Guest blog: EduSpots – Empowering local catalysts to deliver inclusive learning Spots across Ghana

Our latest guest blog is from EduSpots, who received funding through our small grants programme. Read on to learn more about their work supporting education in Ghana.

EduSpots isn’t like some other organisations that tell people what to do. It inspires everyone to see that they can do whatever they dream of and to build our collective future together.

– Abdul Manaf, Learner & Catalyst, Abofour Spot

Across Ghana, communities care deeply about education, investing time, energy, and creativity to support children’s learning. Yet, too often, education systems and interventions are designed for communities rather than with them. EduSpots exists to challenge this approach and to reshape the narrative of how meaningful, sustainable change in education happens. 

EduSpots is a growing network of local changemakers known as Catalysts, who are creating the futures they want to see for their communities through inclusive learning spaces called Spots, a concept inspired by the Ghanaian idea of a communal drinking space, where people gather to share knowledge, ideas, and solutions. 

Since 2015, over 700 Catalysts, including students, teachers, and community members, have come together to establish 50 community-owned learning hubs across Ghana. Each Spot reflects the unique identity and aspirations of its community, while collectively forming a connected national network advancing inclusive, community-led, and future-ready education. 

A Journey in Community Leadership

Before joining EduSpots’ leadership programmes, I was an ordinary headteacher. I returned not just as a school leader, but as a strategic leader, a change maker, community builder and staff-developer.

– Hamidu Kaadri, Headteacher, Yamfo Spot

EduSpots has a four-year Community Leadership in Education Programme, which enables Spots to move from a symbol of possibility into a hub for igniting long-lasting, locally-led change through education. There are three structured phrases: Ignite, Catalyse & Sustain. 

• Year 1 – IGNITE: Through the one-year Ignite Programme, community-based teams are introduced to EduSpots’ approach and the foundational learnings in leadership and education needed to spring their education Spot into action.  
• Year 2 – CATALYSE: In year 2, Catalyse involves Catalysts in deeper collaborative training across project management, financial planning and community leadership, enabling them to build on the foundations set by the Ignite Programme.   
• Years 3 & 4: SUSTAIN: The Sustain Programme represents the third and final stage of the EduSpots Community Leadership in Education Pathway to enable mature Spots to operate as fully independent, community-driven education hubs. 

Our Educational Programmes

EduSpots doesn’t just provide resources; they ignited a culture of learning, collaboration and leadership that changed my life.

– Abdul-Raheem, learner now Catalyst, Sakasaka Spot

Following education training, each Spot chooses 1-4 learner strands, based on their interests, needs and aspirations, and enrolls “Sparks” via the EduSpots App, with parental approval.  

• EduKidz (KG-Basic 3 learners): Early years education activities for learners, Catalysts with active parental involvement, including a focus on literacy, psychomotor, numeracy & social-emotional development .
• DigiLit (Basic 4−6 learners): Literacy & digital skills activities promoting creativity, critical thinking and teamwork also instilling a lifelong love of reading. 
• EcoSTEM (Basic 7−9 learners): Practical STEM education leveraging local resources to explore environmental sustainability education and action. 
• Ignite Equity (Basic 8 learners): Focused on youth empowerment and addressing gender-based challenges through sustainable, locally-driven solutions across themes such as careers, sexual harassment, menstrual hygiene, social vices, and wider active citizenship.

Keeping Spots Safe: Locally-led Safeguarding

Learners have become each other’s keepers. They watch out for their peers’ safety and are very comfortable approaching us and other teachers.

– Catalyst, Bosomadwe Spot

No educational programme can succeed unless children feel safe, valued and protected. At EduSpots, safeguarding is foundational. Through our Keeping Spots Safe strand, we ensure every community Spot is a space where every learner’s wellbeing, inclusion and rights are actively upheld.  

A Visit to EduSpots (New Ebu & Elmina Spots) by King Charles III Charitable Fund

In 2024, King Charles III Charitable Fund supported EduSpots’ Ignite training programme with a small grant which benefitted more than 12,000 people in Ghana.

On December 5, 2025, Yvonne Abba-Opoku, Head of Governance and Operations at King Charles III Charitable Fund, visited the New Ebu and Elmina Spots in Ghana’s Central Region.

During the visit, she engaged with EduSpots staff, Community Catalysts, and learners from the Ignite Equity Club.

Yvonne experienced firsthand what an EduSpot learning space looks and feels like. She observed Ignite Equity learners actively participating in club sessions and presenting their future aspirations. The visit also included a presentation by the EduSpots team, highlighting our community-led initiatives that are driving digitally enabled, locally led education across 50 communities in 12 regions of Ghana.

Following the visit, Yvonne said

Renewed thanks for an inspiring and extremely worthwhile visit to EduSpots in New Ebu and Elmina. I was deeply impressed by your dedication and commitment to driving community-led education at both locations.

With your support, we can launch another 50 new Spots over the next 2 years whilst strengthening our existing network, creating vibrant, transformative learning cultures – shaped and sustained by local leaders and young people working in collaboration with communities.

Learn more about EduSpots