Episode 331: On Investing in Indigenous Knowledge, Innovation, and Youth Empowerment with Amma Boakye-Danquah

Greetings Glocal Citizens! Back in 2013, a spark of inspiration gave light to an initiative that I went on to recruit a handful of friends to join in on the Flirt with the World’s Million Condom Giveaway at locations across Accra on World AIDS Day 2013. As part of our local press tour, I visited a local radio station, 107.9 YFM where I met htis week’s guest Amma Boakye-Danquah--shout out to her co-host, fellow Glocal Citizen,Emmanuel Gamor. Amma, like me was a fres arrival in Ghana and over the years has expanded her professional portfolio in all manner of dimensions. As a strategic advisor and innovation leader with over 16 years of experience shaping education systems, youth leadership, and adaptive learning across West Africa, she has led multimillion-dollar initiatives at USAID , including the $22M Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Regional Leadership Center and the development of the West Africa Learning and Knowledge (WALK) Agenda, helping institutions turn data into action and policy into practice. Known for building unlikely partnerships across government, philanthropy, media, and the private sector, Her work sits at the intersection of systems change, evidence-based strategy, and inclusive leadership. Her career spans collaborations with organizations such as the Mastercard Foundation, Microsoft , and regional bodies including ECOWAS. She currently serves as the Associate Director of Imperial Global Ghana , where she bridges world-class research and practical market applications by fostering strategic partnerships among researchers, entrepreneurs, and policymakers across the public, private, and third sectors. Rooted in a global perspective on urban policy, education, and development, qnd with foundational experience teaching middle school mathematics in under-resourced schools in Louisiana through Teach For America, beyond her academic and policy work, she is a passionate cultural convener bringing art, history, and community together. Where to find Amma? @ Imperial Global Ghana On LinkedIn On Substack What’s Amma listening to? The Our Ancestors Were Messy Podcast What’s Amma reading? Small Worlds Other topics of interest: Oyibi, Ghana Labari Data Homeschool Collective On Indigeneering Commonwealth Fellowship Programme About Ghana’s National Science and Math Quiz Post Hurricane Katrina School Takeovers in New OrleansSpecial Guest: Amma Boakye-Danquah.