The Rebirth of Conakry Refugee School
The Conakry Refugee School (CRS) in Conakry, the capital of the Republic of Guinea, was created under the sponsorship of the International Rescue Committee (IRC) in 1995.
A lack of funds forced the IRC to close the school in 2000, leaving over three thousand refugee students from Liberia and Sierra Leone unable to continue their education.
Isaac F. Davis, the principal of the school was not happy seeing his students roaming the streets. He organized a parent/teacher association meeting, using it to explain the negative effects of their children growing up illiterate.
At the end of the meeting the teachers agreed to teach on voluntary basis with parents contributing towards the costs. The school registered 1427 students in the academic year 2000-2001 with this number doubling the following year.
The next obstacle the school faced came when the government decided non-governmental organizations (NGOs) like IRC/UNHCR could no longer support refugee schools in Conakry.
Now the school is being run by a Management Committee formed by parents and teachers. It offers high school graduates vocational training for secretarial and computer jobs. Twenty teachers provide instruction in English, literature, French, mathematics, general science, biology, chemistry, physics, governments, civics, agricultural science, geography, history, economics, health science, typing, computer studies (theory), and religious studies.
In early 2002, Conakry Refugee School also became the first school to form a partnership with RESPECT. In addition, Isaac became RESPECT's Country Coordinator in Guinea.
Currrently, the biggest challenge facing the school is trying to get outside financial assistance. Most parents are unable to pay their contributions.
Isaac and his volunteers also struggle to managed the school while dealing with attacks from Liberian rebels in Guinea, and Guinean persecution of Liberian refugees.
After serving as the principal of CRS for about five years, he is now hunting for financial assistance for the school he founded. He recently turned over the chairmanship of the school to his vice principal, Mr. Alhaji Kamara.
Isaac is now in Australia, as a student of University of Newcastle. He continues to search for a charitable organization to aid CRS and is working to introduce RESPECT in Australia by contacting the schools there.
Initiatives of people like Isaac F. Davis to bridge the gap between refugee children and their counterparts in developed countries will help make the dream of RESPECT come true. Let us pray for CRS to get permanent financial aid soon and bring light in the lives of more of refugee children in the coming days.
Isaac F. Davis is a native of Monrovia, the capital of Liberia. He became the refugee in the Republic of Guinea after the outbreak of civil war in Liberia.