When Dr. Deborah Rose, President of the Helping Africa Foundation and Japhet Aryiku, Executive Director of the Helping Africa Foundation came to Ghana for the dedication of Lab 4 in May of 2019, they had an opportunity to meet with the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo at Jubilee House and brief him about the Yamoransa Model for Sustainable Development. Deborah and Japhet then offered to build a Center in a location of his choice, and without hesitation, he chose Kyebi, which is where he was from.
Kafui Prebbie of TechAide explains the Asanka device.
As the technical partner for the Yamoransa Model, TECHAiDE performed a needs assessment of the proposed site, and selected the J.B. Danquah Memorial Center. Huawei Ghana had built the facility as a humanitarian project for the President of Ghana. It consisted of an adult and child library space and a conference room that were empty as well as a 30 seat computer lab.
The computers in the lab did not have any educational software installed, and while there were network switches, there was no internet connectivity. The needs assessment team proposed upgrading the existing computers and adding a 40 seat EDULab.
The completed ICT Center at the J.B. Danquah Memorial Center in Kyebi is the most advanced Center to date, with 70 computers as well as a Maker Space with VR and Robotics and 3D printing equipment. The Center serves 10 schools, and some are at a considerable distance from the Center, so a transport system was included in the planning process. There is a bus that is equipped with a GPS tracking system that picks up the students from their local school and brings them to the Lab, and then after their computer lessons, takes them back to their schools.
The Center was officially dedicated on September 12, 2019. While the President of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo-Dankwa Akufo Ado was unable to attend, he nominated the Honorable Samuel Atta Akyea to represent him at the ceremony.
Also in attendance were members of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council, Abuakwa South Municipal Assembly, the Education Directorate, Kafuie Prebbie, CEO of TECHAiDE, Dr. Deborah Rose, President of the Helping Africa Foundation, Japhet Aryiku, Executive Director of the Helping Africa Foundation, Kwame Otchere, Ex Head of the AFS, Ghana and his wife Awo, and other dignitaries.
Other Lab Projects
