GUINEA

Based on the most recent World Bank survey data, 43.7 percent of Guineans lived below the national poverty line in 2018, equivalent to 5.8 million people living in poverty. In Conakry, the youth who come to the MindLeaps program have no access to basic needs: education, food, or hygiene services. They are susceptible to abuse, trafficking and hunger, while dealing with severe health risks on a daily basis. The Ebola epidemic of 2014-2016 had devastating health and socio-economic effects on the country. Post-Ebola, the number of out-of-school children increased from 381,963 in 2014 to 425,413 in 2016. This was worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic. Of the several long-term effects on school-age children, reports have shown that globally as many as 24 million additional children will permanently drop out of school due to the break in education from COVID-19 (UNICEF, 2020), adding to the 258 million currently out of school worldwide. 

The MindLeaps Center in Conakry

MindLeaps began working in Guinea in 2011 through partnerships with other organizations, and in 2017 went on to open its own center in the capital city of Conakry, providing a permanent safe space to continue its full dance and education programs. Since 2017, over 400 children have completed the MindLeaps Dance & Data program at the MindLeaps Center in Conakry.  

The center’s all Guinean staff serves vulnerable and at-risk children and youth through the MindLeaps Dance & Data program, with its curriculum designed to develop critical cognitive and social-emotional skills. Children come to the center to attend a “fun dance class” but are actually participating in a carefully structured kinesthetic-based curriculum that develops the ability to concentrate, memorize and use language, while also cultivating teamwork, discipline, grit, creativity, and self-esteem, all skills needed for success in school and life. 

The work of the center extends well beyond the core dance program. Dance classes are accompanied by academic acceleration classes such as English and French. Further educational support is provided through after-school tutoring, IT classes and school sponsorship. MindLeaps’ holistic approach includes a daily meal program, health and sanitation programs, sexual and reproductive health workshops, home visits and links to social services that reach out to the families and community as well.  

MindLeaps also runs Train The Trainer programs at the center to prepare new teachers in the MindLeaps methodology. Train The Trainer brings in dance teachers from across Guinea and other African countries, so they can learn and disseminate the curriculum and grading system (Tracker) to a broad range of communities with vulnerable children. In this way, after training and empowering African trainers, MindLeaps can help more and more at-risk children through this sustainable, expanding program. 

*Finished!

Abdoulaye’s Story

Ten-year-old Abdoulaye lived with his stepmother in Conakry, Guinea. He had to drop out of primary school because his family could not continue paying for his education. Abdoulaye has five siblings and, just like many other children in Guinea, he had to become responsible for himself at a very young age and try to get by largely on his own.  

When he joined MindLeaps, Abdoulaye discovered his passion for dance and quickly became one of our best students. He thrived and became the leader of his class, learning all of the terms and moves so he could soon teach the 45-minute warmup by himself. He would stand front and center in every class, listening to and understanding every correction given in the dance classes. His memorization skills grew tremendously. He could watch another class do five minutes of choreography, and the next day he remembered everything he saw and was able to perform it in front of everyone. Abdoulaye is affectionately called “short boy” because of his small stature, but his confidence is enormous. 

In August 2019, Abdoulaye completed the Dance & Data program and was sponsored by MindLeaps to return to formal education. His experience with MindLeaps and returning to school have sparked his dream of becoming a doctor. Abdoulaye says he wants to be able to help his family and community in times of illness, and now sees a path to doing just that. 

Julia Taft Grant

Established in 2000, the Julia Taft Fund awards grants every year with the goal of closing gaps in refugee aid, by issuing grants to local nonprofit organizations for quick-impact projects. 

Supported by the Julia Taft Fund, MindLeaps Guinea provided 32 refugee and returnee youth with access to the MindLeaps Virtual Academy. They completed six subjects: Digital Literacy, Business Entrepreneurship, Project Management & Budgeting, Communications, Child Development, and Inclusion.  

During this period, youth demonstrating the most promising work and commitment to their businesses and community projects were selected for two special events showcasing their talents: A Pitch Session with Judges (February26th, 2021) and Conversations with MindLeaps (April 2nd, 2021). Participants got feedback from the judges, and at the conclusion of the project, ten youth received $350 USD each in seed funding to start their businesses.