Aneth David on biotechnology prospects in Tanzania

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This might be a good time to discuss Africa’s agricultural performance, and the positive and negative impacts of biotechnology on the continent's biological diversity, economy and welfare.

Today, we have the pleasure of featuring Tanzanian RISE Scientist & Biotechnologist, Aneth David. She speaks on the discipline of Biotechnology, its job prospects in Tanzania, and the need for more women within the field.

Aneth received her secondary education at Mawenzi Secondary School in Tanzania. She then pursued advanced secondary education at Majengo Secondary School, also in Tanzania, where she majored in Chemistry, Biology and Nutrition. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Biotechnology at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM), Tanzania.

Aneth made headlines in Tanzania after she was awarded the Next Einstein Forum Ambassador award, an honor given to young African scientists pursuing excellence.

• Can you give us some insight into what the discipline of Biotechnology is about? What inspired you to pursue this?

"Biotechnology encompasses technologies and techniques that utilize living organisms, their parts and/or products to make products or services useful to man. Molecular Biology is the discipline and study thereof. I stumbled upon a Molecular Biology and Biotechnology degree program by chance - a recommendation from a friend. However, I quickly fell in love with it because it gives me room to ask important questions about life. It allows me to find evidence-based answers to the questions, and most importantly, it allows one to make use of and apply the knowledge to solve humanity problems across many areas of life. In other words, Biotechnology satisfies my curiosity. It is also a relatively modern discipline widely used worldwide to improve and find sustainable solutions in many fields such as health, environment, food security and manufacturing. It is an indispensable development tool, much-needed in developing countries."

• Can you tell us about the research you have conducted within this area of study?

"I have studied the effectiveness of soil bacteria as biofertilizers, biocontrol agents and biopreservatives for African crops. I also studied the co-production of oyster mushrooms and biogas from Palm oil processing wastes during my final year undergraduate research project."

• What do the job prospects in Biotechnology look like in Tanzania?

"Biotechnology is a relatively new field in Tanzania and there aren’t many job opportunities available yet, although there are also fewer graduates compared to other fields. A Biotechnologist in Tanzania expects to be employed mostly in medical and agricultural research centers, which are few, and in food industry and academic institutions. But recently, a new wave of "Biopreneurs" have emerged, and now Biotech graduates are increasingly engaged with the entrepreneurial and innovative side of Biotechnology, especially within the food and beverages industries, as well as other areas such as environmental friendly technologies. This is very encouraging."

• Would you encourage more women to pursue this field?

"Yes, most definitely. There is still a huge gender gap between male and female enrollment in Biotech courses. The female enrollment is at 20%. The women in Biotechnology in Tanzania perform exceptionally well. It is also a rewarding and exciting scientific field that allows one to contribute to and impact society positively."

• What change would you like to see within the research space in Tanzania, and why?

"I would like to see research conducted in academic institutions and research centers translated into useful products and services for everyday use, because that rarely happens in my country. Research mostly ends up in publications and libraries, and is not utilized to improve livelihood or solve society's problems."

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Abigail Osei-Asamoah on transportation in Africa

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Rapid population growth and regional dynamics are key factors in the intensifying pressure on transportation systems in Africa.

Ghanaian Transportation Engineer and Planner, Abigail Osei-Asamoah, discusses transportation challenges and solutions for Africa.

Abigail was born and raised in Kumasi, Ghana. She attended Wesley Girls High School, where she majored in General Sciences and continued on to the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology where she pursued a BS in Civil Engineering. Upon completion, she worked for a year as a National Service Personnel at the Department of Urban Roads in Kumasi, after which she went on to pursue a MS in Transportation Engineering at the University of Florida.

Abigail now has a PhD in Transportation and Urban Engineering from the University of Connecticut and is currently a Transportation Engineering Planner/Modeler with CDM Smith Inc.

• Tell us a bit about yourself and what you do.

“As a transportation planner, my work involves using different tools to predict and identify future transportation needs and patterns of growth in transportation system. It involves examining scenarios and evaluating the effects of actions that can improve the transportation system and simply prepare for future transportation needs.

Aside from working, I enjoy outdoor activities like walking, and recently, running. I like to push my limits and try to do every day better than I did the previous one. Growing up, I was a bit of tomboy, and even now I still have a bit of that in me. I enjoy having a great conversation and making light out of situations, which some folks may find a bit annoying.”

• Why Transportation Engineering?

“To quote one of my professors in college; “Transportation is the backbone on which cities and towns are built”. I believe a city gets its character from its transportation system. I have always been interested in the way things move and how stuff gets from one place to another. Transportation engineering allows me combine my passion for science and my desire to make an impact to improve the safety and conditions of service for users of the transportation system. In addition, my dad who is a Civil Engineer mentored me a lot growing up. I remember reading books in his study, wondering what all the drawings and numbers in the books meant, and him trying to explain in simple terms, how those numbers characterized features of the transportation system like the strength of a bridge.”

• What are some of the challenges you’ve had to face as a Transportation Engineer? How did/do you deal with them?

“Transportation engineering like most engineering fields is male dominated, and one of the most common challenges female engineers face in such fields is the need to prove they are equally as competent as their male counterparts. While I do not agree that a woman can do everything a man can do, it still surprises me that women engineers are sometimes undermined in my profession. My favorite example, comes from my days as a National Service Personal at the Department of Urban Roads. One day a lady contractor walked into the office, and wanted her finished culvert contract to be inspected and approved by an engineer. I remember as we got ready to travel to her work site, she asked my then supervisor why I was coming along with him to the site. My supervisor informed her that she had just insulted the engineer who was going to approve the work she had done. I honestly found it amusing.

While I believe it is less common with the younger generation, there are a few engineers from the older generation who still have a bit of difficulty working with women engineers.

This challenge, I mostly deal with by making sure I do an excellent job. The best way to tackle this is to be dedicated, excellent, and committed to what you do, and let your work speak for itself.”

• Traffic congestion is still a big issue in some African countries. What do you believe causes congestion, and how can it be solved?

“The most common cause of traffic congestion is the demand for transportation exceeding its supply. In road transportation, congestion often arises when the capacity of the road is not enough to accommodate the traffic. In addition, a simple problem like an inefficient traffic signal system can cause a significant amount of congestion at an intersection. When there are deficiencies in the design of the road, it can also cause congestion.

I suspect most of the congestion problems in African countries are as a result of the demand for transportation facilities exceeding their supply. However, the more road capacity is added, the more it will it be used. I have heard of new interchanges being built in Accra, Ghana and instead of mitigating congestion, it further exacerbated the problem. This is because, as soon as new lane is added or a road is built, drivers will be attracted to it, change routes and fill it up.

One way to solve congestion problems in African countries is to invest in alternatives to single user transportation. Investing in, and improving mass transit systems will make it more attractive to users. Think of the difference one bus transporting 30 people at a time will make, versus a single driver in a single vehicle.   

Giving road users an incentive to park their vehicles and take mass transit will help improve the traffic congestion. Consistent maintenance of traffic signals and updating them and retiming them will also help reduce congestion problems at intersections.

Another way to improve congestion is better planning of land use and transportation. The land use determines the transportation system. If policies were put in place to better anticipate future needs in the transportation system in relation to changes in the land use, it will go a long way to manage future congestion issues that may arise in the system.”

• Do you agree that part of understanding a country’s transportation system and its development needs is appreciating the history and culture of its people? Please share your thoughts.

“History and culture to an extent, do play a role in the development of the transportation system. The history and culture of the people in a country determine their values and their social norms.

Efficient transport systems do not only provide accessibility but also improve and enhance social interaction. A culture, where social norms emphasize the need for communication and interaction will focus on a transportation system that facilitates interpersonal interaction and communication.

People in such a cultural background may appreciate more walking and transit systems, where a person interacts with other people compared to driving on high speed roads in individual vehicles during which the driver doesn’t really interact with anyone than at their origin and destination. Such a culture will appreciate a system that allows users to frequently stop safely and interact while using the system.

There have been cases in which elaborate transportation systems like rail or super-fast transit have been built in many developed countries but have been underutilized or have not been able to reach their potential because the culture didn’t support transit but supported more driving. Another example is developing exclusive bike paths in areas where biking is not a significant part of the culture.

An examination of the history of a country will also provide further insights about the past development of the transportation system. Looking at how the transportation system has survived or grown in the past will better throw more light on what is needed in the system.”

• What is the one thing you’d like to change about Ghana’s transportation system, and why?

“If there was one thing I could change about Ghana’s transportation system, I would change the system to protect more vulnerable road users like pedestrians by introducing measures that reduce travel speeds in city centers and urban areas, and improve the overall travel conditions in the system.

I would want to do this because I believe Ghana’s greatest resource is its people, and a lot of lives are lost on our roads because of unnecessary speeding. While there is so much that engineering can achieve by designing efficient roads for drivers, driver behavior can only be controlled through regular enforcement and the introduction of measures that can slow drivers down especially at city centers and urban areas where there are a lot of pedestrians.

In addition, an improvement in travel conditions will in the long run also make the roads safer because, drivers won’t feel the need to speed so much if so much travel time wasn’t lost in traffic congestion.”

• Do you think there is a need for more women in this field?

“There is definitely a need for more women in this field considering it is mostly male dominated. There is definitely satisfaction from seeing fellow women who are mums, wives or just single women who excel in their career and effectively perform their job duties.

It will also help erase the perception than women transportation engineers are somehow less competent or not as good as the men if we had more women working in the field.

It will also provide more opportunities for mentoring and provide opportunities for us to motivate each other to excel at what we do.

I get a lot of inspiration and motivation from my direct supervisor at my current firm, who is a woman and a Senior Transportation Planner. She provides direction to me on the job in areas that I need. She also provides opportunities for me to be involved in diverse projects and makes me aware of how she values my expertise and input in the projects that we work on. I am motivated by the fact that she values me as an employee of the firm and makes me feel welcome in our work environment.”

• What keeps you motivated?

“I am motivated by the desire to become a better version of myself through a continuous refinement process. At every stage of my life, I look for ways to improve and make an impact in the lives around me. I look for opportunities to learn, apply new things I learn, and improve my problem solving skills. To me every new day of life is an opportunity to do and learn something new.   I would also like to make an impact with my work and I get the greatest satisfaction from producing excellent products and tools for clients that I work for; to provide a better understanding of their future transportation needs. I am glad that I am part of their story.”

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Betty Enyonam Kumahor on building technology and businesses in Africa

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Africa’s technological advancement and innovation over the past years may not attract significant global attention for many reasons. However, when conversations arise regarding the continent’s effort to utilize technology to solve problems and promote socio-economic development, it certainly cannot be ignored.

Betty Enyonam Kumahor, one of Africa’s tech heroines, is helping to improve lives, foster economic growth, while creating opportunities for people, companies, and countries within the continent.

Enyo, as she likes to be called, is the Founder and Managing Partner of The Cobalt Partners and serves on the Board of Directors of a number of Civic Society Organisations and technology-led enterprises. She is a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader with an impressive background in the consulting and technology industries.

She previously worked as the Regional Managing Director of Pan-Africa for ThoughtWorks, a global IT consulting firm. Enyo joined the organization from Ernst & Young where she led the Ernst & Young’s Service Delivery Technology function for their Global Advisory practice deploying technology solutions across 140+ countries.

Enyo now invests in and mentors technology-driven companies committed to sustainable business in Africa.

• Tell us about yourself, and your educational background.

"I was not the best student. I enjoyed playing; had tons of varied interests; lack of focus; and little to no affinity to getting good grades. What I did like doing though was solving puzzles and working with systems, and for that reason I gravitated towards the sciences. In secondary school, I took 10 subjects instead of the normal 8. I didn't take 11 because I couldn't figure out how to add the 11th to class schedule (varied interests). At A-Level, I decided to have more fun so I picked the normal 3 subjects and I did Physics, Math and Chemistry. In University, I knew I wanted to do something in healthcare but not being either a doctor or a nurse. I really enjoyed computer programming. Towards the end of my undergraduate Chemistry and Math majors I found out about healthcare informatics and left to do a masters in that. Without much industry work in health informatics at the time, I took the IT part of the degree and started my career in that. Then I found out I could solve puzzles and build systems in IT ... I haven't left since!"

• You have an excellent track record when it comes to IT strategy and implementation. What inspired this?

"Probably, mostly, an exhaustion of seeing technology projects fail for reasons that often times had nothing to do with the technology itself and everything to do with the thought processes used in selecting and implementing the chosen technology. I still remember the first time I heard about the Standish Group study on why projects fail. It has been renamed the Chaos study which I find to be a completely apt name. In 2015, the Chaos study which is based on U.S. software implementations says that 71% of software projects are either overrun or an outright fail. I am confident the number across most of our continent is higher. When I first heard about the study it was almost 90%. That's not a lot of improvement in 20 years. And when I think about the lost opportunities in terms of business enablement and improving lives, I am incensed...negatively inspired if you will...to be a part of changing the effectiveness of technology enablement, especially where it can make a social impact."

• According to Jim Forster, one of the early engineers at Cisco, a maker of network gear, and now an angel investor, technology is opening up African markets that have long been closed or did not previously exist. What have we as Africans been doing right? And what could be done better?

"I would not say that those markets have been closed or did not exist...but perhaps they were closed or invisible to some investors like your quoter here. So the first thing that I think Africans have been doing well is investing in the continent themselves...or bringing in foreign investment. While this investment is still insufficient based on a scale of opportunity, it is encouraging to see intra-African trade and investment on the increase and more pan-African technology teams and organizations.

I also think that what we have done right is we have not tried to follow some other formula. For example, we did not keep implementing copper or even fiber terrestrial cables and instead went mobile. I believe that our success will come from us being able to innovate based on our unique circumstances, resources and needs, and we are doing that to some extent.

What I would like to see more of is the understanding that technology will succeed or fail based on how well we understand who is going to use it, how well we customize the technology for that particular persona or personas, and how well we manage the process of doing that. The context of the technology use is ultimately most important. The Standish Group study clearly demonstrates this and I speak about this at conferences often and yet I still see far too many projects that act as technology finding a problem to fix rather than shaping the technology based on the context in which it will be used. Only then do I think we will see fewer technology project cost overruns and failures, and instead more impactful implementations."

• Do our local governments limit technology implementation?

"If I had to give a simple Yes or No answer, I would Yes. The reality for the majority local governments in Africa is that they are still the largest spenders of technology, and where it is spent, directly impacts the experience and hence maturity of the local technology industries. There are few countries where I see a strong alignment of the technology industry, particularly software development, and the government and for a technology-driven world this is concerning. I can't say that I have the magic formula for exactly where every government should spend or remove limitations but I do know that the technology business leaders and owners operating in that country would have a very clear sense of what works and does not work. There are a couple of bright spots, but much more needs to be done to ensure we have technology roadmaps and policies favorable to effectively implementing them."

• What are the pros and cons of “copying” technology used elsewhere and adapting it to fit African circumstances?

"I see no cons provided technology is adapted to fit the circumstance it will be used. Reuse should be a key strategy on every project."

• You could have worked anywhere in the world with your experiences. Why Africa?

"I have worked elsewhere in the world, and continue to live and work part of the time elsewhere in the world. But, Africa, is home. I left as a teenager because I had the opportunity to study and then work outside of the continent, but I came back because I knew that it was not fair that I could not get similar or part of those experiences here and I want to be a part of changing that narrative. I'm not sure that I would say there were challenges so much as the continent is a different place to live and work and at times it can be a frustrating process with projects taking 4 or 5 times longer than they should. You could call that a challenge but I prefer to look at it as an opportunity to change what does not work. So, what helped me when I first started working on the continent was letting go of any and all expectations of how things SHOULD be, and now what helps me is knowing that every 'challenge' is rather an opportunity to make it better."

• What keeps you motivated?

"I have fun building technology and businesses. It's easy to stay motivated when you're doing what you love doing. When a project helps a client, it's a sense of accomplishment that I do not have a panacea or alternative for. And I am unapologetic about this now in my middle-aged life especially when you want to make every moment you are around count. And now that I have significant influence over my firm's strategy, I can and do ensure that this is the primary and sole obligation to every client - that we make their business or organization better. It may sound trite but in practice this can be difficult to implement. In our case though we have literally said 'No, thank you' to would-be-paying clients where we simply do not think we can bring value based on the project they scoped. But where we can do good work I know the team, and myself, will be motivated and have fun."

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Selina Naana Egyir on natural resource management in Africa

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Africa as a whole has vast natural resources, and if well managed, can be a major force in global affairs. But the question remains: Will Africa ever benefit more from its natural resources?

Today, we discuss this and more with Ghanaian Natural Resources researcher, Selina Naana Egyir.

It has always been Selina's belief that in a world that humans are eager to explore and exploit, ecologists of all sorts will be needed to sound the necessary caution and direct man to a more sustainable future.

Selina had her high school education at Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ Secondary School in Ghana where she studied General Science. She then attended the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to study  Natural Resource Management and majored in Fisheries and Watershed Management.

After serving as a Teaching Assistant at KNUST, Selina obtained a Swedish Institute Scholarship to pursue a master's degree programme in Sustainable Water Management (Ecological Engineering) at Kristianstad University in Sweden, where she passed with distinction.

Selina pursued a second master's degree in European Inland Water Quality Assessment at Mälardalen University, also in Sweden.

Selina is currently in her final stages of her PhD programme in Sustainable Urban Drainage at Heriot-Watt University and will be graduating in May, 2016.

"As part of my PhD programme, I have been running interactive workshops by engaging primary and secondary school students and communities with “community resilience, and the roles that individuals can play in protecting themselves and their neighbours from flooding in UK communities”. I am also a STEM ambassador for STEMNET UK where I help to engage and enthuse young people about STEM. Whenever I am in Ghana, I mentor JHS pupils and voluntary teaching in orphanages."

• What about Natural Resource Management interests you so much?

"Environmental issues, particularly with water resources, have always fascinated me since I was an undergraduate. I studied natural resources management because of my deep-seated interest in environmental issues. I have always believed that sustainable water management can improve tomorrow’s cities’ health.

Ghana has been abundantly blessed with water resources, but the problem has always been economic scarcity and not resource scarcity. This is what made me more interested in water resources management in Ghana.

Let's ask ourselves these questions; How do households in Ghana get good supply of cheap, clean and quality drinking water? How do we effectively manage our water resources in Ghana? Do we place value on it? How are women and children in Ghana affected by poor water quality? How do we reach out to rural areas to ensure that they have good supply of drinking water? How do we ensure that people whose livelihood depends directly on water resources are using it appropriately for future generations? What is the government's take on Ghana’s natural resources, and how are they ensuring its sustainability for future generations?

I have always wanted to contribute my knowledge and skills to water security for disadvantaged people in sub-Saharan Africa, to improve sustainable growth and poverty reduction especially among women and girls. Growing up in Ghana, I realized women in some rural areas of Ghana constitute the majority of sub-Saharan Africa's poorest people, and are highly dependent on local natural resources for their livelihood as a result of their responsibility to secure water, food and energy for cooking and heating up their homes."

• You have not one, but TWO masters degrees. What inspired this?

"To answer this I think I have to take you through my career journey. I think it will make it easier for people to understand. This is because whenever I talk about this, some people think it was a waste of time to do this as a woman. For me, it has been highly valuable and has shaped my career, which I hope will benefit Ghana and encourage more women to pursue their academic dreams and careers.

I began my research career in 2007 as a student at KNUST, working under the supervision of Professor Mrs. Esi Awuah and Mr. Kobbina Awuah on a UNICEF/EU funded project with students from Cornell University. The project was on testing the quality of the source of drinking water in some selected communities in the Northern Region of Ghana. I then volunteered, with some community engagement, on the sensitization of Guinea Worm infection which was predominant in the Northern Region of Ghana. At the time, Ghana was the second most Guinea Worm infested country, and I felt we could do better. Following this project, in the latter part of 2007, I was supervised by Dr. Benjamin Betey Campion of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) on a research project on the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) for watershed management using Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) in Aboabo, Kumasi due to the predominance of flooding in Aboabo around that time. This gave me in-depth knowledge on water management and sanitation in Ghana. In 2008, together with some friends, we started a voluntary sensitization program called Earth watch on the KNUST campus local station (Focus FM), where we helped sensitize students on sustainable living, the environment and the importance of Ghana’s natural resources.

I moved on to become a Teaching and Research Assistant at KNUST where I worked on a collaborative research with KNUST and Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University sponsored by USAID /CRSP on “Characterization of pond effluents and biological and physiological assessment of receiving waters in Ghana” and “Aquaculture information sources for small scale fish farmers: the case of Ghana”. These were supervised by Professor Steve Amisah.

In the period between 2010 – 2012,  I engaged market women and fish farmers in Ghana on the economics involved in the selling and distribution of Tilapia and Catfish. After this experience in Ghana, I decided to pursue a master’s degree program to improve my knowledge in sustainable water management. I obtained a scholarship to enrol in a university in Sweden where I studied Ecological Engineering and specialized in Sustainable Water Management. It was a one year programme, and I realised although I was exposed to laboratory analysis to check water quality, I felt it was not good enough because Ghana had a lot of inland waters and some people’s livelihood depended on fisheries. So to contribute my knowledge to Ghana and help improve the health of our ecosystems, I decided to do a second masters’ degree on Inland Water Quality Assessment. During the time, I got the opportunity to work as a research assistant after a year at Mälardalen University, Sweden. I was part of a team that researched on the dormancy, germination and toxin production in Cyanobacteria and its impact on perennial blooms in lakes and reservoirs, and on Spanish Inland Water Quality Assessment focusing on Rivers and Lakes in Madrid in conjunction with the European Water Framework Directive (September 2010- January 2011) at the biology lab of Universidad Autónoma de Madrid.

Overall, it has been quite challenging, yet rewarding. Being a woman in this field, in a foreign country with different cultures, and coming from a developing country, has been tough. Some men I met were not so easy to associate with in an academic setting, and at times, did not value my input in the academic environment. It has also challenged my faith in God. Being an unmarried Ghanaian woman while pursuing my academic career, initially did not go down well with my family as they perceived the higher I advanced in my career, the more it would be difficult for me to have a husband. Thankfully, I overcome all these challenges with humility, love and overall with God."

• In Africa, we seem to be suffering from what we call the “resource curse” – a paradox that nations with an abundance of natural resources, specifically point-source non-renewable resources like minerals and fuels, tend to have less economic growth and worse development outcomes than nations with fewer natural resources. What’s your take on this? What are we doing wrong? And how can we beat this "curse”?

"To be honest, every time I have had the opportunity to discuss this issue with other Africans, they have always shared the opinion that we can never beat this curse, and even if we will, it will be a 100 years from now. However, throughout my academic pursuit, I have come to realize that we can, and it starts with individuals and not the government. I know most people believe a corrupt government leads to poor governance of our natural resources. Corruption does not start at the government level; it starts from childhood. Some individuals will eventually grow up and be in leadership positions. I strongly believe that children need to have some form of discipline at an earlier stage in order to break the cycle of corruption, and consequently resource mismanagement. That is the only way out."

• “Land grabbing” happens everywhere. But, it often takes place in Africa. Our governments welcome investors with the intention of benefiting from land sales. They offer our high-yielding land with easy access to water and infrastructure, and majority of these contracts rarely include conditions protecting the interests of our communities. What can we do to prevent this?

"Community engagement I will say is the useful and important way to go about this. This is because, most of the time, the government due to its own self-interest, does not have the necessary information and local knowledge to protect the interests of those communities. Engaging with the local community prior to the sales of these lands and having the locals on board during the planning and implementation is not only vital to share the responsibility in identifying issues, but it brings about a high level of community input on recommendations and advice for local and regional use of the resources. This can somehow contribute to problem solving, and could further achieve natural resource management goals, as well as to protect the interests of communities."

• If you had the opportunity to make a change in your home country, what would it be, and why?

"Restructuring the education system: I believe children do not have the right insight into career choices.

"More concern and respect for our environment: During this century, we should not have to die because of Cholera and flooding in Ghana. These are as a result of blocked drainage systems which are mostly filled with rubbish. It should not take a major flooding and death incidents before we desilt and clean our drainage systems."

• What is your message to women in this field?

"They should follow their dreams and not be discouraged. Be a woman of substance; have a positive influence; be a woman of meaning; use your voice; live up to your morals and values (always remain aware of them).  And last but not the least, do what excites and motivates you. Don’t settle because you have to, settle because you want to. And be humble.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to share my story. I hope it has a positive impact on all unmarried women out there."

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Selasi Dankwa on fighting Malaria in the lab

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Till today, Malaria still represents a major health burden, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Efforts to put an end to Malaria have been unsuccessful while parasite resistance to the most affordable and often used anti-malarial drugs is developing rapidly. Coming up with a Malaria vaccine is the objective behind much research. However, its full deployment remains a remote goal.

Malaria control can be achieved through the fervent involvement of scientists who have been directly affected by this terrible disease.

Today, we feature Selasi Dankwa, a Ghanaian Public Health researcher and scientist committed to fighting Malaria and other infectious diseases in Africa.

In her own words, Selasi grew up on the University of Ghana campus climbing forget-me-not trees and playing outdoor games with her siblings and neighbors, in between the expected episodes of Malaria and other common infectious diseases. She attended SOS Hermann Gmeiner International College in Tema, Ghana for secondary school. After SOS, she moved to the United States where she majored in Biological Chemistry at Wellesley College, a small liberal arts women’s college in Massachusetts. She then went on to get a doctorate in Biological Sciences in Public Health at Harvard University.

As a Ph.D. student, Selasi was awarded an international travel fellowship by the Harvard Global Health Institute. This award gave her the opportunity to travel to Dakar, Senegal to carry out Malaria research at Le Dantec Hospital with other Senegalese scientists. Selasi is currently pursuing her post-doctoral fellowship at the Center for Infectious Disease Research in Seattle, U.S.

"I didn’t realize it at the time, but these childhood experiences of hospital admissions and negotiations to take my Fanta-infused medicine would later influence my course of study."

• Why Public Health?

"I recently came across a quote by Melinda Gates, co-founder and co-chair of the Gates Foundation. She said, "Whatever the conditions of people’s lives, wherever they live, however they live, they share the same hopes, the same dreams as you and I." I think all people everywhere want good health. They don’t want to die from easily preventable or curable diseases. I’ve always been interested in human health and infectious diseases – a consequence of growing up in Ghana, I suspect. I also discovered in college that I enjoy research and working in a lab. After college, I worked as a research assistant in a tuberculosis lab and I think that experience, more than anything else, made me want to commit myself to studying how a particular pathogen causes disease in humans for the design and production of better diagnostics, drugs and vaccines."

• Why did you decide to study Malaria? Do you study other infectious diseases as well?

"I actually wasn’t set on studying Malaria in the beginning. I wanted to work on an infectious disease of public health importance and especially one that affected Ghanaians. In my first year of graduate school, I had the opportunity to rotate through three research labs – one that worked on the blood stages of Malaria, one on HIV and the other on Tuberculosis. I ended up joining the Malaria lab and carrying out my doctoral research there. Scientifically, I have particularly appreciated the fact that I get to study both the pathogen – the parasite that causes Malaria – and its interaction with the human host. Also, from a public health perspective, malaria is such a common disease in Ghana; most Ghanaians I know have had it before. It also accounts for all of my memories of being very sick as a child.

Except for my years as a research assistant in a Tuberculosis lab before graduate school, I haven’t worked on other infectious diseases, but I do get to hear research updates on other infectious diseases, especially Tuberculosis. This was true when I was a Ph.D. student in the Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, and now, as a scientist at the Center for Infectious Disease Research."

• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Africa has made progress against malaria since 2000. Deaths from the disease have fallen by 66% among all age groups and by 71% among children under five. This is definitely good news. But how can we control Malaria in our African societies more effectively? Would the situation be better if poverty wasn’t an issue? Or is this more of an environmental issue?

"The situation would certainly be better if poverty wasn’t a factor. There’s evidence to show that lower socioeconomic status is associated with increased Malaria incidence. Conversely, urbanization is linked to decreased Malaria transmission. In terms of Malaria mortality, I think most people that die from Malaria are those who don’t receive treatment early enough or at all, either because they don’t know they have Malaria or they don’t have the means to seek medical care. Poverty plays a role in both scenarios.

I think any strategy for controlling and preventing Malaria has to be multi-pronged. We will make considerable progress in the fight against Malaria with greater socioeconomic development, however, we must continue to use direct Malaria control measures that have proven to be effective in decreasing Malaria incidence. For example, increasing access to and usage of insecticide-treated bed nets, and increasing the availability and affordability of Malaria drugs. But it’s important to keep in mind that Malaria control plans that are devised have to be tailored to the community or town in question, since the patterns of Malaria transmission can vary widely, even across a single country.

I think it would be great if governments allocated more funds to Malaria control efforts for use not just in the health sector, but in other sectors such as education; including more malaria education in the school curriculum could have an immense impact. But I do think we all have a role to play. Simply adopting the mindset that the situation can improve – that Malaria needn’t be a fact of life in Ghana or sub-Saharan Africa – could be revolutionary. It would help us to find innovative solutions to the problem of sustained or increased Malaria transmission. There is nothing quite like the dedication and commitment of locals working together to bring about change."

• Is genetic resistance to Malaria a myth? Does race have anything to with it?

"That’s a very interesting question. The clearest evidence that we have of genetic resistance to Malaria is the protection that people with sickle cell trait have against severe Malaria, and Duffy-negative individuals against Plasmodium vivax malaria.

In the first instance, when individuals inherit two defective copies of hemoglobin, referred to as hemoglobin S, they suffer from sickle cell disease, a potentially debilitating chronic condition. However, when an individual inherits only one defective copy, a condition known as sickle cell trait, they are spared from sickle cell disease. Importantly, they are less susceptible to malaria and significantly protected from severe Malaria. It is believed that there is a high incidence of sickle cell trait in Africa because of the protection it affords carriers from severe Malaria caused by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite.

As to the second example of genetic resistance – the Duffy receptor is a protein found on the surface of red blood cells. It is largely required for the Plasmodium vivax Malaria parasite to enter red blood cells of the human host in order to cause disease. Due to a genetic difference, the human population in most of sub-Saharan Africa does not have the Duffy receptor, making us resistant to Plasmodium vivax Malaria. It is believed that transmission of P. vivax occurred a long time ago in Africa, causing an increase in the number of individuals that lack the Duffy receptor until Duffy-negativity became the predominant trait. Today, P. vivax is largely absent in sub-Saharan Africa, whereas in Asia and Central and South America, where people are Duffy-positive, there is widespread transmission of P. vivax.

In general, any genetic trait that makes the human host less hospitable to the growth and proliferation of Malaria parasites could affect a person’s susceptibility to Malaria. However, considerable scientific evidence is required to convincingly show that a particular genetic trait is associated with reduced susceptibility or resistance to Malaria in a given population or region."

• Should we expect a Malaria cure or vaccine to be commercially available soon?

"I think everyone is very eager to see the recently tested RTS,S Malaria vaccine become available. It’s the only Malaria vaccine so far that has made it through phase 3 clinical trials. However, much to the disappointment of many, it didn’t offer as much protection as had been anticipated. Even so, the European Medicines Agency has recommended its use. The WHO advisory committees on immunization and Malaria policy, on the other hand, have recommended that additional pilot studies be undertaken to determine how best RTS,S can be administered, if it reduces mortality and if meningitis is an adverse effect. If all the data from these studies are favorable, it will still take some time for national regulatory boards to approve its use. I think it could be a few years, at the earliest, until the vaccine becomes available. And even when it is deployed, it is expected to complement, rather than replace current Malaria control measures."

• Since we are talking infectious diseases, could you tell us about the recent outbreak of the Zika virus infection? Are we at risk in Africa?

"In 2015, there was a surge in cases of Zika virus disease in Brazil, which rapidly spread to South and Central America. Cases have now been reported in the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands and Cape Verde.

Zika virus is spread most commonly through the bite of an infectious Aedes mosquito. These mosquitoes have a wide geographic distribution, which includes Africa. The virus was actually first isolated in a monkey in Uganda in 1947. However, it is only in the last decade that it has been recognized as an important human pathogen and a potential public health threat. As far as the risk in Africa is concerned, in 2007, Zika virus was detected in humans and Aedes mosquitoes in a retrospective study in Gabon. And a study in 2011 found Zika virus in mosquitoes in Southeastern Senegal. But it is difficult to say if there will ever be a real outbreak in Africa. Given that there are mosquito vectors in the continent that can carry the virus, it remains a possibility, and we ought to be watchful for signs of a potential outbreak.

I should also say that apart from transmission via mosquitoes, there is a growing number of reports of sexual transmission in the current outbreak. This is important because it means cases will not be limited to areas where the Aedes mosquitoes live.  

As regards the link to complications with pregnancy, there has been a rise in cases of microcephaly coinciding with the current outbreak. Microcephaly is the condition where babies are born with abnormally small heads due to impaired brain development. In addition, other adverse outcomes in pregnancy, for example, various fetal central nervous system abnormalities and fetal death have been linked to infection with Zika virus during pregnancy. So while we still can’t prove causality, evidence is mounting for an association of Zika virus infection with fetal abnormalities.   

Unfortunately, there is no vaccine or medicine available to prevent or treat the disease. Like other mosquito-borne viruses such as Chikungunya, doctors treat severe hospital cases with supportive treatment, which includes fever- and pain-reducing drugs. To prevent infection, people are advised to protect themselves against mosquito bites, by using insect repellent, for example. Additionally, it is important to practice safe sex to avoid sexual transmission."

• What have been your major challenges in your research career? How did/do you deal with them?

"I can think of two.

My Ph.D. projects relied heavily on a lab-based method for generating human red blood cells, starting from stem cell precursors. It would take about a month from the start of the experiment to the time when I could start data analysis. So it was always very disheartening to get to the end of this time- and labor-intensive process only to discover that the experiment had not worked for any number of reasons. I had to learn to take it in my stride and not to care so much about time. It all worked out in the end. Mostly.

One of the bigger challenges of studying the blood stages of the Malaria parasite is having to plan experiments around their 48-hour developmental cycle. The timing doesn’t always fit neatly into reasonable hours of the day. There are some tricks for slowing down or speeding up the growth of parasites, so I use these when possible, and on occasions when this isn’t feasible, I wear a big smile, listen to music and get to work."

• Any plans for the future?

"When I’m done with my post-doctoral fellowship, I plan on moving back to Ghana to run a Malaria research lab. In this role, I hope to be able to collaborate with other researchers in Ghana and across Africa who are working on different aspects of the same problem."

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Kuukuwa Manful on STEM and social architecture

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Though not your "typical" STEM field, architecture intriguingly combines all aspects of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, with art and design. Today, emerging subfields of architecture in affordable green building and sustainability place scientists, engineers and architects in unique positions to help protect our environment, while impacting positive social change and development.

Featured today is Kuukuwa Manful, a Ghanaian architect by training with a passion for impacting society with social architecture.

Kuukuwa had her secondary school education as a General Science student at Wesley Girls’ High School in Cape Coast. She went on to obtain her BSc Architecture and Master of Architecture (M.Arch) degrees from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. She also has an MSc African Studies degree from the University of Oxford, England.

Kuukuwa has worked as a design associate with the Agbogbloshie Makerspace Platform project in Accra, Ghana, where she worked on mapping e-waste activities in the area. She was also a West African Design Fellow for ARCHIVE Global in Yaoundé, Cameroon. Prior to that, she was the Program Assistant of the ArchiAfrika Foundation, and also worked as a teaching assistant at the KNUST Department of Architecture.

Today, Kuukuwa and her team run SOCIARCHI, a social architecture initiative that uses research-based, community-participation approaches to design and solve environmental and social problems.

"So far, I have and continue to research and theorize about three broad but interconnected topics – African architectural history, Architectural Identity and Sustainable construction materials and methods. My M.Arch thesis for example explored indigenous Asante architecture as a basis for contemporary architectural identity in Bantama, Kumasi. My BSc dissertation examined reasons behind the lack of use of earth building materials in the contemporary Ghanaian built environment, and my MSc African studies research examined how early Ghanaian architects positioned themselves in relation to Modernist Architecture."

• Do you consider Architecture a STEM field?

"Absolutely – Architecture, especially in this era is a sum-total of science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics, and good architects more often than not have knowledge in all these fields and apply them constantly in every project."

• You seem pretty passionate about social architecture. Where do you get your inspiration from?

"My passion for social architecture comes from an awareness as a young architecture student of the appalling conditions many Ghanaians live in as a result of lack of access to built environment professionals and a lack of funds among others. I’m inspired by the Ghana I see around me everyday – not the shiny veneers of prosperity, but what lies immediately beneath, easily overlooked but always there. I guess I tend to look in between the cracks and in the shadows – and see things the kiosks in East Legon and Cantonments which house families, the nearly windowless houses that exist a short distance away from beautiful, expensive apartment complexes. I see the people who cannot afford architects, the same people being those who need them the most, and that is what inspires me."

• What is the purpose behind SOCIARCHI?

"SOCIARCHI uses research, advocacy and design to provide sustainable, context-appropriate design solutions for the most vulnerable in society. It is barely six months old, but it is a result of thinking, experimentation and planning since 2010. Current projects include the construction of a reading area for disadvantaged children in Omanjor; the retrofitting of a school in Adoagyiri for easy access by disabled children, and researching ways to make Accra’s urban environment more liveable for its inhabitants. The aim is to work as much as possible with existing community-based organisations as they usually understand the context best. In Omanjor, we worked with Utopia-Wishlist, which is a group of young professionals working to improve access to education; and in Adoagyiri we are working with Sefakor Komabu and Golda Addo, who are activists working in that field."

• Do you think architecture in Africa is making any progress?

"Yes, certainly. Economists and Researchers have described Africa as the last frontier of capitalism, and we have been seeing the building boom associated with this for a while. In that regard there is progress, yet I think more can be done and quicker. My passion for history, identity and sustainability is to blame for this, and I acknowledge my biases here, but I think we (architects) should be using materials that are better for the environment, we should be theorizing and crafting our own unique styles and identity based on our history and culture. Most importantly we must not leave the poor and marginalized behind – they need us the most."

• Who inspires you the most as an architect?

"That would be Francis Kéré, a Burkinabé architect. In addition to his practice in Germany, he works to provide beautiful, sustainable social architecture solutions to people in his hometown of Gando. He is brilliant and thoughtful and wants to make the world a better place and I’m continuously inspired and motivated by his work and thinking."

• What would you say has been your greatest achievement?

"This is a hard question – the best social architecture projects I’ve led have been group efforts which demonstrate the beauty and power of teamwork.

Individually, I’ve been part of or led a number of projects; I’ve worked in very difficult circumstances and prevailed; and I have won a good number of academic awards and scholarships. These have all been proud moments of personal triumph and validation – winning a full scholarship to study at Oxford for example is one of them.

I think realizing social architecture projects slightly trumps those though. The Omanjor Reading project and its experimental predecessor The Nkwantanang Playground project were amazing. Due to the fact that funds were limited, I took to social media to call for volunteers and contributors, and people came. Most of them I only knew off Facebook and Twitter, some, I didn’t even know. Friends also contributed, showed up to help or both. People with no prior construction experience mixed concrete, laid blocks, painted and planted on both occasions and it was all very heartwarming and beautiful.

Again, I don’t count these as personal achievements even though I led the projects –  but revel in the memories of being part of something so amazing – a shared spirit of goodwill which impacted the people we are working for positively."

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