Introducing our Spot of the Month, a shining example of community-led education within our network. Ameyaw Spot was named Spot of the Month (July), for their active participation and dedication to creating the sustainable future that they want to see through education.

In light of their achievements, we sat down with Catalysts from the Spot to learn more. 

An overview of Ameyaw Spot 

Ameyaw is a school-based Spot, not open outside of school hours, situated in a suburb of Techiman called Pomaakrom. There are a cluster of schools that make up Ameyaw – specifically, three primary schools and two junior high schools. With a staff population of about 94, and a student population of over 1000, the schools at Ameyaw enable the area to have a large and diverse learning community. The Spot itself, located in the library of the Ameyaw School, was founded by Janet Owusuaa Karikari as a response to the minimal parental involvement she noticed in the educational development of students. Within the Spot there are about 120 active learners (with at least 30 registered learners in each EduSpots’ strand), and many more unregistered learners who also are able to benefit. The most popular programme is Ignite Equity, which teaches gender equity and empowerment, with more than 60 students as active members. Facilities and resources available to learners and Catalysts at Ameyaw Spot include books, tablets provided by EduSpots, as well as personal mobile phones, laptops and projectors. 

An introduction to the Catalysts at Ameyaw Spot 

Ameyaw benefits from many excellent Catalysts (comprising of teachers and community members) who volunteer their time to support the vision of EduSpots. Without them, the Spot would not be flourishing to the extent that it is. Whether driven by a sense of community or a love for teaching, Catalysts play a vital role in bringing about change. Ahenkan Joseph, a Catalyst in the EcoSTEM strand, expressed how he feels “inspired to be part of these changemakers”, whilst Janet Owusuaa Karikari stated how her “motivation lies in the students that we are teaching”. There is a positive, collaborative culture within the team at Ameyaw Spot. Emmanuel Mensah (a Catalyst for EcoSTEM) sums up the effect of the Spot on his own personal development as a teacher: “Before the introduction of the Spot, it was difficult to ask my fellow teacher for an explanation on a topic that I find difficult to teach, but because of how we share ideas and work together on our various challenges, now asking someone for clarification is normal”. 

The Catalysts at Ameyaw work towards a shared goal to help students fulfill their potential and become engaged citizens within their community, developing their confidence and problem-solving skills. 

A typical day at Ameyaw Spot 

Busy days at Ameyaw Spot are usually Mondays and Wednesdays. With all four strands active (Ignite Equity, EduLit, EduKidz and EcoSTEM), both learners and Catalysts alike are engaged. Essel Acquah John describes the environment as a bee hive, with “Catalysts busily hovering around [learners] providing necessary guidance and motivations”. 

Success stories at Ameyaw Spot 

There are many success stories at Ameyaw, contributing to its selection as Spot of the Month. Learners have improved their public speaking and levels of expression, as Regina Ankomah (a Catalyst working within the EduKidz strand) described: “Learners can now socialise positively and also confidently express themselves”. Catalysts also reflect on the positive experiences they have had volunteering at Ameyaw within the wider EduSpots network. Danso Kingsley says that he has found so much joy in investing in the collective well-being of others, as he has “learnt how to simplify seemingly complex activities as a result of our monthly Spot activities”. 

Perhaps one of their greatest success stories, Ameyaw Spot was among the first Spots within the wider network to create a successful business model as part of the Ignite Equity Sustainable Period Project. Pioneering social entrepreneurship, Ameyaw Spot developed a soap business in order to raise funds to sustain their period awareness initiative. As Janet Owusuaa Karikari states, “it has enabled us to provide more pads for our young ladies”, also adding that they have expanded to also produce “Parazone and after wash in addition to the liquid soap”.

Not only providing learners of all gender with valuable skills for their careers and later life, the initiative is a testament to the power of social change. Danso Kingsley (Catalyst working in the EcoSTEM Strand) described the instrumental impact of this project on the female learners themselves: “our young ladies who usually absented themselves from school during their periods are now present”. The project has also impacted the Catalysts themselves. For example, Agnes Tetteh (a Catalyst in the Ignite Equity strand) states that because of EduSpots and Ameyaw’s Sustainable Period Project, she has “learnt new ways of doing things and also how to produce [her] own liquid soap and after wash”. 

Ameyaw Spot also looks to make a positive impact within the local community. They are in particular working on a project to keep their Spot safe within the wider community, and do so by organising clean-up campaigns, talks and workshops. They have planned an informative safety awareness session on the topic ‘Abuse’, available to the public (Chiefs, parents, learners and other members of the local community). The local community is always involved in Spot activities and offer their unwavering support in EduSpots’s endeavours. 

Looking to the future

In the future, Ameyaw hopes to improve their facilities in order to enhance the educational experience of their learners. A photocopy machine would help to boost investment in their Sustainable Period Project, notes Ahenkan Joseph. Additionally, Janet Owusuaa Karikari notes how they have a limited library space to accommodate their growing student population: “Though our books are in the library, at times too there are a lot of activities going on in the library that prevent us from going there for any activity.” As such, learners and Catalysts alike look forward to an improved library space.

Final thoughts 

In conclusion, Ameyaw Spot is an exceptional example of the power of social change and volunteering for the greater good, demonstrated by their success stories and positive impact on the personal lives of their learners.