Guinea Alumina Corporation provides economic support to local communities during COVID-19

Guinea Alumina Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), provides humanitarian and economic support to local communities in Guinea in their fight against COVID-19, Emirates Global Aluminium said in its press release.

The company provides medical equipment to the national health authority and prevention education. Other supports include engaging local community members in the manufacture of soaps, facemasks and other protective equipment to donate to local people, employees and sub-contractors.

Aissata Beavogui, Director General and Head of Corporate Social Responsibility of GAC, said: “The UAE Government is providing assistance to many countries in their fight against COVID-19, including Guinea. As a UAE-owned company and proud corporate citizen of Guinea, we are following this example and extending our support to our host communities during this challenging time not only on a humanitarian basis but most importantly supporting local economies through social entrepreneurship. We unfortunately have previous experience of contributing to the fight against pandemics from the Ebola crisis five years ago, and we are putting what we learned then into action now.”

GAC create some 450 temporary jobs through COVID-19 community support project.  This project is expected to provide economic support to more than 3,000 individuals in the Boke Region.  The company has already distributed some 25,000 facemasks to households near GAC’s mining and port sites to date, as well as to GAC employees and sub-contractors

GAC distributes locally-sourced, staple foods, including rice, and sugar to communities.

“To contribute to awareness in the community of COVID-19 prevention measures, GAC has donated its advertising resources. Employees, including the union leader (Fanta Doukouré, who is also Superintendent, Administration and Services) and Train Loading Superintendents, have recorded public service announcements in local languages on topics including social distancing and the importance of hygiene, which run as advertisements on local radio stations. GAC has also replaced its billboards in the area with prevention information,” the company said.

GAC supports Guinea’s response to COVID-19 by donating some $200,000 of medical supplies to Guinea’s National Agency for Public Health via the Ministry of Mines.