By Francis COFIE
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers(IEEE), Ghana section have organized the International Conference on Adaptive Science and Technology(ICAST) 2024 pre- conference workshop at CEDI conference centre, University of Ghana in Accra.
The workshop is mainly sponsored by IEEE Humanitarian Technology Board (HTB) and supported by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.
The event which was on the theme, “the Impact of Humanitarian Technology in Africa: focusing on IEEE HTB projects”, is a prelude to the main event to be held in October this year.
It brought together diverse groups of individuals from academia, industry and the humanitarian sectors each with a shared goal to explore and expand the impact of humanitarian technologies across the African continent.
About 700 registrants including online and in- person attendees participated in the event.
The focus of the workshop was to sensitize volunteers on IEEE HTB funding sources for impactful humanitarian technology projects in Africa such as agriculture, Smart Village, energy sustainability among others.
It also afforded students the opportunity to network with various experts in diverse fields of human endeavors to enable them receive coaching and mentoring in their chosen craft.
In an address, Ing Prof. Issaka Yakubu, ICAST workshop chair, said the workshop would inculcate in the students the idea of humanitarianism so that as they develop their minds technologically, they could also find ways to impact society by addressing issues in agriculture, sanitation, energy sustainability, waste management among others.
He said the IEEE HTB has made tremendous strides with initiatives such as EPICS, SIGHT, Smart Village, Tech4Good among others which has touched countless lives.
These initiatives, he said, offer diverse opportunities for researchers, professionals, students and communities.
“To our students and young researchers, this is your moment to absorb, contribute and envision how you can be part of the global effort to leverage technology for the betterment of humanity,” he said.
Speaking on benefits of participating in humanitarian technology initiatives and projects, Dr. Joseph Essandoh – Yeddu, ICAST Workshop co-chair said without reference to one’s professional background, there were a lot of viable project to undertake to benefit society for which one could access funding available under the HTB.
“No matter what you are taught in school, you can impact society in diverse ways “, he said.
He urged the students to embrace the opportunity to join the IEEE through which they could secure opportunity for internship overseas and other more opportunities.
According to him, technology plays a pivotal role in our lives and offers an opportunity for change, urging students to apply their acquired knowledge to solve problems of society which was what IEEE stood for.
Speaking on how to access IEEE’s HTB funding and projects on the African continent, Mr. Maxwell Darko Addison, IEEE HTB Outreach Committee Chair and ICAST Workshop coordinator, said as long as a project application was aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs), HTB would fund such project applications.
He said HTB funds volunteers for programmes and initiatives such as Tech4Good, Reach, Smart Village among others as long as they were impactful projects in harmony with the SDGs.
He said funding was open to the general public of any desired number adding, however that, it was mandatory a member becomes an active member of the IEEE for the fund application to be successful.
Mr. Addison disclosed that funding window was opened at a specific period within the year during which proposals were requested from volunteers.
In a closing remark, Engr. Mensah Siti, IEEE Ghana Section chair, admonished participants to get their acts together and source these available funds for causes that would address the challenges of humanity and society.
He urged participants, particularly students to apply the knowledge acquired for societal good which was what IEEE stood for.
