The Otumfuo Osei Tutu II Foundation, in partnership with Newmont, has commissioned the Otumfuo–Newmont AI for Youth Centre at Sankore in the Asunafo South District of the Ahafo Region.
The Centre is the fourth of six Smart Labs being rolled out across Ghana to expand access to cutting-edge digital and future-ready education.
The lab, fully funded by Newmont and set up by Coral Reef Innovation Africa (CRIA), is another realisation of the Otumfuo Foundation’s vision to create learning opportunities for Ghana’s youth, wherever they are.
A statement issued by the Foundation in Accra said the new Centre formed part of a landmark effort to equip young people in underserved communities with hands-on skills in artificial intelligence, robotics, coding, problem-solving, digital creativity, and STEM learning.
It said the initiative advanced the shared vision of the Otumfuo Foundation, Newmont, and CRIA to promote access, equity, and inclusion in education for every Ghanaian child.
The statement said the launch at Sankore followed significant achievements already recorded at the AI for Youth Centres in Wioso and Kona, where the initiative had ignited remarkable transformations in learning outcomes and student creativity.
It said in Wioso, students trained in the Smart Lab placed 5th nationwide at the 2024 Ghana Robotics Competition, an achievement for a community previously underserved in digital literacy.
In Kona, the impact went even further. In 2025, the robotics team from the Kona D/A Primary and JHS emerged as National Champions at the Ghana Robotics Competition in Accra, outperforming elite schools from across the country.
The statement said their victory delivered powerful proof of what becomes possible when rural learners are given the tools, mentorship, and opportunities to thrive.
Mr Joseph Danso, the Social Performance Director at Newmont, said, “these results show that brilliance exists everywhere. When we level the playing field, Ghana’s children from Wioso to Kona, and now Sankore, rise to meet the challenge.”
He said the future of innovation in Ghana would not only come from cities; it would come from every community.
The new Sankore AI for Youth Centre is equipped to support students from various schools across the district.
Its features include AI & robotics training systems, Digital literacy workstations, Hands-on STEM kits, Teacher training modules, and A supportive environment for inclusive learning.
The facility is built to serve girls, boys, and learners with diverse needs, promoting equal access to 21st-century skills.
Mr Danso said Newmont’s continued investment in the AI for Youth initiative reinforced long-term commitment to empowering communities with future-ready skills, digital competence, and pathways to employment in a rapidly evolving global economy.
“This project is an investment in human potential. The youth of Sankore deserve access to the same opportunities as any child in Accra, New York, or London,” he said.
He said they were proud to support a programme that was shaping Ghana’s next generation of innovators.
“Newmont has committed over 1.7 million GHS toward establishing six of such educational facilities under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Otumfuo Foundation,” he added.
Madam Audrey-Bertha Nartey, the Country Lead, CRIA, said that, as an implementing partner, they continued to train teachers and mentor students across all established Smart Labs.
“CRIA’s model focuses not only on technology access, but also on nurturing confidence, creativity, and problem-solving among young learners,” she said.
Madam Nartey said, their mission was simply to: Empower Tomorrow Today and with each new Centre, build ecosystems where children could learn, create, compete, and lead.
