Project 1808, Inc

I had the distinguished pleasure to visit Kalamazoo Valley Community College (KVCC), Kalamazoo, Michigan, where I met President President L. Marshall Washington and Vice President Paige Eagan-Beck. President Washington and I signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between KVCC and my institution Koinadugu College (KC), Kabala, Sierra Leone. KVCC’s deep rooted community engagement with the Kalamazoo community and model of experiential learning aligns with the mission and vision of KC and Project 1808, for the greater Kabala community. This MoU between our institutions will ensure deeper cooperation and capacity building at all levels, disciplines, and functions. I am particularly thrilled about our cooperation on food systems innovation and health, that will enhance food security, well-being and community restoration in Koinadugu and beyond. Many thanks to @Paige Eagan for facilitating this incredible visit and to my colleague Dr. Susan Balmes of Lake Michigan College and Koinadugu College for accompanying me to Kalamazoo.

Sixty-three years later, we are as dependent as ever; dependent mentally, psychologically, socially, economically, politically, scientifically, technologically, and in all things considered. Is it Happy free dependence day? Are we as a country Sierra Leone free, politically, economically, and culturally?? Reflections on 63 Years of Sierra Leone’s ‘Independence’ – Between Quest for Nationhood and Free Dependence ——— *In the last 30 years of the 63 years of "Independence", we have become the land of survivors or rather the bland simulacrum of desolate living standards. Yes oh, War Survivors, Ebola Survivors, Landslide Survivors, EDSA Blackout Survivors, Kush Survivors, Tollgate Survivors, Covid19 Survivors, Austerity Survivors, Timber logging Survivors, Wealth Builder Survivors, Super Advertis Survivors, Flood Survivors, August 10 Survivors, Tombo Survivors, Makeni Survivors, Lunsar Survivors, November 26 Survivors, Okada Survivors, WASSCE Survivors, College Survivors, Prayer/Evangelical Survivors, CSO/NGO Survivors, Ramadan Survivors, No Job Survivors, Job Low Pay Beggar Beggar Survivors, Trafficking or Kuwait Survivors, Suck Air Survivors, Beggar Beggar Survivors, Political Rally Survivors, Police Brutality Survivors, Foreign Debt Survivors, Land Scam Survivors, Gender-based Violene Survivors, Workshop Survivors, Temple Run Survivors, Inflation Survivors, Laybelleh Survivors, Congosa Survivors, Fake Degrees Survivors, and All Things Considered Survivors, and so on.* https://lnkd.in/dYJxKb8i

#Kush or drug substance abuse epidemic in Sierra Leone amidst poverty, despair, and daily structural violence is a dangerous mix, where each factor drives the other in a cyclical manner. Unresolved, the health care system risk being overwhelmed from drug substance induced malignancies, including mental health. Crime, violence and insecurity are additional end results of unresolved drug or substance abuse epidemic. As in road traffic accidents, another menace to our society, the burden on government from long term rehabilitation and loss of productivity is high. A holistic solution to the substance abuse epidemic requires honest and sincere multi sectoral conversation, collaboration and coordination. As a research scientist, my team is seeking to do toxicological characterization of the drug substances, understand their prevalence and the social drivers associated with their use. The fight against Kush or substance abuse is a fight for the future of our youths and society.

As Managing Editor of the Sierra Leone Journal of Biomedical Research (SLJBR), it was a pleasure to convene our third scientific manuscript author writing workshop in Makeni City, Sierra Leone, March 15-16th, 2024. The interactive two days workshop brought researchers from all major Universities in Sierra Leone. The workshop was highly productive, opened new opportunities and possibilities to promote research culture and evidence based approaches in Sierra Leone. Many thanks to African Journal Partnership Program (AJPP), Afenet SierraLeone and all our amazing colleagues for the support and great facilitation of sessions. The participants truly enjoyed the practical sessions.

*Welcome to Engineering and Innovation Lab at Project 1808 National Science and Leadership Festival #SciLead2024, Kabala, Sierra Leone, January 11-14, 2024*. From the basic science and mathematics principles to the applied, engineering provides solutions to a wide range of industries like medicine, space, entertainment, transport, food, media, environment, and so on. At Project 1808, Inc., we teach, visualize it together, create together, learn to question things, and how to innovate around it. We are building next generation of engineers, innovators, leaders, technical and thought leaders. Many thanks to our facilitators from MEER Earth and Lake Michigan College . #Project1808 #ScienceandLeadershipFest2024 #Engineering #Innovation #TechnicalExcellence #Leadership #entrepreneurship #BiomedicalEngineering #EnvironmentalEngineering #ComputerEngineering #FoodEngineering #CivilEngineering

*Welcome to the Environmental Science, Climate Change, Adaptation and Conservation station at Project 1808, Inc. 7th National Science and Leadership Festival, #SciLead2024, January 11-14, Kabala, Sierra Leone*. Outdoors, underneath the trees, facilitators from Outamba-Kilimi National Park (#OKNP), Pan Verus Project, and Biological Sciences at Fourah Bay College, engage participants in interactive sessions on local environmental issues from deforestation, climate change to zoonotic disease spillover. Facilitators and participants mapped out the Socio-cultural drivers and risk factors for the various environmental issues. Many thanks to our amazing facilitators and support from #OKNP and Pan Verus Project for the interactive experiential learning on environment and conservation. #scienceandleadershipfestival2024 #Project1808 #EnvironmentalScience #Conservation #ClimateChange #ClimateAdaptation #Panverus #Leadership #Entrepreneur #Biodversity #ZoonoticDiseases #Sustainability #GenderEquity #FoodSecurity