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WHAT IS PQG AND HOW DID IT COME ABOUT ? |
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I am a retired teacher from Cégep de Saint-Jérôme. In January of 1998, with the support of PIJ, a youth program of the CECI (Center for International Studies and Cooperation), I spent time at the Yambéring High School in Guinea. When I returned to Quebec, I was motivated to do something for Guinea, but what and how?
I invited the Yambéring High School principal to come to Canada and paid for his airline ticket. We visited schools, met with authorities from the educational system, and generally explored how schools function in Quebec. In the principal’s opinion, one of the best ways to help the Guineans would be to send them books. The idea was carried out and I started collecting books with my vehicle and a trailer. This was September of 1998.
The local college, Cégep de Saint-Jérôme, encouraged my initiative by lending me part of the garage to be used as a warehouse.
In February of 1999, with the technical and financial support of the CECI, the financial help of Fondation Internationale Roncalli and the good will of a few friends and colleagues, I left for Guinea to deliver my very first container of 11,500 books, tables, desks, shelves, and miscellaneous school supplies all donated by the Cégep.
Once in Guinea, I met with the Ambassador of Canada. In November of 1999, with his help, the support of the Yambéring’s community and $1,250 from my fund for special plans, a 7m x 13m library was built, furnished and filled with 7,000 books. The other 4,500 books were distributed to surrounding elementary schools.
In October of 1999, for obvious reasons, I registered Partage Québec-Guinée (PQG), a non-profit humanitarian organization. Because of its fast-expansion, we had to rent a new warehouse. In the Spring of 2000, the 6-month lease terminated and the rent increased. Money was scarce. I then left with 40,000 books for Guinea (Mali region). Unfortunately, 10,000 books had to be recycled because of the lack of space.
I received the container on the day I was scheduled to leave. This “wasted time” gave me the opportunity to set up an office of Partage Québec-Guinée in Conakry with a president, secretary and treasurer. The office is still operating today and has become a key to our success. We have added two coordinators: one in Conakry and one in Kamsar. We have thus reaffirmed PQG’s mission to make books accessible to the general population of Guinea starting with the least educated regions. I left Guinea with a list of all the elementary schools, statistics as to the number of schools and their location by region, a resource that facilitates our efforts to reach even the most distant communities.
In April of 2000, we leased a new warehouse until May of 2002. Then the building was sold and we had to store our books in three 45 ft.-trailers and we had to pay rent for the space they occupied.
In March of 2003, there was a new beginning. After a first refusal, the SAI (Secrétariat à l’aide internationale du Québec) of the Ministère des Relations internationales granted us $10,350 that enabled us to rent a warehouse at commercial rates. But two months later, the building was for sale. It was a building of approximately 32 ft. x 68 ft. with a flat on the second floor. My wife proposed to sell her house so that we could purchase the building. Fortunately, when money is scarce, I can count on her indulgence.
As you may suspect, such an undertaking put us in situations where we often had to use our own money to make ends meet. And since July of 2003, Hermance and I reside in a commercial district across from the Qué-Wood factory, a site less attractive than our original home. On the other hand, having purchased the building improved the storage problem considerably and eased the financial stress.
We have the support of Via Route to pick-up the books donated to us, Halco-Alcoa (USA) for the overseas shipping from Wilmington, North Carolina to the Port of Kamsar, Direction Nationale des Douanes for the customs procedures and Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG) to get the containers out of the Port of Kamsar, store them and transport the ones that must transit by Conakry free of charge. Various national associations bear the costs for local transportation. Partage-Guinée Conakry supervises all the operations. Up to now, we had the financial support of Fondation Internationale Roncalli for the ground transportation between Saint-Jérôme and Wilmington.
Another reality is that I am 69 years old. Even though I get help from volunteers, the physical efforts required to pick-up, sort and package the books are becoming more and more demanding not to mention the time required to raise funds, to plan, to manage, etc. I fear that one day my health will keep me from going on.
PQG has done very good work so far. By the end of 2008, we will have delivered books throughout the whole country. While the national average at the elementary level is one school book per four children, PQG has succeeded in distributing an average of two books per five educated Guineans, not to mention our involvement in the set-up of three computer training centers.
Guineans need our help. They appreciate it and do not hesitate to get involved. I even saw shipping pallets recycled as school desks.
Partage Québec-Guinée is seeking funding for our current projects and recurrent financing that would enable us to hire an experienced and trustworthy warehouse manager who would permanently relieve me not only of the physical tasks but also of my daily physical presence at the warehouse facility.
Claude Lescan
Founder and Director General
Our warehouse at 1002 Lauzanne
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS |
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Chairman : Benoît Aubin
Vice-Chairman & Treasurer: Gisèle Boissonneault
Secretary : Antoine Zakher
Board Members : Alpha Diallo
Founder : Claude Lescan
Co-Founder : Hermance Julien
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OUR MEMBERS |
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Each year, our members show their support by sending us their contribution in exchange for their membership. The suggested fee is $20 per year but, on average, we receive about $30 per person. The generosity and trust of the members in our mission for the people of Guinea is very touching and much appreciated. If you would like to join them, we invite you to fill out the form on the next page.
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OUR VOLUNTARY |
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Without volunteers, Partage Québec-Guinée would never have been born. From the beginning, volunteers have always been there to offer their time, their talent and they have always believed in the importance of our mission. Thank you !!!
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