Project: Soccer 2014

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Nathan Cotton (Neuroscience) also worked with Kwabena Kokroko and other youth soccer coordinators in the district to distribute soccer equipment donated by the Columbus Crew and the OSU Men’s Soccer Club to high school and youth soccer programs in the district. Nathan also worked with local soccer coaches to map the location of soccer fields in the district to assist them in coordinating their soccer games for the creation of a district-wide league. Nathan is developing a marketing proposal to help raise funds for the league’s creation.

2015 Program Information

Ghana Sustainable Change is excited to announce to you our spring plan for 2015:

The program will hold its Spring Semester 2015 studio class this year to develop and continue work on projects for implementation in the Offinso North District of Ghana. The upcoming class will be a mixture of City and Regional Planning graduate and undergraduate students.

Due to a number of combined circumstances, the travel section of our program has been rescheduled to spring break 2016. Students involved in the 2015 studio class will be encouraged to join the spring 2016 trip to Ghana. They will also have the option to enroll in the 2016 spring studio class to continue work on their projects.

A new spring studio component in 2016 will allow students from other disciplines to join the class as an independent study or as an abbreviated workshop. This will allow interdisciplinary collaboration without constraining students outside of CRP to six credit hours of CRP credit. We believe this combination will be the best of all worlds: incentivizing interdisciplinary collaboration by being sensitive to the busy academic schedules of potential students, and ensuring a strong foundation of the program in City and Regional planning by formulating the class as a studio course for CRP students.

We have more announcements on the horizon, look for a winter newsletter near the first of the year!

Most importantly, we thank you for your interest, support, and participation in the Ghana Sustainable Change program and mission.

Project: HAVEN-Afrancho 2014

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Andrew Crozier (CRP), alongside ONDA Town and Country Planning staff members Slyvester and Akwasi, expanded the GSC’s HAVEN survey, an assessment (started in 2012 and expanded in 2013) of demographics, water and energy access and housing inventories of over 50 homes, to the community of Afrancho. Andrew plans to expand upon the research started here in collaboration with Danny Berghoff to update the GIS map to incorporate all GIS data points collect in the district since 2011.

Project: Wellbox 2014

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Lauren Michlitsch (Sociology) and Nathan Cotton (Neuroscience) expanded the WellBox Initiative, a previous GSC effort to develop a small, female-owned business that sells health products at a low cost to families in the district. Lauren and Nathan joined 2013 WellBox team member and ONDA Information Services staff member Rahmat Ndego and Ghana National Service Personnel member Hussein Suleman to evaluate prices, consumer preferences and identify the market potential for health care goods in the district. The team is confident that with Ms. Ndego’s leadership and proper coordination with suppliers this program could become a sustainable business.

Project: Shared Shelter Settlements 2014

Shared Shelter sample layoutChloe Greene (CRP) and Kobby Agyekum (Architecture) worked with the ONDA’s Engineering Department Anning Samuel through the ONDA’s Shared Shelter Settlements project to engage community residents in financial literacy training, partner with a local bank, and assist in the development of moderate and low income housing designs in the district. Chloe and Kobby concluded that the project has enormous potential and with land acquired and set forth for development, they are optimistic that their designs and programs could be put into application within the next year.

2014 Trip Recap

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You’re Looking At Royalty!

10 Ohio State University students, pursuing degrees in City & Regional Planning, Architecture, Public Health, Sociology, Electrical Engineering, and Neuroscience, participated in City & Regional Planning’s Ghana Sustainable Change program, serving in Ghana between May 9 and 24. Six teams of students partnered with the Offinso North District Assembly and other community partners on a diverse set of development projects.

What Sustainable Change Will You Make?

ghanaaward2-300x250-1In GSC there are so many opportunities to create projects and help the Offinso North District develop sustainably. You choose your project based on their expressed needs and your interests. Think someone had a great idea going? You can also continue with an ongoing project!