From Internet Café to Impact: My Path to InovTech

Born in La, Raised in Teshie

I was born in La, a coastal town in Ghana, and grew up in Teshie, a lively community full of culture, laughter, and resilience. Life in Teshie was vibrant, but it was also tough. My mother, a strong and determined woman, raised four children on her own with the constant support of my grandmother. Together, they did everything they could to keep us clothed, fed, and loved.

We didn’t have much in terms of material wealth. What we lacked most was access to opportunities—especially in education. At the time, computers were already changing the world, but in my school there wasn’t a single one. While I heard stories of other children learning with technology, I only encountered computers through fleeting moments: standing outside neighbors’ windows to catch a glimpse of their glowing television screens.

Those small glimpses of technology lit a fire in me. I wanted to understand how these machines worked. I wanted to create, to build, and to explore. But the resources around me made it feel impossible.

The Hardest Decision

When I was thirteen years old, I made a choice that many couldn’t understand: I dropped out of school. To many in my community, education was the only ladder out of poverty, and leaving school seemed like giving up on my future. But to me, staying in a classroom with no computers, no internet, and no practical exposure felt like a different kind of giving up.

I wanted more than memorizing facts from old textbooks. I wanted to learn skills that could change lives—my own and others’. And so, instead of a classroom, I found myself at a small Internet café tucked between shops in Teshie. The café became my new school.

The Internet Café University

Every day, I would walk into the café with a few coins in my pocket. I would rent a computer for as long as I could afford, sometimes skipping meals just to buy extra hours online. I remember the humming of the old desktop machines, the flicker of their monitors, and the excitement I felt when I discovered free coding tutorials.

At first, it was overwhelming. Programming languages looked like a secret code. There were nights when I went home frustrated, convinced I wasn’t smart enough. But something inside me refused to stop. I kept returning, clicking, typing, failing, and trying again. Slowly, I began to understand the logic behind the code. What once looked like gibberish started to make sense.

That café, with its noisy printers and humming CPUs, became my laboratory. It was there that I first felt the power of technology—not as something distant and unattainable, but as a tool I could learn to use.

Creating from Nothing

With no money to buy robotics kits or new devices, I turned to what I had: waste materials. Old plastic bottles became the bodies of cars. Scrap wires found new life as circuits. Broken toys were dismantled for motors and parts. I spent hours piecing things together, not because I had all the right equipment, but because I believed innovation was possible even with the little I had.

The first time one of my makeshift robots moved, even if only for a few seconds, I felt a joy that words can barely capture. It wasn’t just about a moving object—it was proof that with creativity and persistence, I could build something that worked.

Planting the Seed of InovTech

As I kept learning, another thought grew stronger: If I had to fight so hard for access, what about all the other young people in Teshie? What about the children in other underserved communities across Ghana and Africa?

I realized that my story was not unique. Thousands of young people were being held back by the same barriers—lack of access to computers, internet, and practical learning tools. Many were giving up on their dreams simply because they didn’t have the opportunities.

That realization became my turning point. I knew I had to do something bigger than myself. I wanted to create a place where children could access technology, learn, and innovate without facing the same roadblocks I had. That dream became InovTech STEM Center.

Building InovTech STEM Center

With the support of my grandmother and a small team of passionate young people, we launched InovTech STEM Center as a community innovation hub. At first, we started small—refurbishing computers, setting up basic labs in local schools, and teaching children how to code.

Soon, we realized the needs were far greater. Schools didn’t just need computers; they needed holistic STEM education—robotics, coding, 3D printing, and even vocational and life skills that could prepare students for the real world.

That’s how we developed our flagship programs:

• STEM4Her – empowering girls with technology and leadership skills.

• Powered Girl & Powered Boy – equipping young people with digital, vocational, and social skills to thrive beyond the classroom.

• KodeVR – an offline virtual robotics platform that allows students to design and simulate robots even in schools without internet or devices.

• STEMSet – a robotics kit built from recycled plastic waste, turning environmental challenges into opportunities for learning.

Impact So Far

What started with one boy in an Internet café has now reached over 18,400 students, with 45% being girls and 3% learners with disabilities. We’ve also trained 2,500 teachers across Ghana, giving them the tools and confidence to make STEM education accessible to all.

Every time I see a child’s eyes light up when their robot comes to life or when they write their first line of code, I’m reminded why this work matters. For many of these students, it’s not just about learning technology—it’s about discovering that they, too, can create, innovate, and lead.

The Road Ahead

Our journey is only beginning. In the next 18 months, we aim to reach 50,000 students across five African countries. Within the next five years, we are determined to reach 100,000 learners.

But beyond the numbers, our vision is about rewriting the story for young Africans. A story where no child has to stand outside a window to glimpse technology. A story where innovation isn’t limited to a privileged few but is nurtured in every community.

Why I Do This

I often think back to that 13-year-old boy in Teshie who chose an uncertain path because he believed there had to be something more. That boy didn’t know where his curiosity would lead him, but he knew he couldn’t wait for opportunity to come knocking.

Today, through InovTech STEM Center, I am committed to being the bridge I once needed—offering children access, hope, and the tools to shape their own futures.

Because talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not. And when we create opportunity, we don’t just change individual lives—we change communities, we change nations, and we change the story of Africa.