Theme: Adversities as Assets

We have all faced challenges or misfortunes either in the past year or since we were born. Some of them have shaped who we are and how we see the world. Others have broken us and opened our eyes to where we fall short. The best stories are those where the true grit of the character is unearthed in the face of adversity.

The theme, “Adversities as Assets" encourages speakers to explore the painful nightmares of their past, the ever-haunting mistakes of the present, and the uncontrollable future that lies before them. The embodiment of strength comes in embracing our shortcomings and turning them into assets.

We invite speakers to reflect on their resilience through their tough times and shine a light on their endurance. What’s next? It’s time to make your asset work for you!

TEDx Ashesi University
1 University Avenue
Accra, Greater Accra, PMB CT3
Ghana

Danyuo Yiporo

Faculty member at Ashesi’s Department of Mechanical Engineering

Dr. Danyuo Yiporo (Ph.D.) is a Ghanaian from Dakompilayir in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District, Savannah Region. He is a full-time faculty member at Ashesi’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. He received his Ph.D. and MSc. education from the African University of Science and Technology, Abuja Nigeria. His undergraduate degree was in BSc. Applied Physics, from the University for Development Studies, Tamale-Ghana. Dr. Danyuo has a strong teaching and research track record and is committed to undergraduate and graduate education with interdisciplinary and collaborative research experience.

Emma Forson

Ashesi Alumni

Emma Forson is a young Ghanaian creative, mechanical engineer and entrepreneur currently focusing on fabric waste management in Accra, Ghana.

Emmanuel Nkunim Adu-Sarkodee

Student at Ashesi University

Emmanuel Nkunim Adu-Sarkodee is a Computer Science sophomore at Ashesi. He is passionate about making the world a better place and likes to work on projects that involve wildlife conservation, recycling, and the like. He once worked on a project called "project zero waste" that focused on helping reduce plastic waste in his school community. In 2018, Emmanuel attended a camp that focused on SDGs in Africa and how they can be implemented. His hobbies include fitness and traveling. Emmanuel aspires to be a multifaceted businessman.

Giulia Remondino

Founder of Genius in 21 Days UK & Author of Genius by Choice

Giulia S. Remondino is an Italian expat based in London. She is the founder of Genius in 21 Days UK and author of Genius by Choice. A traveller at heart and fascinated by people’s inner worlds, she has used her passion for different cultures and the skills she teaches and shares in her writing to gain fluency in two languages, expand her business to three continents (the next ones will come soon!), and help people all over the world to improve their mental efficiency, work on their soft skills and create a more fulfilling life. Using only the tools shared in her book, she has acquired fluency in two new languages and now runs businesses on three continents.

Gordon Adomzda

Associate Professor and Faculty Lead for the Foundations of Design & Entrepreneurship at Ashesi University

Dr. Gordon Adomdza is a Ghanaian educator, entrepreneur, innovator, thought leader and Design Strategist. Gordon is an Associate Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Business Administration Department, at Ashesi University, Ghana. He is also the Faculty Lead for the Foundations of Design & Entrepreneurship one-year course for all freshmen, and Faculty Advisor of the student-led Ashesi Venture Accelerator. Gordon focuses mainly on the design strategy perspective in new idea creation and business model development in and outside of the classroom. Outside of the classroom, he is the organizer of the Design Thinking Ghana Meetup Group, which focuses on bringing together design thinking enthusiasts and professionals to advance the adoption of the approach in Ghana.

Joseph Awuah-Darko

Founder and Director of the Noldor Artist Residency

Joseph Awuah-Darko is the founder and director of the Noldor Artist Residency was recognized by the Financial Times as Ghana's first independent artist residency - providing need infrastructure for emerging contemporary artists from Ghana and the continent at large. An African contemporary art connoisseur, collector, and social entrepreneur, for his efforts at Africa's largest e-waste dumpsite (Agbogbloshie), he was recognized by the West African Business Excellence Awards and became a member of the Royal Commonwealth Association. A Forbes 30 Under 30 Alumnus, with experience at African modern and contemporary art gallery Sulger-Buel in London, and additionally having studied at the Sotheby’s Institute of Art, Awuah-Darko has actively nurtured his understanding of global art market dynamics, thereby seeking to apply and adapt them to his African roots.

Joshua Mahama

Ashesi Alumni & Faculty intern

Joshua Mahama is a faculty intern at Ashesi University under the Humanities & Social Sciences Department, and he currently teaches African Music & French. He has a passion for creativity with a strong arm in the creation and performance of music. He loves improving himself and his mantra is: "Do things today that your future self would thank you for."

Nenebi Tony

Journalist & TV Producer

At the age of 7, Nenebi Tony was supposed to be in Primary 2, yet he had the reading and writing abilities of a newborn. Nenebi has struggled with dyslexia his entire life, but only found this out when he was 25. He was later diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). However, with the help of his private teacher, he started topping his class within months. By the time he was 12, he was already on Garden City Radio in Kumasi, weekly, to read poems he had written. At age 20, he started Hi Newspaper with entertainment critic Verus Nartey it was acquired by production house Phamous Media Group, to create an entertainment TV magazine, Phamous TV, which aired on Viasat 1 with him as a producer. Nenebi worked with the Musicians Union of Ghana (MUSIGA) as a Communications Assistant to the President, Bice Osei-Kuffour a.k.a Obour. He has written for and appeared on TV and radio shows as well as worked as a freelance columnist for blogs, websites, and newspapers.

Rachael Nyaguthie Mugendi

Student at Ashesi University

Rachel Mugendi is a first year Mechanical Engineering major at Ashesi. She is very enthusiastic about Africa's economic growth and is very proud to be part of the next revolution of leaders in Africa. She has spoken to students from all over Kenya in forums such as The Equity Leaders' Program, where she served as a volunteer mentor. Rachael is the co-founder of Eduzuka education, an online school that aims to help students from all over Kenya and Africa learn techniques to study better using the Science of Learning. A fun fact about Rachael is that she is excellent with patterns of all kinds.

Sedinam Naki Adzoa Anyasor

Student at Ashesi University

Sedinam Naki Adzoa Anyasor is the CEO of Make It Happen, a a subsidiary of her family's company called Ultimate Credit Solutions Ltd. She is focused on putting action to the cries for development of local business and utilizing the vast human resource available in Ghana. Her love for Ghana has been fueled by her attendance at the Model UN Conference, Teenprenuership by Legacy and Legacy, and her current education at Ashesi University.

Steven Dossou

Co-founder of Leadership University

Featured on Fox, CBS, NBC, Steven is the creator of "IGNITE THE TRANSFORMATION SUMMIT" , founder of Sailforce Catalyst, co-founder of Leadership University, author, inspirational speaker and transformational coach. Steven has impacted thousands of lives on a global scale. Nicknamed "Action Man", he is viewed by his peers as a charismatic visionary who undoubtedly believes in unleashing the human potential by inspiring people to break their boundaries and redefine their limits. As a living testimony, Steven has followed his dreams and recreated a new path by elevating himself from humble beginnings in his country of origin (TogoWest Africa) to leadership and impactful roles on a global platform.

Trudy Morgan

President of the Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers (SLIE)

Ing. Trudy Morgan is the first African woman to be awarded a Fellowship of the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE) and the first female Vice President of the Sierra Leone Institution of Engineers (SLIE). She is also the first female and current president of the SLIE. In 2015, Morgan co-founded Sierra Leone Women Engineers, a special interest group of SLIE, to support women in engineering and encourage girls into engineering.