Students at the Conakry airport (Rebecca Blackwell/The Associated Press)

Although we don’t work in the country of Guinea in West Africa, I came across this story and had to put something up about it on the blog. The Associated Press released a story that was picked up by newspapers, both big and small, around the world about school children heading to Conakry’s international airport at night because it is the only place where they’ll always find lights to study by.

Guinea is one of the poorest countries in the world and only about one fifth of the countries 10 million people have access to electricity and those who do often experience frequent power outages. It is exam season now and students flock to the lights of the airport so they continue to study into the night.

The Lede, a blog of the New York Times, put it best as the scene “transmutes what would be an ominous scene in an American suburb - a horde of kids milling around a parking lot at all hours - into one of resourcefulness and hope in Africa.”

While students in the developed world have new books, libraries and free, compulsory education, such a scene also highlights the enormous hurdles kids have to access education in the developing world. It is certainly something to think about and a prime example of how education and teaching is one way volunteers can make a true impact in local communities.

Do any volunteers or alumni remember situations like this where students went above and beyond to gain access to education?