Mohamed Fofana Memorial Foundation
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Currently, about half of all children in Guinea are not attending primary school, and 83% of girls are not attending secondary school. Child labor is prevalent, with 4 out of every 10 children in Guinea working instead of learning. Additionally, Guinea has the 8th highest child marriage rate worldwide, with 76% of girls in the region marrying before 18. In 2009, Mohamed Fofana and his mother traveled from Minnesota to visit Guinea, his parents' home country. He met children who were unable to go to school because they were working in markets to support their families. Years later, Mohamed wrote in a journal that he wanted to help the children of Guinea when he grew up. He passed away in a tragic landslide in Lilydale in 2013, when he was in 4th grade. After his death, his parents founded our organization to address the problems he could not live to solve. By working together to fulfill Mohamed's dream, the community impacted by his tragic loss will transform grief into hope.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Education
Provide education to the community of Siguiri, Guinea
(hometown of Mohamed’s father). About half of all children in Guinea are not attending primary school, and as many as 83% of girls are not attending secondary school.
Where we work
External reviews

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Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our organization has four key desired outcomes:
* Provide education to the underserved community of Siguiri, Guinea (hometown of Mohamed’s father)
* Transition children out of child labor and into the classroom
* Offer a safe space for girls
* Create an opportunity to heal for students and community members impacted by the loss of Mohamed in the Lilydale, Minnesota landslide
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our organization is building the Mohamed Fofana Memorial School in the rural village of Siguiri, Guinea. The land has been purchased and an architectural layout for the grounds has been designed. Constructing a school in this rural area is the first strategy to increase child enrollment. The biggest issue is a simple lack of access, so building a school near hundreds of children will make education an attainable asset to local people. Another key strategy our board employs is the incorporation of multiple perspectives. We have board members who grew up and attended school in Guinea, so their knowledge of the system gives us a greater understanding of how to build a school that improves the local norm, but can be sustained by local people. A frequent downfall of similar organizations is that well-intentioned people enter from the outside and expect locals to adapt, but our organization will create a school with Guinean lifestyle in mind. This will increase the benefit for families in the area and keep the school thriving for years to come. Additionally, the many educators on our board will be able to design a curriculum that teaches real-world skills instead of the traditional memorization of the current Guinean system. Our board members' combination of knowledge is a key strategy that is essential for success.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Effectively building a school internationally requires both a knowledge of local norms and a desire to improve the status quo. Our board members include:
* West African Community Members and Cultural Liaisons
* Experienced School Start-Up Coordinator (30+ schools)
* Licensed Minnesota Educators (over 40 years of combined experience)
* Corporate Designer/Architect
* Minnesota Business Owners
* Chamber of Commerce Executive
* Certified Public Accountant
* Attorney (Real Estate)
* Development Director
* Student Leaders
This board combines local Guinean knowledge and discipline-specific expertise.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
The Fofana family used their settlement from Mohamed's loss to purchase land for the school in Siguiri, Guinea. They also constructed ten classrooms on the grounds. After that, they reached out to Twin Cities community members and the organization became a 501(c)3. The organization assembled a board and continued to raise funds. Multiple scouting trips to Guinea have been made by board members in order to establish connections with local construction and security personnel. Our next steps require meeting our construction and operational budget goals to proceed with the project.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Mohamed Fofana Memorial Foundation
Board of directorsas of 5/20/2020
Meghan Malone
St. Louis Park Public Schools
Term: 2020 - 2022
Evelyn Lashley
St. Louis Park Public Schools
Term: 2020 - 2022
Meg Schauer
Sandy Boettcher
Kurt Swanson
Sarah Reichert
Imam Mohamed Dukuly
Koman Magassouba
Melissa Metzler