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The Association's principal objective is "to improve and advance the
education and welfare of the Sierra Leone Community and in particular members
(past and present) of the Prince of Wales School".
Donations to the
Organisation's work are welcome at all times, and gratefully acknowledged.
The Old Prince Waleans Association is an Alumni Association
that was established to promote education, cultural diversity and the welfare of
the present and past pupils of the Prince of Wales School in Sierra Leone. The
School was founded on 6 April 1925 by Prince Edward for the benefit of children
in Sierra Leone who do not wish to be educated in missionary schools. The school
is non-denominational, although pupils are encouraged to practice the two
dominant religions in Sierra Leone (i.e. Christianity and Islam).
The association was formed in 1985 to support ex-pupils in
UK and Ireland and present day pupils in Sierra Leone. The school has produced
many prominent world citizens who have served the British Parliament, the Royal
Air Force, the United Nations, the Commonwealth Secretariat and various public
and private sector organisations in the UK and elsewhere in the developed
world.
Funding Source
The association is funded through membership subscriptions
and gift aid from supporters and educational institutions in UK. Owing to the
prolonged civil war in Sierra Leone, the association has experienced
difficulties in raising funds thus the low levels of contribution from members.
Furthermore, the war has disrupted educational activities in Sierra Leone and
some members have opted to provide relief for their immediate relatives as a
matter of priority. With the election of a new Government in Sierra Leone and
the resumption of proper educational activities, the members are now facing the
challenge of restoring the association’s finances and raising much needed funds
for the school. We are even contemplating hiring a professional fund-raising
consultant.
Charitable Activities
The association organises social activities for members and
their immediate friends and families to raise funds for the school. We also
collaborate with other Sierra Leonean Alumni Associations to raise funds for the
school. One such activity is the annual Alumni football competition held in
south London during the May bank holiday. The event is usually attended by
nearly 3,000 Sierra Leoneans and presents opportunities for cultural exchange,
social contacts and networking. The Association is currently looking for
corporate sponsorship for next year’s event.
In line with our charitable objectives, the association
also contributes to the promotion of education and cultural activities of Sierra
Leoneans at home and abroad. It is for this reason that we organise an annual
debate focusing on issues such as social development, ethnicity, equality and
youth development. The debate usually attracts prominent Africans in the UK who
are always willing to make charitable donations. Our other main events include
annual Thanksgiving service, cultural promotional activities and fun days for
children of members who were born in the UK.
Link with the School
The association has held several meetings with the current
Principal of the school, Mrs. Millicent Ogoo, to discuss future fundraising and development priorities. Mrs. Ogoo
has given several briefings on the administration and management of the school
following the resumption of educational activities in Sierra Leone almost 18
months ago. She has made a plea for assistance and the association is currently
raising funds to buy scientific equipment for the school lab. Other priorities
include books for the library, sports equipment and support for information
technology development for senior pupils.
The association has developed a web site and has agreed to
meet the cost of linking the school to the World Wide Web in order to
facilitate communications between pupils, teachers, parents and the Board of
Governors. The site will also contain information about historical activities
in the school and Sierra Leone, educational research and business development
opportunities for members and their associates.
Administration
The Following members have agreed to serve as Trustees for
the next three years:
Victor Mengot Chair of Trustees (Transportation &
International Development Specialist)
Mr. Titus Boye-Thompson (Economist and Chief Executive of
Ethnic Business Development Corporations)
Dr. Kayode Robbin-Coker (Educationist and Part time
Inspector of Schools in the UK)
Mr. Roland Davies (Chartered Environment and Waste
Management Engineer)
Dr. Lucien Turay (Molecular Biologist)
Mr. Edmund Pratt( Art Teacher and Computer Technician)
Mr S E Robbin-Coker (Specialist in Community Development
and Health Education)
Mr. M O L Black (Retired
Prof'l. & Tech. Offficer PSA)
Mr Ivor Cummings John (Marketing and Housing Specialist)
Mr Coleridge Toks Taylor (Marine Engineer and
Shipping/Freight Forwarding Executive)
Mr. Seton During (Marine/Electrical Engineer)
Mr Michael Vincent (Mechanical Engineer)
The new Trustees will be reviewing the association’s
activities with the aim of developing a framework document for project
development and networking with Old Prince Waleans worldwide.
Conclusion & Acknowledgement
The re-constituted association has pledged to improve the
management and finance of the organisation and to maintain constant link with
the school. The new web site will hopefully improve communications with members,
sponsors and supporters and promote learning among members and present day
pupils of the school.
On behalf of the Trustees and members, may I take this
opportunity to thank all those who have assisted our school in particular and
Sierra Leone in general. Our special thanks go to the British Government for
their financial and moral support during our time of need. Finally, we would
wish to thank the people of Britain for their tolerance and support to all
Sierra Leoneans who have been provided refuge in Britain during the last 10
years of civil unrest in our country.
Victor Mengot
Chair of
Trustees 22 May 2002
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