Two students from the Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science; Mr. Emmanuel Nii Djan Ashiley (Level 400)and Miss Deborah Nketsiah (Level 200) have won a $1,000 grant to embark on an environmental sustainability project.
These ecopreneurs acquired the funding and support with respect to a project idea they incubated when they took part in a 7-month training to pitch their project with their teammates from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology; Mr. Robert Yadama Laar and Miss Emilia Konadu Kyeremeh, and colleagues from other universities in Ghana. Their project focused on Clean Coal production, with the aim of tackling deforestation activities which potentially lead to the destruction of ecosystems and habits in Ghana.
This project dated back to November 2022, when Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO), a youth-led gender-balanced advocacy group that focuses largely on environmental sustainability and community improvement in conjunction with 10 Billion Strong, a leadership development organization focused on environmental sustainability embarked on a project to equip youth entrepreneurs with leadership skills, capacity building and an avenue to develop project ideas that are environmentally friendly.
10 Billion Strong in collaboration with Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) organized a conference dubbed “Developing Youth Ecopreneurs Project (DYEP) 2023 Ghana” on June 24, 2023, at the Conference Hall of the Institute of Statistics, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana, to assist the first cohort of ecopreneurs to pitch their ideas, form networks and to empower these environmental leaders as well.
Some final-year students from DACS present to support their colleagues
The objective of their project was to sensitize communities about the importance and benefits of using clean coal (Bricket Charcoal) for cooking and other related activities. These ecopreneurs realized the over-heavy dependence of the majority of the Ghanaian populace on the use of charcoal for cooking activities. With the introduction of Bricket Charcoal, they stand to make some profits whiles protecting the environment when the populace is well-educated on the importance and benefits of using their clean coal.
10 billion strong proudly presented one thousand US dollars ($1000) to each of the four groups who participated in this wonderful project of developing youth ecopreneurs.
Present at the conference were some final-year students from DACS.
