Malinke, and Soussou among the most widely spoken local languages.
During their service, Volunteers learn to speak local languages, including French, Malinke, Pulaar, and Soussou.
How safe is it serve as a volunteer in Guinea?
In general, 92% of volunteers felt safe or very safe where they lived in Guinea. And 92% felt safe or very safe where they worked. 9% of volunteers early terminated. But more detailed information about safety compared to other Peace Corps countries can be found in the Guinea Country Crime Profile.
The medical problems specific to Guinea are:
- parasitic infections
- Hepatitis A and B
- dysentery
- Guinea worms, tapeworms
- typhoid fever
- meningitis
- diarrhea
- rabies
- skin infections
- dental problems, headaches
- respiratory infections, minor injuries
- amoebic dysentery
- HIV/AIDS, and STIs
Health problems also can result from local environmental factors, such as dust, humidity, insects, and disease-producing microorganisms. Because malaria is endemic in Guinea, Volunteers are required to take anti-malarial medication.
But more detailed information about health related issues at Peace Corps Guinea can be found in the Guinea Health and Medical Care Summary.
What do volunteers think of serving in Guinea?
Since 1975, the Annual Volunteer Survey has been a source of information on the state of the Peace Corps (PC) program for the agency, Congress, researchers, the media, and the general public. In 2019, 86% of volunteers found their overall Peace Corps service rewarding or very rewarding. 78% of volunteers would still make the same decision to serve with the Peace Corps today. 79% of volunteers would recommend Peace Corps service to others. More information can be found in the Guinea Annual Volunteer Survey Satisfaction Results.
Where can I learn more about PC Guinea volunteer experiences?
PCV blogs and YouTube channels offer a unique look into the daily life of volunteers serving in Guinea. These blogs and channels can help you understand the challenges and triumphs that come with being a volunteer. Explore these links for inspiring stories and practical advice from current and past volunteers.
Blog and YouTube Channel Links:
- Colt Bradley (Education) YouTube
- Kelly (Education) 2013-14
- Ethen (Response) 2016-17
- Kelly (Health) 2015-16
If you’re interested in learning more about serving in Guinea, I’ve got you covered! Click here to see all of my posts about Peace Corps Guinea with details on the experience, culture, food, packing tips, and more.
How can I connect with Returned Guinea PCVs?
Where can I find official info about Peace Corps Guinea?
- PeaceCorps.gov/Guinea
- Projects in Guinea
- Stories from Guinea
- Preparing to Volunteer
- Living Conditions
- Training
- Health
- Safety and Security
- Diversity and Inclusion
- Packing Guidance
This is an old PC publication called “The Peace Corps Welcomes You to Guinea“, published in 2013. In the past, before the internet, this is how volunteers learned more about Guinea. Even though it is many years old, there is still a lot of good information there. You can download it here but remember it is just for informational purposes. For up-to-date information, always check with you Peace Corps contacts and staff.
Conclusion:
This blog post gave you information to help decide if volunteering in Guinea is a good fit. You learned about the culture, languages, and development of Guinea. We also discussed safety issues and health info important for volunteers. And, we shared how to contact former Peace Corps volunteers. For more on Peace Corps Guinea, you can check the Peace Corps website or the resources here. We hope this post was useful for finding information on Peace Corps Guinea.
Photos: Peace Corps Media Library
The content of this post does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Government, the Peace Corps, or the Guinea Government.
