Like many African countries, the Republic of Guinea welcomes many migrants from all walks of life. While some of them aspire to continue their path to Western countries, others prefer to go to African countries in search of better economic prospects. “Dialogue Migration” zooms in on two communities in the sub-region, well integrated in Guinea.

Abdoulaye Ndiaye, a stopover of… 21 years

Abdoulaye N’Diaye is of Senegalese origin. He settled in Guinea in 2002 after visiting several African countries including Niger, Sudan and Algeria in the 1990s. This country, which was supposed to be only a crossing point, has become a land of welcome for the Senegalese for 21 years. “I just wanted to cross the country to Côte d’Ivoire,” he says. Now 51 years old, Abdoulaye N’diaye runs a small business in the prefecture of Labé, Middle Guinea.

He says that once he arrived in Labé, a town in the north of the country, he ran out of money. “It was in these circumstances that I met one of my Senegalese compatriots who suggested that I start small businesses by selling kebabs,” he says. In addition to the advice provided, his compatriot buys him all the equipment to start the activity.

Abdoulaye Ndiaye improvised in this business for three months.  He saved the modest sum of 250,000 GNF (about 19 thousand CFA francs, at the time). Sensing that  he could achieve something in the prefecture of Labé, he decided to stay there by activating, this time in the sale of tea and bread.

According to him, these activities allowed him to build a house in Senegal and buy a plot in Guinea.

Baaye Samba Sène, the globe-trotting entrepreneur

According to the Senegalese embassy in Guinea, contacted by “Dialogue Migration”, 10% of Senegalese nationals living in Guinea, are active in construction.

Baaye Samba Sène aged 66 is one of them. After spending seven years in Algeria, he joined France and settled in Marseille for a year. But the “very difficult conditions” in France, pushed him to turn back and return to Senegal. In 1992, he joined one of his sisters who had been living in Guinea for several years.

Once there, Baaye Sène, found, according to him, that several places were under construction. Thanks to his sister, he decided to stay and implement his profession as a building engineer. Over the years, Mr. Sène adapted to life in Guinea and landed contracts for the construction of buildings and even became a small local celebrity in the field. “I am comfortable, I am known everywhere in Guinea, especially in Labé. Everyone knows me. Because I built half of the floors in Labé,” he proudly says.

According to him, his know-how has earned him great demand for the construction of mosques.

Edouard Mensah, from teaching to construction

Edouard Mensah, is Togolese and settled in the Republic of Guinea in the 80s, “just after the seizure of power by the Military Committee for National Recovery, at the death of Ahmed Sékou Touré in 1984,” he says.

It was through the encouragement of a compatriot that Edouard Mensah decided to join Guinea to teach. However, it is in the construction that the Togolese found himself. And for good reason: “when I was making the arrangements, I couldn’t get a place,” he says.

It was during these arrangements, according to him, that he finally met one of his “big brothers” who works in the construction of buildings. The latter offers him to work together. “We worked together to build the French embassy in Guinea. Over the years, I ended up learning the business little by little,” he tells “Dialogue Migration”.

In Guinea, according to the High Council of Togolese (HCT) abroad, 45% of Togolese living in the country are in the construction of buildings.

In his profession, he has, according to him, had the chance to work with the French military cooperation based in Guinea. Through this collaboration, he says he has had several other projects, including the construction of the “training center of the Military School of Manaya”.

Despite the slowness of the activities, Edouard Mensah assures to get by economically. His activity allows him to meet his various needs.

For the purposes of his work, he had to travel inside Guinea, specifically to Faranah, Macenta, Kissidougou and the Foutah region. These moves have made it easier for him to better integrate, he says. Today, the Togolese national says he understands the Soussou language, a little Malinké and Pular.

Kodjo Kolié, in search of better living conditions

Kodjo Kolié, served several years in his native Togo as a teacher. In 2010, he decided to emigrate to Guinea. He will continue his teaching profession as teacher of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry, in many schools in the Guinean capital. Like 30% of his compatriots who are active in teaching in Guinea, Kodjo Kolié says he moved to Guinea to earn a better living.

“People are moving in search of job opportunities and better economic prospects,” he said. “If I earned in Togo a quarter of what I earn in Guinea, I would have stayed home,” he said.