In terms of fundraising challenges, it’s hard to get more gruelling – or spectacular – than taking on one of the highest mountains on Earth. But that’s exactly what Janet and Akeem took on in September 2023, as they climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for Sierra Leone Grammar School (SLGS). As the highest peak in Africa, standing at some 5869m tall, reaching the peak is a truly breathtaking feat
Based in the UK, Akeem says his decision to support the ongoing transformation of SLGS was built on his grandfather’s proud connection to the school as an alumni and part of the SLGS Old Boys Association.
As Akeem puts it:
“We are fundraising for Sierra Leone Grammar School, an educational institution that gave my grandad, Reverend Ernest Prince Nicol, his secondary schooling in Sierra Leone before he left for the UK.
All of the money raised will go towards the renovation of the School, equipment and technology investment.
My Grandad went to this school, starting his studies there in 1938. It is an honor for me to raise funds for a school that he studied at. This is a small way for me to give back and reconnect with the land my forefathers came from.“
Reverend Ernest Prince Nicol, class of 1938 Sierra Leone Grammar School
SLGS is the oldest educational institution in Sierra Leone, with a proud tradition of producing eminent legal, medical and political figures, as well as inspirational creatives. SLGS alumni have gone on to excel both regionally throughout West Africa and globally, and together have formed the SLGS OBA, a body of former students dedicated to giving back to the school, with arms in both the UK and US.
After a decade of civil war and the subsequent financial challenges, the school has been left in dire need of modification. Many of the facilities are outdated or in urgent need of repair – and thanks to the ongoing funding of the SLGS, work has already begun in restoring and upgrading the campus.
The money raised by Janet and Akeem’s conquest of Kilimanjaro will help SLGS embed world-class learning on site, developing a learning environment that does justice to the bright potential of our students and allows them to develop globally transferable skills
Your support directly funds the complete renovation of our science block, as well as the implementation of an ambitious new STEM program. Campus-wide WiFi, improved digital literacy and a renovated ICT lab are all newly installed at SLGS thanks to OBA funding, and with the addition of STEM learning, the next generation of tech innovators may well hail from West Africa.
