The document discusses plans for Friends of Conakry Refugee School (FCRS) to help the Conakry Refugee School (CRS) in Guinea become financially sustainable. It proposes four micro-business plans: 1) an ICT school to teach computer skills, 2) a language school to teach English and French, 3) a soap making vocational program, and 4) a restaurant and catering business. These businesses would generate income for CRS while providing skills training to students. FCRS seeks donations to fund starting the businesses, with the goal of CRS gaining independence through the profitable micro-businesses.

1. Friends of Conakry Refugee School
(FCRS)

2. Vision for a sustainable future
Conakry Refugee School

3. Our Vision is of a
community where no
child goes to bed
hungry or scared,
that has the ability
to provide good
quality education for
all its children and
has the self-respect
and dignity that
comes from having a
sustainable future

4. The situation
Education for all in Guinea?
Large refugee community in Guinea
following the civil wars in Sierra Leone and
Liberia
Lack of places for the refugee community
Overcrowded classrooms and limited
educational resources
Reality: Education is not free in Guinea
Language barrier of the refugee community

5. The situation
The Conakry Refugee School (CRS)
 Set up in 1991 for refugees fleeing from civil wars in Liberia and
Sierra Leone
 The staff and students
 Challenging conditions and threat of closure
 With the support of FCRS, the school has been able to keep its
doors open for all who want to learn.
 CRS is still financially unsustainable because pupil fees cannot cover
costs.

6. Guinea
• Guinea remains overlooked by
many humanitarian and
development actors due to its
relative wealth, high level of
corruption and political instability
• Living conditions extremely poor
for the majority of the population
• Poor level of education
• Improved stability: window of
opportunity in Guinea

7. The opportunity
Our work
• Ensure the running of the school,
students are fed and safe while they
work towards a more positive future
through education.
• FCRS and CRS: Relationship of mutual
trust and respect
• Acquisition of a long-term lease on a
building provides new opportunities:
 subsidise their own outgoings and
generate income from their assets
 build on this foundation and
further develop our relationship
from one of donor and recipient to
one of full partnership.

8. The solution
• A project to allow CRS to be increasingly self-sufficient and
sustainable.
• Sustainability for CRS will mean:
hard work, discipline and entrepreneurship
Generating enough income to pay teachers a living wage
Maintaining levels of excellence in teaching and learning
Support for those not able to pay fees themselves
will deliver dignity, respect in the community, control over
their own future and optimism for the future

9. ...the solution
• Four micro-business plans to enhance the educational outcomes
for the young people of CRS while generating funds to allow the
school to become increasingly self-sufficient.
The projects:
are within the core capabilities of the school and its staff
benefit the students by enhancing their skills
have demonstrable demand and are of low risk for the return
they will deliver

10. Micro businesses
1. A Language School
2. An ICT School
3. A Soap Making Vocational
Enterprise
4. A restaurant and catering
enterprise

11. The challenge
• £19,000 to be raised by June 2013 so that the ICT suite can be
made ready for the first courses in XX?.
• £8,000 already raised and major donation of computers and
printers secured from The University of Bergen, Norway.
• Your donation will allow us the take full advantage of this
opportunity and launch the first micro-business.
• An additional £24,000 will need to be raised by 2014 to set up
the remaining businesses.
• Our analysis shows that after the initial start up period these
businesses will generate profits of £15,700 as well as
providing the students of CRS with ICT lessons, vocational
training and the language skills.

12. the reward
Your donation will
help to create a
community where
no child goes to bed
hungry or scared,
that has the ability
to provide good
quality education for
all its children and has the self-respect and dignity
that comes from having a sustainable future.

13. ICTC School
What the market research shows
 90% of both the English- and French-speaking communities consider that
there are not enough IT courses available
 High level of demand: 90% express interest in enrolling in an IT course at
CRS
 Viability: ¾ of the English group and over half the French group report that
they are able to afford the course fee.
The ICTC School
• The ICT School will run courses for CRS students during term time and for
the wider community after school and in the vacations.
• Existing staff will receive training and will run the courses.
• Computer literacy is essential part of the school curriculum if students are
to be prepared for the world of work or further education.
• Courses will take place in a purpose built, secure room within the school.
• Lessons will cover word processing, data collection and spreadsheets and
use of the Internet.

14. “As we are living in the
world of technology, with
CRS lying far behind the
rest of the world in
information technology,
pupils and staff see this
program as an opportunity
to acquire one of the most
fundamental skills needed
to access the world. With
no other IT located in the
Simbaya Gare community,
local residents and pupils
will also welcome this
opportunity.”
Isaac Philips, Director CRS

15. Language School
What the market research shows...
• 90% of the English-speaking (refugee) and almost 75% of the French-speaking
groups report that there are not enough language courses available.
• Over half the English and nearly two-thirds of the French communities are
interested in enrolling on a language course at CRS, with approximately 70% of
each group confirming an ability to pay the course fee.
The Language School
• Will run French courses for CRS students during term time and English courses
for the wider community after school and in the vacations.
• Will greatly enhance the value of the education the students already receive,
their employability and their chances of accessing further education within or
outside of Guinea
• Capitalise on the schools’ most valuable asset to the wider community, its
ability to communicate in English:
 provide a space for the development of intercommunity relationships
 build vital networks that will enhance their social capital

16. “In view of the great interest
of the Guinean population
who want to speak and
write Standard English, and
the influx of English
companies who have
invested in Guinean
resources; causing the
awareness of advancing
their language skills which
will serve as principal tool
to seek employment, the
school deems it necessary
to embark on a Language
Program. This program is
also needed to facilitate an
integration program for the
Liberian, Sierra Leonean
refugees living in Guinea”

17. Soap Making Vocational Enterprise
What the market research shows….
• Soap is a very important commodity in the community
• High level of demand: over half of those surveyed reported purchasing
over 10 bars of soap per month
• Viability: over 90% of people reported a willingness to buy soap from CRS
Soap Making Vocational Enterprise
• Soap making is a good basis for a sustainable social enterprise
• Structured training in soap making and selling products to generate funds
for the school
• Relatively little equipment needed
• Ingredients are reasonably easy to source
• Students can begin making soap at home and selling it within their
communities and scale up their business over time

18. “The course would
enable us to train
and empower
individuals to cater
for their livelihood
through skill
acquired in soap
making. To serve the
community with
quality products of
laundry soap, bath
soap and other
detergent at
affordable cost”

19. Restaurant and Catering Enterprise