GhScientific receives £87,000 funding to promote science education in Ghana

GhScientific, a science-based non-governmental organization has received a £87,600 funding support from Wellcome as part of the newly launched Wellcome Engagement Fund.

The fund is to embark on a project dubbed, “Evolution of science in Ghana (Past, Present, Future).”

The project is a 30 months long partnership project between scientist and artists to capture how scientific and medical research has evolved between 1957 – 2017 and the impact on our society.

As part of the project, local artists will be paired with scientists to bring the research journey to life via paintings, sculpture, and photography.

The project will be used as an outreach and engagement tool to provoke conversations as well as an appreciation of scientific and medical research in Ghana.

Final exhibits will tour all regions across the country and will be accompanied by community-led open discussions, lectures, and debates.

GhScientific has previously received an international engagement grant from Wellcome for an 18 month “Shaping Healthy Attitudes and Protecting the Environment (SHAPE)” – Project.

That project brought together junior high schools students, university students, and professionals to work towards developing innovative solutions to health challenges in their community.

Trustee of GhScientific, Dr. Patrick Kobina Arthur, said; “This project is vital in bringing to the fore the contributions that Ghanaians have made towards scientific knowledge and the need to continue to contribute our unique perspectives to the global body of knowledge. I hope that we will be able to explore the scientific principles in indigenous knowledge and systems to help bring them into formal context for the wide world to benefit.

Acknowledging the Ghanaian contributions to global knowledge has become increasingly important in a world where storytelling is dominant.

Dr. Patrick Kobina Arthur went on to say “Indigenous scientific principles such as the use of herbal medicine and the use of fractal geometry in building villages as well as some traditional games (e.g. Oware).

Other activities such as the astronomical knowledge systems used by some sea-going Ghanaians, there is so much to learn and tell.”

GhScientific launched in 2014 as an organization with a focus on building capacity in Science, through outreach and public engagement. Over the years, the organization has run multiple projects across all education tiers, training programs, and community events. Recently partnering to run the first Africa Science Week in Ghana.

Hephzi Tagoe, the founding director of GhScientific said, “We are really pleased with this news. Medical research in Ghana has made significant progress and in documenting our history it is important that this journey is not lost and that the community feel a part of the research. The collections from this project are one way of ensuring just that”.

The Wellcome engagement fund launched in March 2018 with a tighter focus on outcomes and impact of projects.

GhScientifc will be partnering with The Nana Project, The Ghana Academy of Arts and Science, Researchers across universities, local artists and Ano Ghana to execute the project.

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By: citinewsroom.com/Ghana

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