Kofi Mensah

Transformed Ghana's education system through community-driven schools

Kofi Mensah (b.1975) pioneered Ghana's first community-built school initiative in 1998. Starting in his native Ashanti region, he developed a model where villages construct 50% of school infrastructure using local materials. His Participatory Education Model (PEM) required parents to contribute 20 hours/month toward maintenance, creating ownership and sustainability. By 2003, 87 schools were built using this approach, increasing literacy rates from 42% to 78% in target communities. Mensah's 2005 book 《Building Schools, Building Communities》 became a UNDP manual. His 2008 documentary inspired similar programs in Kenya and Nigeria. The World Bank's 2010 report cited his approach as a top model for Sub-Saharan education systems.