Posts Tagged ‘Ghana’


University Of Michigan School of Arts in Ghana

Thursday, August 9th, 2012

U of M Art and Design Students in Ghana - August 2012

Back in March we donated a steel drum to the University of Michigan School of Art and Design. Ten students and their instructor were going to visit Ghana this summer to help local villagers make charcoal in a more sustainable manner. They promised to keep in touch and they did. I received an email from U of M School of Art and Design Detroit Connections Coordinator Charlie Michaels recently giving me a link to their blog.

The students are spending 3 weeks in Ghana this August. They are staying and working in Nungua, a village outside of Accra, with a local NGO called Cross Cultural Collaborative – Aba House as it is known in locally. From following the blog they are not only making sustainable charcoal from corn cobs. They are learning to make paper out of sugar cane, watch local artisans make beads from found plastic articles and to play the local games with the areas children.

From looking at the blog, this seems to be an adventure of a lifetime for these students.  Maxi is proud to have assisted them and we look forward to following their blog. GO BLUE! – even in Ghana.

Making Beads From Discarded Plastic

Making Beads From Discarded Plastic

Making Charcoal

Making Charcoal in Ghana


Maxi Helps University of Michigan Art School Teach Sustainability in Ghana

Friday, March 30th, 2012
U of M Art School student Diane Thach with donated steel Drum

U of M Art School student Diane Thach with donated steel Drum

Maxi Container was recently contacted by U of M School of Art and Design student Diane Thach. In August 2012 she will be one of 10 U of M students traveling with U of M School of Art and Design Detroit Connections Co-ordinator Charlie Michaels to Nungua, Ghana. Once there they will be teaching young adults how to make charcoal out of sugarcane and other natural agricultural waste.

This program has several goals. Ghana has one of the highest rates of deforestation, losing 2.19 percent of its forests per year. According to one study, forest biomass removal for fuelwood and charcoal represents the major source of energy for over 75% of Ghana’s population. Furthermore, traditional wood based charcoal smoke has a variety of irritant pollutants, some of which are known carcinogens. More than 1.5 million deaths a yearare caused by acute respiratory infections from breathing smoke from indoor cooking fires. Finally, wood charcoal is expensive. Poor families in Ghana can spend over 25% of their income on fuel.

The charcoal produced from the sugarcane and agricultural waste burns cleanly, reducing exposure to the smoke that causes respiratory infections; it uses agricultural waste materials, and therefore does not contribute to deforestation; and it transforms a waste stream into a high-value, income generating product.

Under the model developed by MIT’s d-lab a 55 gallon steel drum is an integral part of the charcoal making process. It is the kiln in which the agricultural waste is carbonized to begin the charcoal making process. Maxi Container, donated a used food grade steel drum for the students to practice prior to their trip to Ghana.

According to Charlie Michaels, they will be keeping a blog while on their trip in August. Stay tuned for future updates on this exciting program.