My name is Mamady Mansare and I grew up in the remote village of Dembayara, Guinea in West Africa. There is an urgent and recurring challenge of food security in the village, and I am deeply motivated to help by launching a rice cooperative.

During the growing season, many village farmers are forced to take rice loans from people in the city. These loans are often taken not only to acquire seed, but also to cover essential costs like food for laborers and other farming expenses. Unfortunately, these loans come with heavy trade-offs. When the dry season arrives, and the harvest is due, farmers must repay the loans—often at a much higher equivalent price. Because of poor yields and limited access to tools or fertilizers, many farmers end up with very little rice left for their families. By the end of the year, there is no rice, no money, and a cycle of poverty continues.

I am committed to creating a local solution that breaks this dependency. Through the rice cooperative, we can offer local, affordable access to rice all year round, buy directly from farmers at fair prices, and reduce the financial stress placed on them by exploitative lending practices. This initiative is projected to benefit more than 150 families in my village and surrounding areas—promoting food security, job creation, and community dignity.

Thank you for your kindness and consideration in helping these hard-working farmers and their families break the cycle of poverty.

This fundraiser, if achieved, will cover the cost of: