Speakers

Rebecca Ashley Asare

Rebecca Ashley Asare is the Director of Programs and Research at the Nature Conservation Research Centre (NCRC) in Accra, Ghana, and a Kinship Conservation Fellows (USA) faculty member. Rebecca is a continental leader in designing and implementing landscape approaches aimed at reducing deforestation, biodiversity conservation, reforestation, and fostering community-based natural resource management. She is an expert on cocoa farming systems and directs socio-ecological research on forest-agricultural landscapes. Rebecca effectively achieves impacts through research, collaborative processes, and integrated natural resource management approaches.

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Amongst her many projects, Rebecca leads the Kakum Sustainable Landscape Project in Ghana’s Central Region, which aims to reduce deforestation, develop landscape governance, and roll out climate-smart cocoa agroforestry in partnership with private-sector chocolate companies and government agencies. This landscape initiative is one of the Hotspot Intervention Areas (HIAs) under the Ghana Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme (GCFRP)—Africa’s first commodity-based program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation. From 2014-2017, Rebecca also spearheaded the team that designed the GCFRP and secured a commitment of US$ 50 million in performance-based payments from the World Bank’s Carbon Fund. Rebecca has a Ph.D. in Social Ecology from Yale University, a Master of Environmental Science (MESc) from Yale School of the Environmental, and a B.A. in political science and environmental studies from Colgate University. Over the past 25 years, Rebecca has lived and worked in more than 10 African countries, and in 2005, she made Ghana her home, where she is the mother of two confident ARIS daughters.

Yaz Meen

Yaz Meen, “the Golden Voice,” is also the daughter of legendary music producer Faisal Helwani. Upon discovering her unique talent, Faisal helped Yaz Meen launch her career when she was only 16 years old with her debut album “My Sunshine”, released in Ghana in 1996. Born Yasmeen Helwani to Faisal – a Ghanaian of Lebanese origin and a Ga mother, Yaz Meen has always presented a unique image. “It’s sometimes difficult for people to figure out my identity. That’s why I like to call myself a Planet Earth Person!” says Yaz Meen.

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Yaz Meen’s debut on stage was at 9 when she sang the national anthem at the then Accra Sports Stadium for the “Ayekoo Tsooboi” concert. She wrote her first song at 12 and recorded her self-written debut album by 16. Under Faisal Helwani’s and Bibini Music’s stewardship, Yasmeen released her 2nd album “Faith” and then “Memories” – A limited edition Afro Jazz fusion album. In the earlier stages of her career, she was known as Yasmeen Helwani. After she lost Waleed – her brother and guitarist, and then her father and manager Faisal, she left the music scene for a while. In 2012, she bounced back with her self-produced album “Music Messenger” featuring the hit song “Paddy” – A song that pays homepage to Yasmeen’s Ga heritage. Other songs on the album, like “Yellow Moon”, “Memory Lane”, and “Medication”, also gave audiences a new glimpse into Yaz Meen’s songwriting talent. She took another break from recording and performing to focus on her two young children and settle herself into family life, and it was at this point she re-introduced herself to the music scene as YAZ MEEN with her latest single, “How are You”. The single highlights Yaz Meen’s experience as a mixed-race person and was picked up by the BBC, shooting Yaz Meen further into fame. Despite all her success in music, Yaz Meen remains very grounded and engages with her community. She is passionate about community development through business empowerment. She founded a non-profit organization called “Green Butterfly” and pioneered the Green Butterfly Market – Ghana’s premier Artisan market held twice a month in Accra and quarterly at the Aburi Botanical Gardens. Green Butterfly also hosts the “Mother Earth Festival” every year around Earth Day at the Aburi Botanical Gardens. Lately, Yaz Meen has focused on “conscious music”. “I sing to heal and to uplift”, she says.

Art Regeneration

Rania Odaymat

Rania Odaymat (b.1974) is a Ghanaian of Lebanese descent multidisciplinary artist, creative coach, art curator, and fashion stylist. 

She received her early mentorship and training in the arts by Ms Angela Christian, Chief Of Protocol during President Nkrumah’s tenure, and one of the first practicing curators and creative facilitators on the continent post independence. Christian’s teachings, and particularly the thought that there can be no long term practice of freedom and independence without a solid investment in the arts, continue to be the backbone and inspiration of Odaymat’s creative journey. 

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Following a stay in Beirut, Lebanon, where she completed a Masters degree in Languages And Translation from St Joseph’s University, Odaymat came back home to Accra where she studied Painting And Sculpture under artist Seth Clottey.  Rania Odaymat is a founding member and curator of the Beyond Collective, an art collective which has been instrumental in raising the standards of exhibition in Accra, empowering creative collaborations, and spreading creative awareness to public school children. Odaymat is also a trustee of the Fair Justice Initiative. Her collaboration on the Remember Me project with fellow Beyond Collective member, Francis Kokoroko, planted a seed for prisons advocacy.

Sanitation

Alberto Wilde

Mr Wilde has led water and sanitation projects in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas, providing strategic direction for capacity building, developing innovative, scalable solutions for low-incomecommunities, and linking microfinance with the WASH sector. He also provided strategic leadership on the Youth Engagement in Service Delivery program, building the capacity of public and private sector actors for value addition and employment creation for youth within selected solid waste value chains. Mr. Wilde has also directed the implementation and management of IncluCity- Improving Governance and Services for Ghana’s Urban Poor Program. The program built the capacity of both public and civil society actors for inclusive governance, planning, budgeting, and revenue generation for improved service delivery.

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He has overseen projects funded by USAID, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, The MasterCard Foundation and the Hilton Foundation. Over time he has leveraged several millions of dollars from the private sector and developed long-lasting partnerships. Currently is successfully leading the Enhancing WASH Activity (EN WASH) after successfully implementing the WASH for Health program across Ghana by bringing an innovative behavioral-led approach to transforming water and sanitation, especially for the people in most need supporting Ghana achieve the UN SDG-6. In 2016 he designed the Digni-Loo, an affordable and easy-to-install plastic slab, which received much recognition from various stakeholders.
Mr. Wilde is a professional business administrator with a Master’s Degree in Corporate Finance, and Project Leadership. With more than 27 years of experience in project management, finance, and business administration. Mr. Wilde joined Global Communities in 2003. He has successfully implemented a series of complex and multi-dimensional projects in Bolivia, Haiti, and Ghana in the areas of economic development, governance, capacity building, water, sanitation, and hygiene, small, medium, and large infrastructure projects, and most recently led the Global Covax vaccination campaign in six Northern Regions, substantially increasing the number of fully vaccinated people in the regions of concern.

Sanitation

Dominic Osei

Dominic Osei is the Project Director for Global Communities in Ghana. He is an Environmental Scientist with over fourteen years of experience in environmental compliance, sustainable development, water treatment technologies, community development, and water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) delivery.

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Prior to joining the NGO sector, Mr. Osei worked in the private sector, where he promoted water treatment technologies for both potable and wastewater and managed several projects. He has demonstrated strong environmental monitoring and project management skills. Mr. Dominic Osei holds an MSc in Environmental Science, specializing in Monitoring and Assessment from Coventry University, UK, and has course certificates in Project Management from Open University, UK, and Mirren PSL, Canada. 

Sanitation

Felix Amofa

Felix Amofa is a Senior Sanitation Specialist at Global Communities, with 13 years of experience in the Ghana WASH sector. He has worked on various WASH-related roles on several USAID WASH projects, including Ghana WASH, WASH-UP, WASH for Health, and the current Enhancing WASH Activity. 

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In his current position, Felix is responsible for leading the construction of household sanitation facilities and preparing project communities for Open Defecation Free (ODF) status attainment. These efforts are aimed at achieving the collective national goal of the UN SDG6.  Felix holds a BSc in Natural Resources Management and an MSc in Environmental Resources Management, both from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

Sanitation

Martha Tia-Adjei

Martha is a public health practitioner who works in the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene sector in Ghana. She has been advocating for sanitation issues, particularly the promotion of ending open defecation, and encouraging people to adopt positive behaviors such as water and hand hygiene, as well as environmental sanitation. For the past 10 years, she has focused on the gender dimensions of public health and sanitation in support to the UN Sustainable Development Goal 5.

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Recently, Martha has been supporting school-going girls and boys, as well as their parents from low-income areas and rural Ghana, to understand and practice Menstrual Hygiene Management. She is also currently promoting sanitation and hygiene in healthcare facilities in Ghana. Martha has worked in the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development and is currently with Global Communities, an international NGO dedicated to creating long-lasting, positive, and community-led change that improves the lives and livelihoods of vulnerable people across the globe. She is a skilled facilitator, coach, and a mother who loves orphans.

Recycling

Elvis Aboluah

Elvis Aboluah has been with Trashy Bags since 2008, working his way up from a junior administration role to now running our factory operations in Abelemkpe.

Under his guidance, Trashy Bags has successfully transformed over 60 tons of plastic waste into fashionable and functional bags, reducing the environmental footprint while creating employment opportunities.

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Elvis has been an exceptional advocate for environmental awareness and education. He has passionately hosted school visits, where he engages with students, teachers, and parents, conveying the importance of reusing and recycling materials to protect our planet. His sincerity and enthusiasm resonate with the visitors, inspiring them to embrace sustainable practices and become ambassadors for change. Elvis’s commitment to sustainability extends far beyond the confines of Trashy Bags. His influential voice has been heard on numerous international platforms, including interviews with renowned news agencies such as CNN, BBC, and Al Jazeera. Through these media appearances, Elvis has raised awareness about the critical issues surrounding plastic waste and highlighted the transformative power of sustainable initiatives. He has effectively conveyed our organisation’s mission and inspired individuals and communities worldwide to take action.

Recycling

Derrick Korblah Ahadzi

Derrick Korblah Ahadzi currently works with Trashy Bags as the GreenHub manager. He has over 2+ years of experience in the environmental sector, having worked and volunteered in other environmental organizations prior to taking up his new role with Trashy Bags in 2022.

He is very passionate about climate issues and has continuously demonstrated keen interests in plastic waste management. He is poised to contributing his knowledge and expertise to ensuring a sustainable environment for the current, future and unborn generations.

Climate Change

Grace Akua Gyan-Darkwa

Grace Akua Gyan-Darkwa is a Programme Officer for Adolescent Development and Youth Participation at the UNICEF Ghana Country Office. Akua works to advance the integration of adolescent development and young people’s participation within the UNICEF Country Programme in Ghana. She has contributed to the design and implementation of gender-transformative programmes that seek to empower adolescents and young people in Ghana and address the challenges they face. As a focal person for UNICEF’s climate portfolio, Akua has extensive knowledge and experience in managing youth-led climate initiatives in the Ghanaian context.

Youth & Innovation

Muhammad Abid Azam

Muhammad Abid Azam is an experienced professional, currently working with UNICEF Ghana Country Office as an Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Digital Public Goods (DPGs) Specialist. He is also managing the UNICEF Startup Lab’s accelerator program, which focuses on tech-enabled social enterprises working towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Ghana.

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With over 12 years of work experience in Asia, Europe, America, and Africa, Abid has managed projects with renowned organizations such as the United Nations (UNICEF), Oxfam GB, World Economic Forum, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, US State Department-funded programs, and the European Union. In recognition of his entrepreneurial acumen, he was awarded the Youth Entrepreneur and Innovation Fellowship by the Government of Germany (Auswärtiges Amt). He is also a Fulbright Scholar and has completed his Fellowship in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship from Michigan State University. As the lead of Oxfam GB’s Empower Youth for Work (EYW) Program (funded by IKEA Foundation), Abid spearheaded efforts to promote economic empowerment, technology adoption, innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability among Pakistani youth, with a particular focus on girls. Through strategic partnerships and platforms, he facilitated equitable access to skills development, created over 12,000 jobs, established 2,500 businesses, and set up 2 rural innovation hubs to foster entrepreneurship in Pakistan. Abid is passionate about traveling around the world and meeting people from different cultures. He believes that cultural exchange and understanding are essential for building a more inclusive and equitable world.

Youth & Innovation

Ida Na-Tei

Ida Na-Tei, a passionate young Ghanaian, is dedicated to driving Africa’s transformation through innovation and technology, with a particular emphasis on education. As an Electrical/Electronic Engineer and the CEO and co-founder of CTN Technologies, her mission is to train and empower young individuals in emerging technologies such as robotics, drone technologies, and 3D printing and modeling.

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Additionally, Ida works as a contracts and tenders engineer at The Automation Ghana Group and has founded the TechWorld Club to foster innovation among the youth. To further inspire technological advancements, she hosts a Tech-focused show where she engages with technopreneurs across Africa. Recognized for her outstanding contributions, Ida received the prestigious Diana Award in 2019 and is a 2023 Mandela Washington Fellow. Currently, she serves as a Youth Ambassador for the Internet Society. Ida firmly believes that technology will ultimately drive economic growth and reshape Africa’s narrative.

Youth & Innovation

Ofori Charles Antipem

Mr. Charles Antipem is the Co-Founder and CEO of Dext Technology Limited. He led the development of the science set at Dext Technology. In 2018 the science set was named as the most innovative education solution in Africa by the African Union Commission for Education, Science, Technology and Innovation.

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He is a member of the African Union CESA STEM Education Cluster and a Speaker and Representative of All African Youth Entrepreneurs at the UK-Africa Investment Summit, London, 2020. He has received many awards: a Royal Academy of Engineering Africa Prize Alumnus, an American Society of Mechanical Engineers Ishow Alumnus, MTN Heroes of Change Ghana 2019, and a recipient of the 2018 Engineering Excellence award from the Ghana Institute of Engineers.