This page is for the winter break & spring programs at Njala University, Sierra Leone, sponsored by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
The University of Illinois offers unique opportunities for students to study abroad in West Africa. Our programs are affiliated with Njala University in Sierra Leone. They offer hands-on experiences with international development practice and authentic engagement with the vibrant Sierra Leonean culture.
01/09/2023
Meeting with Dr Paul Ngegba and colleagues from the Extension Department at Njala University and University of Illinois students. Jingru Jia (ACE PhD student) is conducting a study of the willingness to pay for improved crop storage bags in Sierra Leone. We are working on the survey here and reviewing the field experiment.
01/07/2023
So nice to meet up with Dr Kandeh Yumkella (U of Illinois ACE PhD alum and leading Sierra Leonean politician -- in blue below in lower picture) and Dr Tom Roberts (expert on international agricultural development and rural development) in Freetown
01/06/2023
Learning about an agroforestry approach to improving the agriculture in upland ecologies from Steven Mansaray and his team at PAD SL and Rory's Well. We had a great time in their village.
01/05/2023
At Tiwai Island and the village of Naiagorehun near Potoru with the ACES in Sierra Leone group
01/03/2023
Stopping at Moyamba Junction for a little mid-day chop
01/03/2023
Illinois students at the market at Waterloo Junction on our way to Tiwai Island this morning.
01/03/2023
Enjoying Big Beach at Banana Island, Western Area, Sierra Leone on January 2, 2023.
04/14/2022
Put Adventure into your education by studying abroad in West Africa with Illinois in Sierra Leone. Pursue a life changing experience and work to build your career in sustainability, economic and agricultural development, food security, health and nutrition, natural resources management, social entrepreneurship, and community development. Check out studying abroad with Illinois in Sierra Leone. Search Sierra Leone on studyabroad.illinois.edu and check out our Winter Break and Semester Long opportunities.
12/01/2021
Study Abroad in the Galapagos (Summer 2022) or in Sierra Leone, West Africa (Winter Break 2023 or Spring Semester 2023). Information session this week Thursday December 2, 2021 at 4pm in the Heritage Room, ACES Library, University of Illinois. Pizza provided. Learn about life changing experiences and career building opportunities in sustainability, economic and agricultural development, food systems, global health and nutrition, natural resources management, eco-tourism, and community development. Illinois in Sierra Leone, ACES Study Abroad, AgReach Abroad at the University of Ilinois.
09/08/2021
Join Illinois in Sierra Leone on a semester long study abroad experience of a lifetime. Learn more at www.studyabroad.illinois.edu and search for Sierra Leone
08/06/2021
Such nice memories of this field trip with Njala U and I of Illinois students at cocoa farms near Segbwema.
Meet Dr. Paul McNamara. His current activities focus on using tools from applied economics to address challenging issues around poverty, access to resources and opportunities, and health and nutrition. Moreover, he is the Founder and Director of AgReach. The AgReach team is engaged in multiple countries to help solve the problem of how to meet the needs of smallholder farmers for extension services in ways that are financially sustainable, that incorporate farmers’ voices, that help link farmers into market opportunities, that reach women farmers as well as men, and that solve the most pressing farmer challenges. Learn more about Dr. McNamara and AgReach: https://agreach.illinois.edu/who-we-are/our-team
02/07/2020
Illinois in Sierra Leone Semester Long Study Abroad students learn about artisanal palm oil production in Southern Sierra Leone near the Gola Forest in January 2020