Urgent and Short-Term Funds

Rainy Season/Ramadan Fund

Start collecting March 2008

Conakry, Guinea

The most difficult times for artists to find food and wellness support are August and during the Ramadan fast. Heavy rains during August impede artists from carrying out their music and dance contracts and attending practice--their main sources of income. During the month-long Muslim fast of Ramadan, drumming and dancing in public are not permitted. Since music and dance are their livelihood, artists and their families suffer financially during this time. This year (2007) there is only about a one-week respite between these two difficult periods. Lanyi Fan plans to send donations August 15, 2007. To donate click here (link)

Successes: Past Urgent and Temporary Fund Project Successes  (link)

Successes: Urgent and Short-Term Funds

Strike Relief Fund: $5,000                                                                                                                

2007                                                                                                                     

Conakry, Guinea 

Guineans often organize strikes to voice their opinion of the government. Usually they are relatively mild. However, in January and February 2007, two strikes were more violent than normal. The population was asking President Lansana Conte to resign for two reasons: 1) Necessities such as food had become unaffordable for most people, and 2) they wanted Conte to hire a Prime Minister who was not a close friend, who had been internationally educated, and who would keep Conte's power in check. During the second, more severe strike, Conte imposed a ten-day martial law. People were unable to leave their houses for more than two hours a day, and the airport, banks, money transferring companies, roads, and all borders were closed.  These ten days were extremely hard on the economy and on many workers. Lanyi Fan raised $5,000 to help artists and their families restart their lives. Money was allotted to the Wellness Fund [link] and to buying basic food staples.

Rainy Season/Ramadan Fund

2007, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002

Conakry, Guinea

The most difficult times for artists to find food and wellness support are August and during the Ramadan fast. Heavy rains during August impede artists from carrying out their music and dance contracts and attending practices—their main sources of income. During the month-long Muslim fast of Ramadan, drumming and dancing in public is not permitted. Since music and dance are their livelihood, artists and their families suffer financially during this time. Although Lanyi Fan was formally organized in April 2007, many of its contributors have been active in the past. Approximately $1,000 per year has been raised to ease the impact of these challenges on Guinean artists.

Sustainable Environmental Development:

Tree Planting Projects:

Moussa Soumah Fruit Tree Planting Project                                                                                                                         

2006-present

Conakry, Guinea

Our Fruit Tree Planting Project was inspired by Moussa Soumah, a Doundounfola (drummer) in Conakry. Moussa has suffered from chronic gastritis, a common problem in Guinea. When he didn't have enough money to pay for ongoing gastritis medication, his doctor recommended that he decrease the amount of hot peppers, white bread, and citrus in his diet and eat more papaya. Although Moussa could eat less hot peppers, white bread, and citrus, he couldn't afford to eat papaya regularly (a relatively expensive fruit in Conakry). Our solution was not to pay for an infinite papaya supply, but to buy Moussa a tree. To expand this program, we are researching, networking with partners such as Tostan NPO/NGO (Conakry, Guinea and Dakar, Senegal), Abdine Kane, MS, Environmental Studies, Université de Cheikh Anta Diop (Dakar, Senegal), and monitoring the papaya tree we planted for Moussa in 2005. We plan to plant more in 2008.

Hardwood Tree Planting Project in Guinean Villages                                                       

2006-present

TBD, Guinea

This project was inspired by the increasing sales of drums and other instruments outside of Guinea. Lanyi Fan wants to be part of a solution, not a contributor to deforestation and subsequent desertification. We are networking with partners such as Tostan NPO/NGO: http://www.tostan.org  (Conakry, Guinea and Dakar, Senegal) and  Like Water Drumworks: http://www.likewaterdrumworks.com (Chelsea, Michigan, U.S.A. and Kindia, Guinea) to replant hardwoods used for Guinean instruments. Lanyi Fan is raising money to buy a plot of land to start nurturing hardwoods. We will need at least $1,000 to purchase land. This plot will also be the base of our future Immersion Drum and Dance Workshops at our Guinean Eco-Village.

Solar Energy Projects:

Solar Panel Installation

Currently Developing

Conakry, Guinea

We are seeking donations of solar panels and money for solar panel installation in Conakry, Guinea. We are also looking for knowledgeable people to install solar panels in Guinea or train our volunteers to install them. Our most current solar energy project development is that we will bring over one or two “Hot Pot” solar cookers to Guinea in March 2008. This will be a test to see how practical they are in the Guinean context.

Sustainable Economic Development

Micro-Loan Funds                                     

2006-present

Conakry, Guinea                                                                                               

 Hair Braiding Studio

This project was inspired by Arlene Ory [link]. She found a heart connection with Zeh Soumah, who intricately braided  Arlene's hair. Zeh is well-known in her neighborhood, Carriere Cite, as a hair braider, and she has been braiding for as long as she can remember. Zeh, sixteen, supports her one-year-old daughter. Lanyi Fan hopes to finance a boutique so that she can work even during the rainy season. We estimate that we will need $300 for the booth and $200 for initial supplies such as rubber bands, beads, and herbal hair products.

 Preventative Health Boutique

This project was inspired by Arlene Ory [link]. She found a heart connection with Ata Conte. Ata and her sister Aminata have been selling toothpaste, tooth brushes, rubbing alcohol, cotton, skin creams, etc. out of plastic water tubs in front of their house since 2005. Little by little, they have increased their stock. Lanyi Fan would like to buy a booth for Ata and Aminata to continue their business more easily during the rainy season. We estimate needing $300 for a booth and $200 to add to their product supplies.

Kiosque

We are seeking a responsible Guinean cooperative to run a “Kiosque,” a cafe that sells omelettes, sandwiches, coffee, tea, etc. While we are finding the right managers, we would like to raise $300 for a booth and $400 for initial supplies such as chickens (to lay eggs for omelettes), oil, pans, burners, cups, plates, etc.

 Rice Booth

We are uniting a dependable Guinean woman's cooperative to run a “rice booth” in the Carriere Cite Neighborhood. In Guinea, it is hard to find restaurants where one can eat during the work day, while running errands, etc. We would like to raise money for five cooperative rice booths. Each one would require $300 for a booth and $200 for start-up costs. 

Successes: Sustainable Economic Development Projects  (link)