In Moribadou, a town located near the Rio Tinto SimFer mining site, Pauline Guilavogui combines opportunity and passion: to become a mechanic.
Every morning, before sunrise, she leaves her native Moribadou to go to the Rio Tinto SimFer mine site to learn the mechanics and maintenance of fixed equipment. Proudly dressed as a worker at a mine site, Pauline has a profession that is still little practiced by women and girls in her community. A real challenge that she takes on with pride and responsibility.
A vocation born very early
Since her early childhood, Pauline dreamed of being a mechanic. After obtaining her baccalaureate, she tried for the first time, without success, to join the Beyla vocational school. Without giving up her dream, she went to Conakry where she began training in logistics. A few months later, the Beyla CFP launched the apprenticeship programme in partnership with Rio Tinto SimFer and Pauline seized the opportunity again, took the tests and was selected.
“Today, I am learning this profession from qualified professionals, and I am thus starting the path towards the realization of my dream,” she says with joy.
Rallying her parents to her cause
Every day, before travelling to the training center, Pauline receives the blessings of her parents who fully support her in her career choice. But this support was not so easily acquired – her father feared the physical demands of this job and Pauline had to convince him. Pauline was able to reassure them and today her family proudly supports her every day. However, Pauline must persuade those who don’t yet believe that women should do this work.
“I often hear discouraging remarks. So I explain that there is no job reserved for men or women. In Moribadou, more and more young girls are showing their interest in mechanics. Today, in some garages, we even see apprentice mechanics,” she explains hopefully.
A future focused on transmission
Pauline does not intend to stop there. She wants to continue to improve her skills, gain experience and, in the long term, create a mechanical training center for young girls, to encourage others to believe in their abilities.
While waiting to make this project a reality, Pauline continues her learning with determination.