Every year on October 17, the world observes the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. It is a moment to reflect on how societies can restore dignity through inclusive progress. At the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), three powerful initiatives are showing how universities can turn research and education into lasting transformation: the Africa Health Collaborative, Nkabom Collaborative, and the Trans-Sahara Project.
1. Africa Health Collaborative: Building health, building futures
Under Professor Ellis Owusu-Dabo, the Africa Health Collaborative (AHC) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation is strengthening health systems through education, innovation, and enterprise. The program has trained over 2,000 health professionals and supported more than 30 youth-led health ventures.
“We are building health systems that work for everyone and create jobs too,” Professor Owusu-Dabo noted.
For Professor Wilberforce Owusu-Ansah, the Health Entrepreneurship pillar lead, health entrepreneurship is not just about business but about transformation.
“We want health innovators who redefine what healthcare delivery means.”
Students echo this spirit. Erica Dzaho, a communication student, said she can now “create sustainable ideas that impact communities,” while John Ahenkora believes entrepreneurship “is about solving real problems.”
AHC proves that strengthening human capital in health is one of the surest ways to break the cycle of poverty.
2. NKABOM: Growing youth empowerment through agri-food innovation
Led by Professor William Otoo Ellis, The Nutrition and Sustainable Agri-Food Systems (Nkabom Collaborative) in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation is bridging classroom learning with industry practice, training both students and tutors to become entrepreneurs and problem-solvers in Ghana’s food system.
“This project equips young people with industry-relevant skills for the agri-food sector,” said Professor Ellis.
Trainers such as Dr. Ishak Shaibu describe NKABOM as a turning point that inspires educators to prepare students not just for jobs but for job creation. From the farm to the market, the project is planting the seeds of agribusiness-led development and reducing youth unemployment.
3. Trans-Sahara Project: Healing the land, securing livelihoods
At the intersection of climate, land, and livelihoods, the Trans-Sahara Project brings KNUST into collaboration with the Technical University of Munich and other partners under the European Union’s Horizon Europe Programme. Coordinated locally by Dr. Alexander Boakye Marful of the Department of Architecture, the project focuses on land and water management in arid regions of northern Ghana.
“The Trans-Sahara Project is not just about restoring land; it is about restoring livelihoods,” said Dr. Marful.
Community “living labs” in Bolgatanga and Tindongo now explore agroforestry, water conservation, and renewable energy. As farmer Saaka Sumaila Seidu shared, “It will solve the water problems so we can plant all year and improve living standards.”
By combining local wisdom with science, the project is regenerating both the environment and rural opportunity.
A united front against poverty
Together, these initiatives reveal KNUST’s vision for sustainable development where agriculture, health, and the environment reinforce one another.
“When students innovate and care for their communities, we attack poverty at its roots,” said Professor Owusu-Ansah.
“Sustainability and dignity go hand in hand,” Dr. Marful concluded. “Poverty ends when people have the means to nurture their land, their health, and their hope.”
As the world renews its pledge to end poverty, KNUST’s story offers a model of transformation through knowledge. From farms to clinics to forests, the university is proving that education can cultivate not just skilled graduates but a nation that grows, heals, and thrives together.
Story by: Emmanuel Kwasi Debrah (URO)
