Airport Intro:

Finally, this exciting moment has come – the departure to Conakry, the capital city of the Republic of Guinea, which was very much awaited by all URBOND volunteers after a few months of preparation. 

In the early Sunday morning of October 10, a group of volunteers from 9 different countries (UK, Greece, Spain, Poland, Iran, Ghana, Guinea, Cyprus and Russia) left Portsmouth at 4 in the morning in Great Britain to meet at Heathrow Airport. With a short layover at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, they flew to Conakry, Guinea. For all of them, it was their first visit to Guinea, and for many, their first trip to Africa.

Although all the volunteers come from different cultural backgrounds, they have a lot in common. They share a passion for helping others and a willingness to make a difference to the educational system in this one of the poorest countries in the world. 

This trip has two main noble purposes.

The first and primary one is to build a library and a computer room in Dubreka, a small town in the northern part of Conakry, which will be used by over 700 local children each year.

Secondly, a team of health specialists (Dr. Zanoon and Pharmacist Ifi) will be running workshops and seminars to sensitize locals on the need for girl’s education as young women’s ability to access, retain and complete a school education is still a significant issue of concern in Africa.

This amazing trip will also expose volunteers to a different culture and help facilitate integration nationally and internationally.