La Fraternité is a community-based, cultural, non-political and non-for-profit charity organisation. We are registered in England and Wales under the registration number 1135690.  Our organisation was created in 2007 after years of ground work. 

logo transA group of young Guineans met in London in 2007 and they laid the foundation of a much wider and formal organisation that is La Fraternité Guinéenne.  La Fraternité derives the french language and its English meaning is simply "The Fraternity".

The main objectives of this organisation revolve around a wide spectrum of charitable activities, including:

  1. Financing (subject of availability of funds) social activities in the UK in order to promote cultural diversity and social integration, without any discrimination;
  2. Raising awareness about Safeguarding Children and working towards the eradication of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in and outside of the UK.  This negative cultural practice is deeply rooted in the Guinean community, shrouded in misguided tradition and erroneous cultural beliefs;
  3. Empowering women by providing lifelong training and education in micro-projects and financial management in West Africa;
  4. Targeting areas and promoting female education, especially women and girls from disadvantaged backgrounds;
  5. Fostering and reinforcing the spirit of fraternity amongst members of the Guinean and West African community in the UK, thereby helping to promote their integration into British society;
  6. Helping to reduce poverty and promoting healthcare and education in Guinea via the supply of necessary materials to Primary Health Care and Education Centres in remote villages.

OUR VISION  |  OUR MISSION

It is common knowledge that Guinea is one of the wealthiest countries of the West African Sub-region, in terms of its natural resources. However, Guinea is faced with extreme poverty in contrast to its potential mineral wealth.  The majority of the Guinean population live below the threshold of poverty with one of the lowest literacy index in Sub-Saharan Africa. The country is also plagued with many infectious diseases notably – the long standing deadliest Malaria, and since 2014, Ebola.                                            

As a charity, we strongly believe that poor livelihoods, lack of education and adequate health care in Guinea are the major causes of the slow pace of human and social development which cause a precipitous economic decline in the country. Hence, every year, we raise funds and promote donations to help relieve poverty, promote health care and education and social mobility in the Republic Guinea in West Africa. We strongly believe that the relief of poverty is possible and can be done in Guinea and other African nations, as has been historically achieved elsewhere.

For instance, we are constantly reminded of how Health and Education served the betterment of the Western Societies. As a matter of fact, following the collapse of the Roman Empire in the 6th Century, Europe fell into the abyss of the dark ages for centuries, making the destruction and disappearance of the Greco-Roman scientific heritage, the hallmark of this Era. However, unsurprisingly, the West worked its way up to the enlightenment era which paved the way for economic political and social development, mostly through the concomitant promotion of universal Health and Education.

We believe that we could, through our activities, contribute to helping Guinea and other West African countries re-enact this exploit by raising awareness and deploying conscientious efforts towards tackling the health and educational challenges we are facing. It is our belief that a healthier and better educated society will easily live up to its full economic potential. According to accounts by several researchers, low access to sanitary water supply and poor hygiene are the commonest threats to people’s health and livelihood on African shores. This is even truer in West Africa today and particularly in Guinea. We hence aim to promote sanitary water supply and universal access to education and healthcare. We trust that this is the best way to achieve sustainable development.

Since we started up our charity work in 2007, we have helped cover health care expenses of hundreds peaceful protesters who sustained life threatening injuries as a result of a massive wave of military repression to a pro-democratic rally in September 28th; funded the repatriation and funerals of many members of the Guinean community who died destitute in the UK. 

In the UK, since 2016, we prioritised our focus on safeguarding children. Our aim is to keep child safe from any significant harm, especially when this harm comes from people closest to the child. Over the past years, our campaigns to raise awareness about child abuse, female genital mutilation and the legal system in the UK have gained sustained popularity.  Thanks to our work within the hard-to-reach communities, hundreds of children are much safer, families are more united and parents and guardians are equiped with various positive parenting techniques.

FGM priorities

1. Raising awareness
Holding regular awareness forums and seminars.

2. Involving men/women
Involving community leaders, religious leaders and professionals.

3. Listening, Learning and Helping style
Listening to survivors; learning from their experiences; supporting them.

COVID-19

La Fraternité played a vital role during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Our COVID-19 awareness sessions with professionals proved to be very informative for the communities.  Our response to COVID-19 within the communities included:

  • Food parcels
  • Baby and household essentials
  • Food vouchers
  • Laptops, tablets and mobile phones for children's education
  • Welfare checks
  • Community volunteering
  • Webinars in languages other than English to reach the maximum number of people
  • Information hotline.

In Guinea, La Fraternité is also registered as a charity. We work relentlessly and diligently with other organisations, donating essential medicines and contributing to the extension, refurbishment and furniture of health care school and university facilities in deprived and remote rural areas.  

We are also actively raising awareness about Safeguarding Children.  We specifically campaigning against female genital mutilation (FGM) and cutting in collaboration with our partners in England, in Guinea, in Europe, in the USA and in West Africa. To achieve these aims, we need the assistance of organisations and well-wishers.

There are times when even the smallest gesture can make a big difference. This means, any donation, regardless of its nature and/or amount, will help us expand our health and educational outreach in the most deprived areas.

To make a donation, please click here.