2
Countries
5+
Partner universities
8 wks
Field sessions
3
Sessions planned
GreenPulse Ghana brings together Towson University study abroad students and Ghanaian university interns to work side by side, collecting community data, restoring land, and building the environmental evidence base Ghana needs.
GreenPulse Ghana's field learning model deliberately pairs students from the United States with students from Ghana. This is not a traditional volunteering trip. It is a structured academic field experience where both groups contribute equally, learn from each other, and produce work that has real and lasting value for Ghanaian communities.
Students from Towson University travel to Ghana for structured field learning sessions aligned with their Metropolitan Studies and urban planning coursework. Academic credit is earned through documented field work, data collection, site assessments and reflective reporting.
Students from partner universities in Ghana apply for competitive internship placements with GreenPulse Ghana. Interns are the backbone of field operations, leading GPS mapping, community engagement, data entry and site documentation under professional supervision.
Study abroad and intern students are deployed together as mixed field teams. Ghanaian students provide local language ability, community relationships and contextual knowledge. International students bring complementary academic perspectives. Both learn more together than apart.
Every session produces data that is published to the Ghana Data Commons, restoration work that is handed back to communities, and Site Restoration Records that become permanent public documents. Student work is not simulated. It contributes directly to GreenPulse Ghana's programmes.
A structured field learning experience in Ghana earning academic credit. Led by GreenPulse Ghana founder Henry Ayakwah, who holds a faculty position at Towson University's Metropolitan Studies programme.
Competitive internship placements for students from partner Ghanaian universities. Interns lead field data collection, community documentation and site restoration activities under professional supervision.
GPS mapping of dump sites, water sources, sanitation facilities, schools, health clinics and roads. Data entered in real time using KoboToolbox and ODK Collect on smartphones.
Photographing, measuring and classifying irregular dump sites, recording waste types, proximity to homes and water, and current conditions before treatment begins.
Participating in physical site treatment, waste sorting, organic composting, and preparing land for restoration. Supporting the handback process and community education sessions.
Planting trees under the Green Canopy programme and assigning each tree a unique GPS record in the urban tree database, species, planter name and growth tracking log.
Meeting with community members, chiefs and District Assembly representatives. Conducting participatory mapping sessions where residents identify local needs, hazards and assets.
Cleaning, reviewing and formatting collected data before submission to the Ghana Data Commons. Writing site summaries and contributing to the Site Restoration Record for each treated site.
Each session is listed below with its type, focus area, participating institutions and current status. This table will be updated as new sessions are confirmed and completed.
| Session | Type | Focus area | Institutions | Students | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer 2026 | Study Abroad + Internship | Waste & sanitation mapping · Land remediation · Green Canopy tree planting | Towson University · Partner Ghanaian universities TBC | TBC | Planned |
| Summer 2027 | Study Abroad + Internship | Water supply survey · Health & education facility mapping · Drainage assessment | Towson University · Partner Ghanaian universities TBC | TBC | Planned |
| Summer 2028 | Study Abroad + Internship | Roads & mobility · Energy & lighting · Land use & settlement conditions | Towson University · Partner Ghanaian universities TBC | TBC | Planned |
Session dates, focus areas and partner institutions are subject to confirmation. Check back for updates or contact us to register interest.
Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Metropolitan Studies programme. The founding study abroad partner, led by GreenPulse Ghana Executive Director Henry Ayakwah, who serves as faculty at Towson University.
Kumasi. Planning, geography and environmental science students. Target partner for intern placements from Year 1.
Legon, Accra. Geography, public health and social sciences. Target partner for intern placements from Year 1.
Sunyani. Environmental and natural resource management students. Strong alignment with GreenPulse Ghana's land and data programmes.
Tamale. Development studies, agriculture and environmental management. Key partner for reaching northern Ghana communities.
GreenPulse Ghana is actively seeking partnership agreements with additional Ghanaian universities. If your institution is interested, contact us to discuss a formal partnership.
Enquire about partnership →Contact GreenPulse Ghana to register your interest in the next study abroad session. Include your programme of study, expected graduation year and which session you are interested in.
Register study abroad interest →Send your CV, a short statement of interest and your university and programme of study. Internship placements are competitive and filled on a rolling basis ahead of each session.
Apply for an internship →If you represent a university interested in establishing a formal partnership for student placements or study abroad, in Ghana or the United States, contact GreenPulse Ghana to discuss a partnership agreement.
Discuss a university partnership →Sponsoring a student placement covers training, field equipment, transport and in-country support for one intern or study abroad participant.
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