Mayor Mrs. Sunkarie Kabba-Kamara being shown the new maps.

Delivering the architectural maps and designs to the Mayor of Makeni City, Her Worship Mrs. Sunkarie Kabba-Kamara on behalf of the two collaborating institutions, the head of team from San Pablo University, Professor Luis Perea Moreno stated, it is their wish (UniMak and San Pablo University) to guide the present and future growth of the city of Makeni by striking a careful balance between residential, commercial, recreational, and institutional needs.
Professor Luis Perea Moreno disclosed that the architectural maps and designs presented to the Mayor of Makeni City are to assist the council to have updated maps and designs so as to help facilitate proper planning of the city of Makeni, noting that as planners of the city they are to make the best use of the community’s resources, solve current community problems, and protect important physical and geographical landmarks, while considering how the future needs of a city will fit in.
Receiving the architectural maps on behalf of the City Council of Makeni, Her Worship the Mayor maintained that the process of planning usually begins with planners collecting and analyzing data about every aspect of a city which she noted as an important aspect of the study that San Pablo University in Spain in collaboration with UniMak have done. These drawings and maps she stated will help map out strategies on several challenges of the council in addressing problems like traffic congestion, air, water, and soil pollution, ecological preservation, and infrastructure. The Makeni City Council the Mayor explained is currently analyzing street and highway capacity, location and capacity of water and sewer lines, public schools, libraries, cultural sites, and so on. The Mayor expressed her sincere thanks and appreciation to UniMak and San Pablo University for updating the city plans and making the maps available to the council. She appealed for more support toward this direction.
In his brief remarks on behalf of UniMak, the Acting Vice Chancellor, Rev. Prof. Joseph A. Turay underscored the cordial relationship between UniMak and San Pablo University in Spain noting their effort in promoting quality tertiary education in this part of the country through exchange and internship programmes.
Rev. Prof. Joseph Turay disclosed that UniMak in Collaboration with San Pablo University in Spain will organize a day working in July together with the Makeni City Council to map out strategies that are geared towards urban planning where action plans will be drawn up  for a better urban planning programme for the city of Makeni.
The Acting Vice Chancellor pledged their support to the Makeni City Council in the areas of capacity building for their staff whenever the need arise.
The handing over ceremony was also witnessed by several dignitaries from the MCC and UniMak including the Deputy Mayor, Isatu Fornah, The Chief Administrator and Deputy, the Development and Planning officer of MCC.

The new auditorium on Fatima campus is nearing completion.

He told the graduands: “On this day we gather to celebrate their achievements and to congratulate you our graduands who will carry on this legacy, this precious gift, this noble idea passed from generation to generation. This is the journey you are asked to continue, with the task to carry on the search for truth in all fields of knowledge;  to continue the dialogue of faith and reason, and to build a civilization of love.”

Read the full Vice Chancellor’s address, for an account of all the progress and exciting developments at UNIMAK.

This event further enhanced another successful academic year at the university, where the student population has reached one thousand and fourteen.

In his brief synopsis of the Affiliation Agreement, the Director of Human Resource for UNIMAK, Mac Jiba, noted that as INEACE-SL is growing in size and scope as an institution offering a wider range of courses, UNIMAK is going to share her experience and expertise of trying to build a reputable and credible tertiary education institution from small beginnings. He further maintained that by fostering collaboration between UNIMAK Staff and those of INEACE-SL, they hope to learn from each other. In the long term he said, UNIMAK hopes to support INEACE with the process of accreditation by the Tertiary Education Commission as an independent tertiary education institution.

Commissioner Stephen Aiah Mattia in his statement on behalf INEACE-SL Board explained that the INEACE-SL programme was designed to provide the Sierra Leonean public and other nationals with in-depth knowledge of basic electoral processes, and civic education skills. He further explained that INEACE –SL is aimed at developing and enhancing the capabilities of individuals, organisations, institutions and communities to transform their perceptions of democratic processes and elections in Sierra Leone.

follow this link to read the full press release

Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella, UNIDO Director-General

On 11th October 2012, the Director General of United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella, chaired, through video conference, a Round Table on Social Responsibility urging the heads of the attending companies to join in the fight for Sustainable Development especially in Sierra Leone. The occasion was the Annual PET DAY hosted by Global Service International s.r.l, Mother Company of the Saint Lawrence Foundation Onlus, at the Artimino Villa near Florence (Italy) and attracted many large business owners and managers. Dr Yumkella maintained that, mainstreaming Sustainable Development backed up by Corporate Social Responsibility should be the new business paradigm, that will ensure there is more food availability to meet the challenges of the growing world population. He added that resource efficiency is affecting agricultural productivity and underlined the need of optimising the use of water in industry to reduce aqua pollution and land degradation. The new business model should be socially responsible and environmentally sustainable. Being socially responsible means that the company’s activities should benefit the society, and environmentally sustainable means that these activities should not harm the environment and exploit people.

Mr Francesco Zanchi, CEO of Global Service International, and founder of the Saint Lawrence Foundation

Mr. Francesco Zanchi, Chief Executive Officer of Global Service International, and founder of Saint Lawrence Foundation Onlus, pointed out that that the Foundation was established for supporting the University of Makeni and, through it, helping the growth of local communities.

He also highlighted the need for promoting Social Entrepreneurship. Not only charity but, above all, an intervention that can make Sierra Leoneans benefit from young and well-motivated leaders and managers able to work for the sake of their people, and to attract those foreign investments coming to the country with a sincere view of eradicating people’s poverty.

The speech of Bishop George Biguzzi was also especially appreciated by the audience and by Mr. Yumkella.

Other panelists at the round table discussions were:
Paolo Mazzotto – Fondazione BNL
Stefano Bocchi – Università di Milano
Mario Molteni – ALTIS Università Cattolica
Gianfranco De Martini – De Martini SPA

All of them brought to the audience their witness and encouragement to make a practice of Social Responsibility, and reported what they are doing and intend to do to support the Saint Lawrence Foundation’s mission.

———————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————————- Footnote:

Five days after this Round Table event, Sierra Leonean Dr. Yumkella received the 2012 Global Leadership Award in New York. The prestigious international award was presented to Yumkella in recognition of his work on advancing sustainable energy for all, poverty reduction, the Millennium Development Goals and efforts to reduce the impact of climate change.

The Global Leadership Award, presented annually by the United Nations Foundation (UNF) and the United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA), salutes leaders from a variety of sectors for their global leadership and support for the UN. The year’s Global Leadership awardees also included the Nobel Peace Prize winner, Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Variety, the entertainment industry magazine; and Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, Special Rapporteur on Syria and a leading UN independent human rights expert.

 Dr Yumkella received his first degree, B.Sc. Division One (Cum Laude) in General Agriculture, from Njala University College, Sierra Leone in 1982.

The defined role of this new Office is to undertake affiliation and quality assurance in the context of national tertiary education legislation, policy guidelines, and UNIMAK‘s mission, goals and pertinent strategic objectives. Professor Dr. Sue Cutter has been appointed as the Director of the Office of Affiliation and Quality Assurance( OAQA)

UNIMAK will offer affiliation in the short and medium terms to credible institutions offering programmes and courses in fields related to those offered by UNIMAK and will  accompany affiliated institutions to the point of full accreditation by the Sierra Leone Tertiary Education Commission.

Dr Bidema Carrol

The Office of Affiliation and Quality Assurance will support the efforts of UNIMAK‘s own faculties and departments to achieve their aims, objectives and targets within UNIMAK‘s strategic framework, to provide quality education and to model the academic excellence expected from affiliated institutions.

To kickstart the operations of the office, a Colloquium on Quality in Tertiary Education was held for two days for academic staff of UNIMAK. The key note presentation was delivered by Dr. Bidema Carrol, World Bank Human Development Specialist, on Quality Assurance in Higher Education.

• UNIMAK was runner up in the Tertiary Academic Institution of the Year category,
• Benedict Jalloh, Unimak’s Head of Law Faculty, was a nominee for Legal Practitioner of the Year

The National Achievement Awards is an annual event undertaken by AWOL to honour deserving individuals and organizations who are contributing their talents for the enhancement of the common good. Over the years, AWOL has presented awards to a wide range of citizens and institutions, starting from the market woman selling her wares in a common market to performing institutions such as the National Revenue Authority. The NAAs will hopefully contribute to bringing to the fore hardworking Sierra Leoneans, businesses, and public institutions that can serve as inspiration to others.

The NAAs will continue to maintain its reputation as the most fair, transparent and credible national awards scheme ever held in Sierra Leone. AWOL’s primary vision is to complement the efforts of government in nation building.

GIZ operates in more than 130 countries worldwide and employs approximately 17,000 staff members worldwide, more than 60 % of whom are local personnel. In its work it takes account of political, economic, social and ecological dimensions as it supports its partners at local, regional, national and international level in negotiating solutions in the broader social context. It operates in many fields including:

• economic development and employment,
• governance and democracy,
• security and peace building,
• reconstruction and civil conflict transformation,
• food security, health and basic education as well as
• environmental protection, resource conservation and climate change mitigation.