EduSpots Unlocked
Collaborating to strengthen digitalised community-led education globally
“
The intervention model, focusing on community ownership, innovative teaching methods, and cultural alignment, has proven effective in driving the modelʼs impact, with clear potential to be replicated in other contexts.” Expectation State, Independent Evaluation, 2025
EduSpots' recognitions include
Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship
Building on a Decade of Igniting Community-led Education For over a decade, EduSpots has been igniting community-led education with local changemakers in Ghana, Kenya, the UK and beyond. As a network, we have developed practical skills, tools and strategies that enable communities to create the futures they want to see through education. EduSpots Unlocked opens up this experience to NGOs, schools and education-focused organisations through communities, online courses, training, resources and digital tools. As we enter our second decade, we are aiming to embed further collaboration into our approach, working alongside others to embed more inclusive, participatory and community-driven approaches across the education ecosystem. By offering some services for a fee, EduSpots Unlocked also aims to generate sustainable earned income that fuels EduSpots’ wider mission, while creating opportunities for others to strengthen their own practice.
Contents: Page 02
Page 03
Page 04
History of our innovation
Communities of practice
Community-led Learning Circle
Pages 05 -06
Pages 07 -08
Pages 09 -10
EduSpots' Online Courses
WhatsApp for Learning
Page 11
Page 12
Pages 13-14
Clubs resources
The EduSpots App
Our team & Edu-Consult
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Edu-Animation & storybooks
50 active Spots
200+ schools
Our History: from one Spot to a Connected Network EduSpots was created to show that communities themselves can design, lead and sustain transformative learning. By unlocking the knowledge and creativity already present in communities, the approach turns education into a shared civic responsibility rooted in local ownership and collective action. In 2015, the first Spot was created by the Addae family in Abofour, Ashanti Region of Ghana, in response to a locked privately owned library in a neighbouring community, built on principles of community ownership, local leadership and purposeful collaboration. Since that point, over 700 local leaders named Catalysts, including students,
teachers and community members, have come together to create 50 community-owned learning hubs known as ‘Spots’. Each Spot is unique, shaped by the identity and aspirations of its community, EduSpots has grown through a participatory model in which every Catalyst has a voice in shaping the network’s future. Their ideas and experiences feed into programme design and wider decision-making, with over half of our staff team drawn directly from Catalyst pathways EduSpots Unlocked aims to create a two-way flow of learning: enabling Catalyst innovations to reach wider audiences while bringing new ideas and insights back into the network.
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100,000+ Learners reached
“
We’re not just implementing a pre-set model. Our ideas and experiences are actively shaping how EduSpots evolves. It’s truly a collaborative effort. Catalyst, Independent Evaluation, Expectation State 2025
SCAN TO WATCH EduSpots’ 10 year story
Offer 1
Communities of Practice
300+ 100+ Members
online meetings
50+ NGOs reached
“
This community of practice has really given us a chance to partner with other members of the same fraternity, share ideas, and learn lessons from what partners are doing within the climate change education platform.” Dr. Francis Chimsah, Climate Smart Training, CECOP member
EduSpots runs a number of communities of practice, with an evidence-backed approach combining a blend of WhatsApp for Learning, Zoom, online collaboration tools and in-person meet-ups.
CECOP (Climate Education Community of Practice) Founded in 2025, CECOP is a collaborative network facilitated by EduSpots and funded by the Gower Street Trust, bringing together 20 organisations across Ghana to strengthen climate and nature-based education.
CECOP Report
EduCitizens The EduCitizens Community is EduSpots’ international community of educators, practitioners, researchers and changemakers exploring how education can develop active local and global citizenship. Emerging from our Founder/CEO’s participation in UNESCO’s Youth for Peace Intercultural Leadership Programme, it brings diverse international perspectives into EduSpots.
EduCitizens Report
EduChamps The EduChamps Community is a WhatsApp-based pathway for people beyond the core Spot network to learn from, engage with and contribute to EduSpots’ wider movement for educational change. It includes EduChamps Talks with experienced panellists, often linked to international days and open to the wider public. Email Jennifer at jmensah@eduspots.org to find out more!
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Join EduSpotsʼ Community-Led Learning Circle This is a new learning community for NGO and academic practitioners with a specific interest in community-led approaches to education looking to work alongside others in enhancing their work and supporting the wider ecosystem of community-led approaches to education.
What does the Community-Led Learning Circle involve? A collaborative WhatsApp for Learning community Monthly workshops for NGOs drawing partner learnings on community-led approaches together Access to resources on community-led change including MEL tools, animation work, storybooks Invitation to annual in-person event in Accra on community-led themes This learning lab will be facilitated by EduSpotsʼ Catalyst Committee Chair and Co-Chair, alongside the CEO and Head of Partnerships, working closely with partner organisations. If you would like EduSpots to support you in running an online community of practice effectively, reach out to Prince Ampofo at pampofo@eduspots.org with tailored packages of support available. Depending on participant numbers, we typically charge £15,000 or 231,000 Cedis for up to 12 months of online facilitation, in-person conference and learning reports.
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Offer 2
EduSpotsʼ Online Courses EduSpots’ online courses were first launched in 2018, bringing students worldwide together for critical discussions on power and global development. During the COVID-19 pandemic, demand from schools led to three further courses on leadership, social entrepreneurship and postcolonial thinking. In 2026, with support from the UNESCO Youth for Peace Intercultural Leadership Programme, through which EduSpots' CEO, Cat Davison was selected as a Young Leader, EduSpots developed a new online course delivered through an enhanced digital learning platform.
THE COURSE FORMAT Scholar Spotlights
Join the Edu-Conversation
Bridging theory and practice Real-world examples showing how ideas are applied in practice
A discussion space for learners to reflect, question, and learn together, often following a video prompt.
Quick-fire quizzes
Big ideas: key takeaways
Further reading / watching suggestions
Short questions to check understanding of core concepts
A concise summary of the main insights from the section
A collection of recommended ideas for deeper exploration across the themes
Key thinkers and theories that deepen understanding
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“
I’ve come away from this course with practical tools I use every day, but the biggest shift has been in my mindset. I’m far more conscious of how my choice of language, imagery and framing can influence power dynamics and increase the positive impact of the stories we tell about change.” Student & NGO Communications Lead
Course 1: Communication, Agency & Power This is a six week practical exploration of how the ways we communicate shape relationships, influence change, and redistribute power within social change contexts.
Scholars examined include Paulo Freire, Cormac Russell, Vanessa Andreotti, Edward Said, Frantz Fanon, Kwame Appiah and Jon Alexander.
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5
Week 6
From Othering to Belonging in a World on the Move
Embedding Ethical Communication in Practice
Gaining critical self-awareness
Centring Local Agency:From Beneficiaries to Participants
Communicating for Change: Development Theory in Action
From Problems to Possibilities: Asset-Based Approaches in Practice
Course Cost NGOs & social enterprises
Schools & universities
Professionals at NGOs and social enterprises, businesses: NGOs/gap year companies per person
Learners at schools & universities (independent, free for state):
Independent Schools: £45 / Ghc150 in Ghana
Small organisation:
Free for state schools and Catalysts
Large Organisation:
£100 / 1500 Cedis
Medium organisation: £130 / 2000 Cedis £150 / 2300 Cedis
Group discounts may be available for schools, universities and NGOs for 10 or more participants
This course is free for EduSpots Catalysts, and all profits made from this course will be used to directly support the deepening and expansion of EduSpots’ impact in rural Ghana and Kenya through igniting community-led change.
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Winner, Ripple of Change Award, Gratitude Network Summit, LinkedIn Headquarters
Offer 3
WhatsApp for Learning: Chat for Change WhatsApp for Learning is EduSpots’ peer-learning model, designed around how educators and local changemakers in underserved communities already communicate. This approach has been tested across the EduSpots network across the past decade, with over 80 locally-led WhatsApp hubs sustaining engagement, with thousands of conversations weekly. Rather than introducing a new platform, we use a familiar tool already in use in underserved communities to create structured, participatory learning journeys that combine the following elements:
Co-design: communities collectively shape their values, content and ways of working through a Community Charter and Weekly Flow.
Participatory learning: Catalysts engage in debates, polls, games, voice-note reflections, peer exchange and practical resource sharing.
Peer leadership: each learning community is supported by a staff facilitator and peer mentor, with Catalysts taking on leadership roles aligned with their interests and expertise.
Long-term learning: dedicated WhatsApp pages follow structured curricula, enabling deeper exploration of themes such as community leadership, human rights, environmental education and digital skills.
Blended support: monthly coaching sessions reinforce WhatsApp-based learning, while resources are shared through accessible formats including PDFs, short videos, images, voice notes and printed materials where needed.
Data-informed improvement: engagement is monitored through tools such as ChatStats, enabling EduSpots to understand participation patterns and continually strengthen the model.
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Transforming WhatsApp into a Learning Tool: Our Training
“
EduSpotsʼ WhatsApp strategies enabled us to strengthen our learning as a community.” 53% strongly agreed, 42% agreed, 5% neither agreed nor disagreed.
Following multiple requests for support in using WhatsApp (or other messenger Apps) effectively we have developed a handbook and structured training on our approach for other NGOs, businesses and individuals.
Benefits of WhatsApp for Learning
Ethics & Privacy Concerns
Group Setup & Community Charters
Facilitation & Moderation Strategies
Engagement & Participation
Learning Content & Curriculum Design
Digital Tools & Innovation
Safeguarding & Inclusion
Monitoring, Feedback & Continuous Improvement
Taster session
Ignite Offer:
Catalyse Offer:
Sustain Offer:
FREE
£350 /3000 Cedis
£1500, 23,000 Cedis
£5000, 77,000 Cedis
A 40 mins introduction to our WhatsApp for Learning training.
90 mins group online training in a group for 2 staff & handbook with discount for small NGOs/ discount code.
5 x 60 min sessions, handbook, with review of strategic plan
5 x 90 mins online sessions, set-up support, observation and ongoing feedback over three months.
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Offer 4
Edu-Animation Edu-Animation is EduSpots’ unique approach to using high-quality animation to ignite community-led learning, aligning with the national curriculum and community-identified needs. Inspired by the stories, ideas and experiences of local Catalysts, Sparks and staff, we’re bringing some of our internal innovations, learning and creativity to the world through this new channel. Housed on YouTube and shared across our social feeds, we’re aiming to grow Edu-Animation into a leading educational animation platform, rooted in Ghana and Kenya but accessed across the world.
Claps:
Safeguarding:
A collection of EduSpotsʼ education ‘clapsʼ
Localised content supporting online and in-person safeguarding
Ignite Programme:
Pedagogical principles:
Animations supporting Spot start-up training
Our 12-step teaching framework explained
Watch some of our animations below! The Book of Possibility
Keeping our Children Safe Online
Supporting your content creation If you would like EduSpots to support your content creation, housed on Edu-Animation, please reach out to Prince Ampofo at pampofo@eduspots.org to discuss possibilities.
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Offer 5
Kwameʼs Adventures Storybooks
“
When the pupils were told that the story was staged at Tease, their own community, the excitement and readiness of the pupils to read Kwame‘s adventures was amazing! Teachers too were eager to read and were surprised and happy to see Miss Alice feature in the story”.
Catalyst, Tease
First launched in 2020, Kwame’s Adventures is an EduSpots children’s story series illustrated by Fleance Forkuo, designed to make reading engaging, locally relevant and connected to real-world learning. The stories follow Kwame the Bird as he explores different places, people and challenges. They introduce children to themes such as the environment, community, problem-solving, creativity and active citizenship, while helping to build reading confidence and comprehension. The stories feature local Catalysts such as Gloria Addae from Abofour and Adu Boahen Carlos from Akumadan, who co-created the narratives, based on local stories and learners from their Spots and wider communities. So far, Kwame has visited Abofour, Akumadan and Tease Spots, with plans to continue to expand the series across the network.
Abofour and the Forest Fire
Akumadan and the Talent Show
Featuring Gloria Addae Founder of the first Reader’s Club
Featuring Adu Boahen Carlos, Former Catalyst Committee Chair, Now EduSpots Staff
The story books are available for sale at £10 or 80 Cedis / book and available online
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TEASE AND THE MISSING SCIENCE BOOK Newest edition to the series
Scan here
Offer 6
Club Resources: Monthly Challenges Packs
“
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
Since 2017, EduSpots has run an Education Hub that involves learners across the network in four streams of extra-curricular clubs. These stretch across:
EduKidz, KG-B3 Early years education
EcoSTEM, B7-9 STEM and environmental education
Monthly Challenge packs
Zoom training
DigiLit, B4-6 Digital and literacy skills
Ignite Equity, B8 Gender equity and youth leadership
WhatsApp for Learning
Peer Mentorship
Observation
Feedback & Recognition
Interested in learning more? If you would like to have access to these learning materials and consider a partnership in delivering our clubs programme, please contact Sarah Abotsi-Masters, Head of Education at sabotsi-masters@eduspots.org to discuss possibilities.
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The EduSpots App The EduSpots App was launched in 2024 to support Catalysts in managing their Spots, connecting efficiently with staff as we scale our model. Co-created with Catalysts through a Digital Champions strategy, the App currently includes Catalyst and learner registration, book borrowing, grants management, activity tracking and Monthly Challenge submissions. It also provides EduSpots with live visibility of activity and engagement across the network. In 2026, EduSpots was one of 12 organisations selected for the highly competitive Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship, facilitated by MEST Africa. The programme and funding have enabled EduSpots to bring a full-time developer into the team, strengthening the App’s usability, integration of learning science principles and range of features.
The Path Forwards: An App for EduSpots Unlocked We are seeking funding to develop a new EduSpots Unlocked App, enabling us to share the educational offers outlined in this guide with wider audiences and build a globally relevant platform for igniting digitalised, community-led education at scale.
Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship
One of 12 organisations selected facilitated by MEST Africa
If you are interested in supporting this process
Email Prince Ampofo, Head of Partnerships, at pampofo@eduspots.org
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Offer 7
Edu-Consult
“
I have been working with education and community development NGOs in Ghana for almost 25 years and EduSpots stands out for the quality of its work, the creativity of its model and the integrity of its people.” Sally Vivyan, Co-Director, Gower Street Trust
Across the years, the EduSpots team has developed significant experience over the following areas, which we’d be happy to support with, for a negotiated fee. Network development and strengthening
Digital skills training & infrastructure
Communication and branding in community-led models
Monitoring, evaluation and learning in community-led change
Igniting deep community ownership and leadership
Participatory programme and education design
Want to start a conversation?
Email Prince Ampofo, Head of Partnerships, at pampofo@eduspots.org
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Our Leadership Experience Half of our inspiring Ghana-based staff and peer mentor team joined from our volunteer network, with a global trustees and staff supporting from Nigeria, Kenya, Laos, Egypt and the UK. Our leadership team includes:
Prince Ampofo
Cat Davison CEO/Founder
Head of Partnerships & Leadership Development
Cat is an experienced educational innovator and designer, recognised as a Global Teacher Prize Finalist, UNESCO Youth For Peace Young Leader and Gratitude Network fellow.
Prince brings 15 years of experience in developing volunteer and leadership programmes in Ghana, with a decade of experience at the Databank Foundation.
Sarah Abotsi-Masters Head of Education
Sarah is a highly experienced science and astronomy educator, who also serves as the National Astronomy Education Coordinator, also part of a group who discovers an astroid!
Our work is championed by experienced Ghanaian leaders
Emeritus Professor Gloria Agyemang
Dr Richard Amoah
Chair of Global NGO Trustees
Chair of Ghana NGO Directors
Professor Agyemang was previously Executive Dean of the School of Business and Management at Royal Holloway University.
With a PhD exploring using data and indigenous narratives for educational advancement at the foundational level, Dr Amoah is Head of Research and Stakeholder Engagement at Education Sub- Saharan Africa.
Professor Elsie Effah Kaufmann
Nimatu Abdul-Rahman
Alongside her role as Dean of the School of Engineering Sciences at the University of Ghana, Professor Kaufmann presents the televised National Science and Mathematics Quiz.
Nimatu is EduSpots' Catalyst Committee Chair, founding Savelugu Spot as a teenager and supporting EduSpots' development since 2017.
EduSpotsʼ Patron
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EduSpots' Catalyst Committee Chair
“
EduSpots has realised its vision of community-driven change by empowering an effective network of young people and community members who initiate positive changes ... and can sustain and expand EduSpotsʼ work.” – Expectation State, Independent Evaluation, 2025
We would love you and your organisation to be part of the next phase of our journey in shaping #OurCollectiveFuture
For more information, contact Prince Ampofo, Head of Partnerships
pampofo@eduspots.org
www.eduspots.org
FEATURED BY
+233 55 142 3507