email: contact@engineersforchange-sl.org

Projects and Appeals

In the Engineers for Change (Sierra Leone), 5-year Business Plan, some key projects have been identified in consultation with the University of Sierra Leone (USL) and the Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers (SLIE). The projects include:

  1. providing support for the university mining engineering department with IT and other technical and advanced software and equipment.
  2. replacing the civil engineering and soil mechanics laboratory with equipment from UK universities and other organisations seeking to replace or upgrade their existing equipment.
  3. developing and stocking the SLIE resource centre with engineering and technical books and other basic student support equipment, in collaboration with SLIE, USL and the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE).

Key Appeals & Projects

Mining in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is blessed with rich mineral resources and has been experiencing a resurgence in the mining sector since the civil war ended in 2000. Mining activity has intensified in several parts of the country with proceeds from mining making a significant contribution to the nation’s economy. However, due to the shortage of mining professionals, Sierra Leoneans are having limited access to the job opportunities being created in this sector.

To address this shortage of qualified mining engineers, Fourah Bay College (FBC) part of the University of Sierra Leone has established a Department of Mining Engineering to train engineers in mining at an undergraduate level. The University in association with the School of Mines in Ghana has sponsored the training of mining engineering lecturers to teach the course which is in its second year. The plan is to introduce the third year curriculum in the next academic year but there are some constraints with computers and essential mine planning software that the lecturers consider critical for effective teaching.

 

University of Sierra Leone – Mining Engineering Department Appeal

EfCSL aims to raise funds to support the university in two stages. The stage two plan is to provide other essential equipment for the Department of MiningEngineering to allow more students access to computer equipment and software.

The breakdown of items include:

8 high specification computers £16,000
Software upgrade £3,000
Shipping £1,000
Total £20,000

 

Civil/ Other Engineering Laboratory Equipment

Laboratory equipment at the engineering departments at the University are obsolete and have not been functional for several years, and as a result engineering students are not exposed to practical laboratory experiments to reinforce their learning and to demonstrate core concepts.

In order to assist in this area, we plan to either fund replacement equipment or obtain donations from educational institutions or companies seeking to upgrade similar laboratory equipment.

Our initial estimate of the cost of replacing standard educational civil and geotechnical laboratory equipment in the order of £100,000 – £150,000

 

SLIE/ FBC Resource Centre

The SLIE has plans to develop a Resource Centre for practising professional engineers and students to have access to a reference library and other training and professional development facilities. Engineers for Change (Sierra Leone) is proposing to offer practical support in resourcing centre.

The precise detail of area where support is to be provided is being developed with SLIE but could include equipping the Centre’s reference library with book donations from UK institutions and providing funding to furnish the centre.

Should you wish to support any of these projects financially, you can use the PayPal option below or via Bank Transfer (details below).

Donations via PayPal

 

Donations via Bank transfer

Donations can be made at any UK bank to Sort Code 08-92-99 and Account Number 65563485 at the Co-operative Bank.

From outside the UK to IBAN: GB05CPBK 08929965563485, Bank Identification Code: CPBKGB22.

For all payments please quote: FBC – M.E.D Appeal (donor name)