Bringing children at the centre of the preservation of old Fourah Bay College

Everything but their facial expression reminds us that the children were not happy about the state of affairs at old Fourah Bay College building at Cline town. If anything, they wanted it preserved for them and the next generation.

So when the consultants informed them that restoration works will soon start, their sorrow hastily gave way to excitement. They went into a frenzy not least because they would be able to tell the story of FBC to their children.

The creation of models of old FBC by pupils of Henry Fergusson Secondary School formed the high point of a workshop to support ‘ol Frobay Kolej for di tumara bambai.’

The event which took place on Monday March 21, 2022 at their Kennedy Street compound saw 25 pupils sweating their way out to design the models.

Facilitated by heritage architect, Aziza Chaouni and Dana Salama, the old FBC awareness raising and multi-stakeholder consultation process is part of the first phase of a projecr to restore old FBC.

The project is funded by the US Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation (AFCP) and jointly implemented by the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Afffairs, Monuments and Relics Commission and the World Monuments Fund.

Fourah Bay College is the first western-style university in sub-sahara Africa. The gigantic structure which housed the university in the 19th century was declared a national monument in 1955.

Education and Outreach Unit

Monuments and Relics Commission

96 Campbell Street

info@mrc.gov.sl

+23276387711