Otumfuo-Newmont AI for Youth Centre Opens in Sankore, Ahafo Region

Sankore: The Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation, in collaboration with Newmont, has inaugurated the Otumfuo-Newmont AI for Youth Centre in Sankore, located in the Asunafo South District of the Ahafo Region. According to Ghana News Agency, the Centre is the fourth of six Smart Labs being established across Ghana to enhance access to advanced digital and future-oriented education. Funded entirely by Newmont and developed by Coral Reef Innovation Africa (CRIA), this initiative is a realization of the Otumfuo Foundation's goal to create educational opportunities for Ghanaian youth, regardless of their location. A statement from the Foundation in Accra highlighted that the new Centre is part of a significant effort to equip young people in underserved areas with practical skills in artificial intelligence, robotics, coding, problem-solving, digital creativity, and STEM learning. The initiative supports the shared vision of the Otumfuo Foundation, Newmont, and CRIA to promote access, equity, and inclusion in educati on for every child in Ghana. The statement also noted that the launch at Sankore builds on the success already achieved at the AI for Youth Centres in Wioso and Kona, where the program has sparked notable improvements in learning outcomes and student creativity. In Wioso, students trained in the Smart Lab secured 5th place nationwide at the 2024 Ghana Robotics Competition, a significant achievement for a community previously lacking in digital literacy. In Kona, the impact was even more remarkable. In 2025, the robotics team from the Kona D/A Primary and JHS became National Champions at the Ghana Robotics Competition in Accra, surpassing elite schools from across the nation. Their victory demonstrated the potential of rural learners when provided with the tools, mentorship, and opportunities to succeed. Mr. Joseph Danso, Social Performance Director at Newmont, remarked, "These results show that brilliance exists everywhere. When we level the playing field, Ghana's children from Wioso to Kona, and now Sanko re, rise to meet the challenge." He emphasized that the future of innovation in Ghana would emerge not only from cities but from every community. The new Sankore AI for Youth Centre is designed to support students from schools throughout the district. It features AI and robotics training systems, digital literacy workstations, hands-on STEM kits, teacher training modules, and a supportive environment for inclusive learning. The facility is intended to serve all learners, promoting equal access to 21st-century skills. Mr. Danso stated that Newmont's ongoing investment in the AI for Youth initiative underscores a long-term commitment to empowering communities with future-ready skills, digital competence, and pathways to employment in a rapidly changing global economy. "This project is an investment in human potential. The youth of Sankore deserve access to the same opportunities as any child in Accra, New York, or London," he said. He expressed pride in supporting a program that is shaping Ghana's next gener ation of innovators. "Newmont has committed over 1.7 million GHS toward establishing six such educational facilities under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Otumfuo Foundation," he added. Madam Audrey-Bertha Nartey, Country Lead at CRIA, stated that as an implementing partner, they continue to train teachers and mentor students across all established Smart Labs. "CRIA's model focuses not only on technology access but also on nurturing confidence, creativity, and problem-solving among young learners," she said. Madam Nartey expressed that their mission is to "Empower Tomorrow Today" and with each new Centre, to build ecosystems where children can learn, create, compete, and lead.