Download the 2011 Workshop Summary
Location: Accra, Ghana
Date: 2011 - 2019
Project partners: VPWA, Sabre Charitable Trust, UN-Habitat, Street Library Ghana, Global Mamas
Activities: Learning and Capacity Building/Socio Technical Support
Team: Ben Powell, Sophie Morley & Anthony Powis
Local Vs Global
The UN-Habitat housing profile outlined the housing crisis in Ghana in 2011. The vision for a modern globalised society is driving use of expensive and imported materials, turning their back on local construction in favour of western principles. The ASF-UK workshop explored the causes and effects of this, including social, economic and environmental challenges. The two week workshop gave participants time to understand the contact through research and participatory methodologies, then respond to this through developing propositions. Reflecting on the ways that livelihoods and better environmental could be achieves through sustainable and locally relevant methods, a range of alternative practices was developed. These proposals were expressed through documentation, posters and built prototypes. One outcome was a small seed bank building for a local farming initiative. A one day symposium was held in Accra to bring together important organisations in the field and raise awareness of the subject in the region. The workshop acted as a catalyst for the longer term initiatives of the partner organisations.
Rethinking Spaces of Production: Global Mamas Fair Trade Zone 2013-2019
The Global Mamas internship ran in 2013 to design a new fair trade garment production facility in Ghana, collaborating with architecture students through ASF-UK. Investigations were made into the production process, local building materials and discussions with the mamas. This project aimed to empower women through 200 jobs, while remaining environmentally sensitive.
Street Library Ghana 2013 - 2015
Street library is a way to target literacy rates in Ghana, with many children as old as 18 years being illiterate, and many not having access to books or libraries. In 2011, the project began as a car based mobile library, which has expanded with funding through Reach for Change and the Global Fund for Children. The mobile library makes weekly trips to remote communities and educates children through reading and mentoring. This is being expanded to Liberia, Mozambique and Cameroon.
Resilience by Design Workshop Accra 2015
Impact:
Two week workshop, symposium
