Guinea is confronted by many serious problems. The quality of life for the average Guinean is considered among the lowest in the world. Even though Guinea’s mineral wealth makes it potentially one of Africa’s richest countries, its people are among the poorest in West Africa. 

Poor in infrastructure. 
Poor in safety net. 
Poor in direct fulfillment of daily needs. 
Poor in general opportunity.

Rich in culture. 
Rich in untapped natural resources. 
Rich in human ingenuity, courage, and community spirit. 

Photos by Lamzo and Mardi 

Environmental 

• Long-term effects of ecological degradation and depletion
  
• Deforestation; Desertification; Erosion
  
• Soil contamination
  
• Overfishing 
  
• Overpopulation in forest region
  
• Environmental damage from poor mining practices
• Increasing urban sprawl and slums
• Aseptic sanitation conditions
  
• Inadequate supplies of potable water
  
• Toxic smoke from coal-burning for cooking

Economic and Daily life

• Severe poverty
  
• Hyperinflation
  
• Mass unemployment
  
• High interest rates on foreign credit
  
• Hunger and malnutrition
  
• Lack of school supplies and books
  
• Inadequate medical care
  
• High maternal and infant mortality 
  

       Infant mortality rate: 169 per 1,000, 
       Maternal mortality: 528 per 100,000 live births

• Guinea population: 9,690,222
  
• Extremely low life expectancy (2006 est.):
  

        Male: 48.34 years; Female: 50.7 years

Social and Political

• Repression of human and civil rights
  
• Use of torture
  
• Official corruption and fraud
  
• Abuse of power by police and military officials
  
• Refugee crisis at borders
  
• Growing consumerism and commercialization
  
• Tradition-based mistreatment of women 
  
• Lingering effects of past exploitation, slavery, colonialism and Cold War politics

Common Diseases

Food or waterborne: 
  Bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, 
  typhoid fever 
Vectorborne: 
  Malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some
  locations 
Water contact disease: Schistosomiasis 
Respiratory disease: Meningococcal meningitis 
Aerosolized dust or soil contact: Lassa fever 
Spread of pandemic disease: 
  Cholera, malaria, HIV/AIDS, etc. 
  HIV rates as high as 7 percent in parts of the 
  country
  Ebola