VOICES FROM THE FIELD: Marie Weiller in Guinea

Marie Weiller s is an intern with Search for Common Ground Guinea.

Evaluating the Impact of Wontanara in the Forest Region

In Guinea, people who arrive on time are a rare breed, let alone those who come early.  Yet, participants to the focus group could be spotted ahead of time, climbing the road to Macenta’s only Radio Station.  Listeners of Wontanara, from this little town in the Forest Region, had been called on to give their opinion of the show, which aims to change behaviours in regards to good governance.  They seemed eager to have their voices heard.

Sunset in Macenta, Guinea. Photo from Flickr used under a Creative Commons license

Having barely sat down, a question that I had been asked a few times before was raised:  Why the title? “Wontanara” is a term that can very often be seen on posters in Conakry, the capital of Guinea.  It means “doing together” in Soussou, a term that perfectly encompasses Search for Common Ground’s values, the content of the radio show, and what Guineans need to motivate change in their country.  Despite all these advantages, the use of the term raises the question of Guinea’s regional identities.  In Macenta, it means nothing.  It is foreign and misunderstood. But it does not seem to deter people from listening.

As everyone agrees, the content is indeed what matters most.  And now the participants are very enthusiastic.  Wontanara talks about everyday stories, problems that everyone faces.  It talks to them, the youth worker, the woman who works in an environment dominated by men, the high school teacher who worries about the honesty and transparency with which exams are conducted.  Thanks to the soap opera, “people learn”, they say, about their rights, about ways of dealing with adversarial situations, about the role they can play, about democratic change.  “There is a lack of trust between the people who govern and those who are governed” and the first step is to “change perceptions”.

In a country that seems to have lost confidence in its transition government, such a proof that people themselves can continue, and want, to learn is like a breath of fresh air.  “When people listen regularly, they change, and exchange”.  This reminds us that despite evolving social and political environments Search for Common Ground continues to aim at deep rooted sustainable change.  “If Wontanara had started a long time ago, says a civil society member, we wouldn’t be where we are now.”