Lancaster University GCRF Research Internship

This week was filled with various meetings, including a meeting with the Association of Ghana Industries (AGI), the Ghana Standards Authority and the directors of different CSIR institutes. The prospect of launching a Centre for Doctoral Training was discussed in detail, the idea was received very well, people are excited about the centre and the planning process is gaining momentum. Over the weekend I took to the streets of Accra for some site-seeing. 

This week I took a trip with my colleague, Esther, to Kumasi. In Kumasi we had meetings with the CSIR - Crop Research Institute and the CSIR- Forestry Institute. We were shown around the institutes and discussed potential PhD projects. Whilst staying with Esther's family, I got the opportunity to experience Ghanaian family life and made some new friends! I visited a cocoa farm and Lake Bosumtwi.  Before travelling to Kumasi, I attended different meetings including one at the local government to discuss the GAMA SWP toilet bid. 

At the CSIR-IIR, I was shown around the institute and was given an overview of the different projects that are being carried out. Projects such as; herbal extraction plant, the incineration of hospital waste, refractory bricks manufacturing, and a waste to energy plant. The development of the toilets was explained to me. I was shown the other toilet designs which had been developed by other institutions. I also accompanied two toilet delivery trips, the toilets were delivered in two different municipalities; La Nkwantanan-Madina and Ga West. Aside from being introduced CSIR-IIR, I also had a few meetings with members of staff who are very interested in carrying out PhDs at Lancaster University. It was great to hear their ideas and I have been in contact with academics at Lancaster University who are interested in supervising these projects. I have been fully immersed into life at the CSIR-IIR and was able to attend the Directors Meeti...

Sanitation in Ghana Ghana is facing the issue of a lack of sanitation infrastructure. The rapid urbanisation of Ghana over the past three decades means that city authorities have been unable to provide basic water and sanitation services, as a result 19% of the population resorts to open defecation. In Kumasi, Ghana’s largest metropolitan region, 40% of the population reply on public toilets, but there is only 1 toilet per 1000 people. Therefore, there is a great need for affordable portable sanitation technologies to be developed. CSIR-IIR Toilets The Ghanaian Government has launched the GAMA Sanitation and Water Project which aims to construct 1000 household toilets in low income communities in the Ga West Municipal Assembly. As part of this project the costs of toilets are highly subsidised. Different institutions have developed toilet designs which are displayed within targeted communities. Members of the community can place orders and the toilet is delivered and installed...

At the end of June I finished a Mechanical Engineering degree at Lancaster University and have since been carrying out this Global Challenge Research Fund (GCRF) summer research internship. The prospect of being able to benefit communities within the Global South is what initially drew me to study engineering and remains the primary focus of my academic pursuits. Therefore, I am very excited to have been given this opportunity to work alongside the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Ghana in their development of sanitation technology for low-income communities. Through this blog I will be sharing what I am doing as part of my research internship in Ghana. The internship is funded by the Global Challenges Research Fund through Lancaster University and I am working with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) within their Institute of Industrial Research (IIR). The two aims of this internship are to further development of the s...