By Maa-Oul-La-Neine Tunis and USL Media Team

Fourah Bay College (FBC), a constituent college of the University of Sierra Leone(USL), is set to partner with a German Catholic Organisation , Agiamondo, to help address issues related to peace, safety, and the creation of a conducive learning environment within the different structures of USL.

The realisation of this initiative, known as the Agiamondo Civil Peace Project (CPS), took a significant step forward with a project preparation workshop help between FBC and Agiamondo on FBC campus on Tuesday, October 22, 2024.

The Preparation Workshop is one of many consultative meetings between FBC and Agiamondo, and it reportedly sparked discussions on reviewing the project proposal, the corporation agreement and annexes, clarifying roles and responsibilities within the project, and the presentation of the project’s financial schedule, among other topics.

During the preparation workshop, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of FBC, Professor Kelleh Gbawuru Mansaray, conveyed the Vice Chancellor of USL’s message of excitement and collaborative commitment towards the project, noting that the Vice-Chancellor was avoidably absent from the meeting.

Prof. Mansaray further stated that, as the host college of the project, FBC will ensure the creation of an enabling platform to achieve the desired outcomes.

The Agiamondo FBC Civil Peace Service Project is a three-year programme running from 2024 to 2027 with an option for extension.

The concept of the project was reportedly designedcollaboratively by Agiamondaand FBC to address specific areas such as conflicts among students and student clubs, sexual harassment and other forms of harassment, conflicts between students and college staff, trauma and mental health issues affecting both students and staff, and drug abuse.

Maximillian Vogt, the Agiamondo Civil Peace Coordinator in Sierra Leone, expressed the organisation’s happiness in collaborating with USL in an effort toestablish itself as a hub of harmony and progress.

Mr. Vogt also stated that, in collaboration with FBC, Agiamondo has recruited a Civil Peace Service (CPS)Worker, Elise Mckenzie, to work with the It was reported that Elise is an Australian with a Master’s Degree in Mental Health from the University of Queensland and a Bachelor’s Degree inApplied Sciences (Psychology) with Honours from the Melbourne Institute of Technology.

She is also reported to have over 10 years of experience providing mental health andpsychological support (MHPSS), case management, and advocacy to a diverse range of client groups, including children, adolescents, adults, and families in various settings. She is expected to arrive in Sierra Leone on Tuesday , 29th October, 2024, and will be integrated into the daily operations of the college, with an office space allocated to her on campus.

The office space is set to be named “Kolat Senta” which means “Peace Centre” in English.It was also noted that the financial obligations for the CPS worker’s contract, along with allother project-related expenses, will be funded by the Agiamondo German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development(BMZ) funding programme.