Building an innovation engine in Ghana

Building an innovation engine in Ghana

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Maker-space: the digitally-connected community workshop and lab.

After a year of running #lowdesign #lowhightech or #lofab -style prototyping workshops out of the Impact Hub Accra, and building on a year plus of geeking out at the former Hub Accra, AMP can now share a cool new partnership starting this month to build a demo makerspace with Impact Hub Accra and Siemens Stiftung.

What is a maker-space?

A maker-space is a 21st-century digitally-connected community workshop and lab open to entrepreneurs and anyone interested in learning, designing and making together in a collaborative environment. Typical equipment ranges from low- to high-tech, but spans 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines (e.g. routers, mills, lathes), sewing machines, soldering irons and electronics tool kits. Maker-space help people gain new skills through learning-by-doing: using CAD/CAM software to apply 3D modeling, 3D printing, coding, robotics, carpentry, metalwork and other tools for rapid prototyping of physical objects and hardware. Maker space complement Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) fields to drive innovation and support entrepreneurship through new product development.

Why is it important?

Hundreds of thousands of young people enter Ghanas job market each yearill-prepared to create their ownwhile hundreds of thousands of artisans and crafts(wo)menfrom welders to carvers, carpenters, masons, electricians and electronics repairers, tailors, seamstresses, weavers, cobblers and sign painters to tinsmiths,copper-smiths , blacksmiths and ironmongersare already active country-wide. If AMP can leverage this massive belt of grassroots (micro-) manufacturing know-how, how might AMP retool the emerging conversation around African makersto better design products and environments together?

Most people who want to make things, dont know how; others dont know how to scale what they make. The challenge is finding what you needknowledge, expertise, blueprints, materials, toolsto make what you want, the best way you can. This is where maker-space comes in.

To find out more visit: https://qamp.net/2016/09/05/partnership-with-impact-hub-accra/

Note. image and text copyright to AMP.

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