Highlights of MASHAV activities from 2020 to 2024
2020 – Israel, Germany and Ghana host first in a series of workshops aimed at creating a model for Ghana’s innovation and development ecosystem. This is a trilateral cooperation between MASHAV, the Government of Ghana, and the GIZ Ghana. This trilateral cooperation was initiated to promote innovation in Ghana especially at the policy level.
The first phase of this project was the inauguration of the Trilateral Cooperation between Ghana, Israel and Germany on Innovation in October 2019. The second consisted ofwebinar series on the Israeli innovation ecosystem and an overview and discussion on governmental action in Ghana. The third phase was a workshop on 12th-13th November, 2020, which fostered collaboration and coordination among the participating ministries and agencies. The agencies involved are Ministry of Environment, Science Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); Ministry of Communications and Digitalization, represented by Accra Digital Center (ADC); Ministry of Business Development represented by The National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (NEIP); Ministry of Trade and Industry and NBSSI – National Board for Small Skill Industries; and University of Ghana and Ashesi University.
2020 - Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchway participated in MASHAV International Women Leaders E-Conference. She used the platform to call on governments around the world to support women affected by the ramifications of COVID19.
2020 – Through MASHAV Funding, the Embassy of Israel donated 2000 face shields to the Ministry of Health during the heat of the COVID 19 pandemic period. The Face Shields was produced in Ghana by the Accra Digital Center (ADC). This was facilitated by a 3D technology from the State of Israel.
2020 – The Embassy of Israel through MASHAV donated assorted PPE’s to the Ministry of Health in Sierra Leone during the heat of the COVID 19 Pandemic. The donation included face shields, disposable masks, coveralls, digital and infra-red thermometers, surgical gloves and sms gowns.
2020 – The Embassy of Israel provided a grant of USD 13,000 to Care for Liberia’s Population (CALP) a local NGO. This was to assist the implementation of their “Single Mom and Children Corona Virus Support Initiative. This initiative targeted two counties (Grand Bassa and Montserrado). Under this project, food items and corona prevention supply to over 200 single mothers. Additionally, 33 single mothers received training in Sewing (Tailoring) and Hair Dressing.
2020 - MASHAV awarded a grant of USD 50,000 to five alumni. Each alumni received USD 10.000. Additionally, three community health centres also received USD 25,500 to assist them with the purchase of equipment’s to support their work.
Beneficiaries of the grant include;
- Digitalization of a local savings scheme (Meme-Chemfre, Kwahu Afram Plains, Eastern Region)
- Trainings on the application of 1-MCP pretreatment for the reduction of post-harvest loss of plantain in Ghana by a Lecturer from the University of Cape Coast
- Greenhouse production of fresh kitchen herbs based on Israeli techniques at Old Akrade in the Eastern Region
- Beekeeping Learning and Honey Centre –Twifo Praso: Training of new honey farmers, renovation of Beekeepers library and purchasing 100 beehives.
- MASHAV Neo-natal unit at the Suntreso Hospital in Kumasi. Established along with the Kumasi south Neo natal unit, both taking care of around 1500 newborns each year.
- Gye Nyame Mobile Clinic founded by a couple of Israeli Doctors operating in Ashanti South/Amansie District and neighboring districts
2020 – About 24 Ghanaian professionals participated in different training courses in Israel. The courses include Precision Agriculture; Plant nutrition: Basic principle and Methods; Accelerating your Business: Concepts, Methodologies and Tools; Innovation in Women's Health; Marketing strategies in business; Children and Youth at Risk - Educational Challenges during Covid 19; Combating Violence against Women and Girls; Looking at children's rights in the educational system; and Intensive fish farming.
December 2020 - 24 Ghanaian Agrostudies interns went to Israel to participate in the on-going Trainees in Agriculture programme.
2021 - The Embassy of Israel through MASHAV donated assorted PPE’s to the Ministry of Health in Liberia to support the government of Liberia during the COVID 19 Pandemic. The donation package included essential medications to support the Ministry of Health’s COVID 19 fight.
2021 - A total of 54 Ghanaian professionals and 3 Liberian professionals benefited from MASHAV capacity building programs in Agriculture, Science education, pedagogical innovations in education, Gender violence, Women in Leadership and a Study Tour on Innovation in Israel.
July 2021 – A Ghanaian Delegation of 8 professionals from leading institutions in the area of Innovation visited Israel. They were from the Office of the Vice President, National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (NEIP), Accra Digital Center (ADC), University of Cape Coast, Venture Capital Trust Fund and the University of Cape Coast. They had a Study Tour on the Israeli Innovation Ecosystem to learn on how to influence development for Ghana’s innovation Ecosystem.
2021 - The Embassy through MASHAV collaborated with GIZ Ghana and the Government of Ghana to organize the maiden edition of the Ghana Digital Innovation Week. The event brought together various stakeholders in the digital innovation ecosystem in Ghana.
The participating agencies and institutions for the GDIW 2021 include Ministry of Environment Science Technology and Innovation (MESTI), National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program (NEIP), Accra Digital Center (ADC), Ministry of Communications and Digitalization, Ministry of Trade and Industry, University of Ghana and Ashesi University. GDIW 2021 came off at the Grand Arena of the International Conference Center from 22nd- 23rd November 2021. Under this program, the Embassy hosted two events:
- Panel discussion on Promoting Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the Education System. Joining the panel was Prof. Angela Owusu-Ansah, Provost, Ashesi University, Prof. Paul Kingsley Buah-Bassuah, Fellow, Ghana Academy for Arts and Sciences, Mr. Richard Osei-Anim, Co-Founder, Hatchery & Coral Reef Innovation Labs, Dr. Madeez Adamu-Issah, Education Specialist, UNICEF, Mrs. Olivia Opare, Director, Science Education Unit, Ghana Education Service (Joining virtually), Mrs. Yudith Rosenthal, Director, MASHAV Education Training Center (Joining virtually).
- One Day Workshop in partnership with the University of Ghana “Building an Innovative Business” with an Innovative Business Expert joining from Israel an Entrepreneurship expert and MASHAV Alumnus, Manager of a Loan company with Israeli RND and a Fitness Entrepreneur.
2021 – About 200 Ghanaian agricultural graduates participated in the Foreign Agricultural Trainee Programme in Israel. 19 Liberian agriculture graduates also participated in the Agrostudies program.
April 2021 – In collaboration with the Center of Gender Studies and Advocacy of the University of Ghana and the Center for Gender Research and Advocacy of the University of Cape Coast, the Embassy hosted two webinars on gender and human trafficking. During the webinar, Ms. Miriam Gvaram, an Israeli Gender and Human Trafficking Expert gave a present on the phenomenon in Israel and Professors from both universities presented on the situation in Ghana and the Sub region.
March 2022 – MASHAV trained about 60 midwives, nurses and pediatric specialists from the Kumasi South and Suntreso Hospitals. The training was facilitated by Dr. Agneta Golan, of Soraka Health Center in Beer Sheva in Israel.
2022 – The Embassy facilitated for the construction of ICT equipment to three (3) senior high technical schools in Ghana under the “Education for Digital Innovation” project. Each school was furnished with twenty (20) laptops for students, one (1) laptop for domain and teacher, one (1) smart television for the students to follow the teacher’s instructions, one (1) printer and two (2) WIFI routers for internet access. Each classroom has been named after one of the Seven Species of the Land of Israel, namely Olive Class in Amasaman Senior High Technical School, Barley Class in Walewale Senior High Technical School and Wheat Class in Tema Manhean Senior High Technical School. A colorful ceremony was held on the 12th of April 2022 at Amasaman Senior High School where the Deputy Minister of Education Hon. John Ntim Fordjour with Israel’s Ambassador, H.E. Shlomit Sufa commissioned the classrooms.
2022 - MASHAV resumed in-person training in Israel. Over 20 professionals from Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone participated in various training programmes in Israel. Some of the trainings include Development of Agricultural Sector: The Israeli Model; Management of Health Services in Times of Crisis; Feeding the Future: Food and Technology in Times of Global Change; Combating Gender Based Violence: Effective Interventions and the Survivor Centered Approach; Climate Change Education Strategies Primary Schools and High Schools; and Agribusiness for Inclusive and Sustainable Development – in partnership with UNIDO.
2022 - The Embassy of Israel in partnership with the Liberian Dujar Association provided furniture and books to the E. Jonathan Goodrich School in Barnersville Township. Over 2000 children attending E. Jonathan Goodrich School benefited from the project with a more conducive environment for reading. On 29th June 2022, Ambassador turned over the keys of the Library to the Government of Liberia during a colorful event at the school.
June 2022 - The Embassy supported the second phase of the Care for the Liberia Population “Single Mom and Children Coronavirus Support Initiative” project. Beneficiaries were given a continuation course and received food items to support their families and transportation allowance. A graduation ceremony was held on 30th June 2022 where they received start-up kits such as hand sewing machines and hairstyling products.
September 2022 – 20 health professionals participated in the MASHAV Innovative Leadership and Professional Exchange program. This is an initiative designed to connect MASHAV alumni to share their training experiences from Israel. It is also a platform for the alumni to highlight their impact projects in their respective professional fields.
October 2022 – MASHAV participated and supported in the organization of the second edition of the Ghana Digital Innovation Week. This is a trilateral Cooperation between Germany, Israel and Ghana. The 2022 edition of the GDIW came off from 26th to 28th October 2022 at the Grand Arena of the Accra International Conference Center. The Embassy in partnership with MakeLap and the Pears Program for Global Innovation hosted two workshops on the theme Using, misusing and abusing IOT (Internet of Things), and Product Market Fit: Learnings from Israeli Agri Technologies.
October 2022 – In collaboration with Development Action Association, MASHAV supported and provided a Gari Processing Centre for women farmers in Asuboi, a farming community in the Eastern Region of Ghana. This initiative was led by Madam Lydia Sosu, a MASHAV Alumni (1983). The center is made of a pavilion with a section for processing cassava, 3 locally made processors and a starch presser, a roasting area and a store room for storing the processed gari.
November / December 2022 – Them Embassy continued the Education for Digital Innovation Project by equipping Two (2) additional senior high technical schools in Ghana with twenty (20) laptops for students, one (1) laptop for domain and teacher, one (1) smart television for the students to follow the teacher’s instructions, one (1) printer and two (2) WIFI routers for internet access. The schools are Bia Senior High Technical School, Debiso, Western North Region and Assin Manso Senior High School, Assin Manso, Central Region.
2023 - About 15 professionals from Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone participated in various MASHAV training programmes in Israel. The training programmes covered areas such as Pedagogical Innovations; Combating Gender Based Violence; and Mitigating climate change through a holistic approach: gender equality, community development and green innovation.
April 2023 – MASHAV presented two CPAP Ventilators for babies and some medical equipment spare parts to support the Kumasi South and Suntresso Hospitals. They were facilitated by Dr. Agneta Golan and Rob Beyer and Loreen Pack.
September 2023 – The second edition of the MASHAV Innovative Leadership and Professional Exchange program was held in September 2023. It hosted about 60 alumni members participating in this engagement.
2023 – About 100 graduate participated in the 2023 Trainees in Agricultural programme in Israel. 49 of them are new participants of the program and the remaining 51 are alumni of the program.
October/November 2024 – The Embassy hosted a virtual briefing to MASHAV alumni about the October 7 massacre. About 100 MASHAV alumni participated in this meeting. Ambassador Eynat Shlein, the Director for MAHSAV briefed the alumni on the impact of the Israel-Gaza war on MASHAV activities.
November 2023 – MASHAV collaborated with GIZ Ghana and the Government of Ghana to organize the 2023 edition of the Ghana Digital Innovation Week. As part of the activities for the 2023 GDIW, MASHAV partnered with Ashesi University and Design Thinking Ghana to hold a workshop on Design Thinking. About 74 High school students participating. The 2024 digital innovation conference was held under the theme, Innovate, Collaborate, Elevate: Shaping a future of endless potentials and gathered 3740 participants attending in-person and virtually from various spheres.
2024 – Various professionals participated in a number of training programmes facilitated by MASHAV in Israel. The training programmes include Building Community Resilience in Times of Crisis; Intensive Fish Farming and Innovative Approaches to Local Disaster Management.