Rice for Ramadan

Hello Friends near and far,

I hope this message, this request, finds you and your loved ones well on all levels. I suspect many if not all of you are going through challenging times, financially, emotionally, mentally and even physically. I wish the most benevolent outcome for you and yours at this intense time. May unforeseen greatness, consciousness and transformation come from this liminal time.

I am writing to make you aware of a dire situation that is heavily impacting the artist community here, and to request your help. Many here do not have any financial cushion of any kind. Your support will help purchase rice for dozens of families in a time when many will not have money to buy any food at all. 

Below, I explain things in greater detail. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to read this, and consider how you might be able to help. Whether that is contributing $1, $5, $100, or simply sharing this fundraiser so we can feed hundreds of families.  

For larger, tax-deductible donations please go to Guineaexchange.org where you can make a donation through our non-profit(all proceeds go to Rice for Ramadan). Click on the Donate button, and indicate that the donation is for Rice for Ramadan in the memo field.

As many of you know, each of the last 16 winters I have worked here in Guinea, West Africa, doing whatever I can to bridge the gap of cultural understanding and financial disparity between here and the west. This year, before the date of my return flight arrived, the threat of the Coronavirus has caused governments here to cancel all flights and close all boarders until future notice. So for now, I am here.

First, a bit of background information about this special country. Despite an abundance of natural resources and a wealth of social and cultural wisdom, Guinea currently ranks in the bottom 10 most economically impoverished countries in the world. For those of you who have been here, you know it is nearly unimaginable how people function, frequently without electricity, water, pavement…etc., and a virtually nonexistent health care system. And yet, as many of you also know, in spite (or maybe because of?) of this crushing fiscal poverty, the Guinean people somehow are the most hard working, contented, generous, present, joyous, faithful and playful people I have ever known. My life, and many of your lives, have been forever transformed out of being in the presence of their courage, love and hospitality. Am I right?

Given that background, I want to share with you some of what is happening in Conakry now. Two weeks ago, in the face of the impending threat of this pandemic, the Guinean government mandated the closure of all mosques, churches, schools, restaurants and maisons de jeunes (community youth centers), and prohibited all ceremonies, rehearsals, and gatherings of more than 20 people. It also imposed limits on the number of people in taxis and magbanas (public minibuses) and set a daily 9pm curfew. Apart from all of these changes, and the presence of hand washing stations in front of some businesses, along with the occasional mask wearer, from my view, public life here seems very similar to how it usually is...people going about their daily chores, shopping, selling wares, hustling to get some food for the family …etc. You see, inside of this insidious poverty, people do not have the capacity/luxury to social distance, nor to stock up on supplies until the threat subsides, so most people here seem to be carrying on like normal.

Except the artists.

This month, the month leading up to the month of Ramadan (currently scheduled to start April 24), is an extremely critical month for dancers and musicians financially. In Guinea, the vast majority of weddings and celebration ceremonies happen just before the sacred month of prayer and fasting, and because of this virus, these events are all cancelled, and our artist friends have no work, no income, and no savings as they head into the toughest financial month of the year: Ramadan.

I am already seeing and hearing about the duress. People are already coming to me with requests and hunger. Many people. And Ramadan hasn't even started yet. I am doing what I can for people, but my situation is unstable at the moment, and the need is great.

In addition, one would think that the expenses for food would go down during a month of fasting, but it is in fact the contrary. The combination of people needing to eat more nutrient dense foods during the night/non-fasting hours, the shop owners increasing the price of goods and taking advantage of the situation, and the decrease in the amount of work available during the month all make it such that food during the month of Ramadan is far more expensive than other months.

Another thing weighing on artists here is that the way the calendar falls this year makes the situation even worse. Ramadan will end May 25th, just as the 4-month rainy season is starting. Again, no ceremonies, so no work and no income for artists.

Are you getting the gravity of this situation?

And the virus itself seems to still be very much on the horizon.

With all of that said, here is the big ask. Would you be willing to contribute financially so that we can alleviate some of the current and upcoming lack of food for artists here in Guinea? I have been speaking with some leaders in the artist community as well as with some other friends who know this culture well, and the following seems to be the fairest and easiest way to make the biggest impact for the most number of people.

We are proposing that 100% of the funds raised go to purchasing rice to be given to dancers, musicians and directors in the various private “Ballets” (dance companies) in the capital city of Conakry area. At present, there are 18 private dance companies in Conakry, each with between 30 and 55 people. (We will start with the private dance companies, and then if money permits, we could include the 17 percussion groups and the 2 ‘mildly’ salaried national companies.)
Our goal is to raise $1,000 per Ballet, which would give each person at least 50 pounds of rice, likely more. We are proposing to start with 5 companies and once we arrive at $5,000, we add the second 5 companies…and so on.

The first companies are:
Merveilles de Guinee (55 artists)
Wassa So (47 artists )
Sourakhata (47 artists)
Gbasikolo (47 artists)
Ballet Matam (41 artists)

Several friends and I are willing to do the leg work to purchase the rice and make sure it is delivered and distributed to all of the artists in each company.

100% of the money you contribute will go to rice for these artists(aside from the credit card fees that GoFundMe charges (2.9% plus $.30). 

As a reminder, for larger, tax-deductible donations please go to Guineaexchange.org where you can make a donation through our non-profit(all proceeds go to Rice for Ramadan). Click on the Donate button, and indicate that the donation is for Rice for Ramadan in the memo field.

I know many of you are dealing with issues in your life that will prevent you from being able to give, or being able to give what you would like to at this time. No worries. Please take care of yourselves.

For those of you who can, please consider giving a bag or two of rice.
One 110 pound bag of rice costs approximately $35 and will feed a family of 8 for just under a month.

Thank you for taking the time to read and consider contributing to these artists who are the source of so much of what brings us joy and connection.

This pandemic seems to be highlighting the irrefutable Turning Point humanity has been experiencing. Do we continue on the same ‘each for their own’, individual, separate, survival of the fittest, Capitalistic trajectory? Or do we realize that we are all one, and only as strong as the weakest amongst us? This campaign is entirely about the latter… investing, sacrificing even, to support those who are in need of support.

Thank you in advance for embracing these artists in their time of need.