Guinea Workshops Project

Latest info 2024 // Project active since 2022

• Conducted by ASI and the Indigenous Peoples Advisory Forum (IPAF)
• Trained IPAF members from local communities in Guinea in the development and delivery of broad-ranging capacity-building workshops in the bauxite mining regions.
• Contributes to ASI’s long-term goal on social value and thriving and resilient communities through driving local action and capacity building to respect human rights.

The project aimed to conduct training workshops, focusing on the bauxite mining cycle from exploration to extraction and rehabilitation, and share this information with local communities in local languages. Initiated in 2023, the workshops were informed by field research undertaken in 2022 in the bauxite mining regions of Boké and Kindia in Guinea which aimed to understand community perceptions of bauxite extraction and its impact. The 2022 research in Guinea included focus group discussions in several communities affected by bauxite mining activities across the region, with over 750 community participants.

The Workshops Project began with local communities in December 2023. A series of workshops and training sessions were conducted for community representatives from December 2023 to March 2024 with over 5,000 participants across 121 communities in the regions of Boke, and Kindia.

Learnings & recommendations

The workshops aimed to empower local communities to build their capacity and enhance their understanding of the bauxite mining lifecycle and rehabilitation so they can better engage with mining companies and other stakeholders on a more informed basis.  The local communities appreciated the information received and their improved understanding of the bauxite development process and the aluminium sector more broadly. The workshops increased participants’ understanding of the mining process and advanced knowledge of land rehabilitation practices.

The main recommendations included the urgent need for implementing tangible projects to improve communities’ livelihoods and well-being, enhancing peaceful dispute resolution mechanisms, and involving local authorities in addressing grievances.  Most participants feel that since they have missed the opportunity to engage in the bauxite mining cycle effectively, they would like to be part of mine site rehabilitation activities and welcome additional opportunities for practical training in mine site rehabilitation activities.

The challenges, as with all field work, included ongoing issues with availability of potable water, electricity in workshop venues and accommodation, and basic facilities such as clean toilets. Additionally, communication was affected by internet connectivity issues, and some workshops experienced delays due to fuel shortages.

[ASI reflections] The broad-ranging capacity-building workshops in the bauxite mining regions of Guinea, informed by both Guinea-based ASI qualitative research initiatives and similar ASI workshops in the remote Indigenous communities in Australia, have been very successful.

These projects focus on raising awareness, building capacity, and enabling more informed participation. The ‘train the trainer’ approach, used in these workshops, ensures a lasting impact for Guinea local community members by building their skills, experience, and confidence to both develop and deliver the key messages and information developed through the workshop process.

Local communities expressed a clear desire for the next phase to involve practical projects on the ground, with ASI facilitating hands-on experience and capacity-building initiatives. This will enable local communities to collaborate closely with ASI members and other bauxite miners in Guinea.

 

Back to D&R reporting 2022-2023