Ghana wins first prize in competition on overcoming rural challenges

Accra, Sept. 23, GNA - Africa Rural Connect (ARC), a new online community hosted by

the National Peace Corps Association, has announced the second round of winning ideas on

how to help solve rural Africa's greatest challenges and strengthen agricultural development.

A statement from ARC received by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Wednesday said

the first, second and third prize winners were from Ghana, the United States and Senegal

respectively.
Powered by a unique software called Wegora, the ARC website is revitalizing the

international development landscape by helping change the way people around the world share

their ideas online and build upon the knowledge of others.

"We are excited about the calibre of ideas that have been posted on the site so far, and

we're really seeing the Wegora technology help foster a whole new way of thinking online about

these types of issues," the statement quoted Molly Mattessich, Manager of Africa Rural

Connect and former Mali Peace Corps Volunteer.
"The volume of posts from people and groups around the world has steadily increased and

we hope to see that trend continue in the coming months."

The second round winners of the ARC online contest are as follows:

First Prize which is $3,000 project seed money is won by “Self-Supported Ghanaian Subsistent

Farmers in Ghana”.
The URL link is http://arc.peacecorpsconnect.org/view/511

The summary of the idea is that the Self-Supported Ghanaian Subsistence Farmers

Consortiums initiative aims to bring together subsistence farmers to help them to make use of

their potentials, opportunities and resources.
The second prize of $2,000 project seed money is by “The Acceleration of Innovation” in

the United States
The URL link is http://arc.peacecorpsconnect.org/view/637.

The summary of idea is the Full Belly Project's "Acceleration of Innovation Programme"

will open channels of communication among groups of people interested in designing simple

technologies that can be reproduced in developing countries (project to be piloted in Malawi).

The project is working to develop simple, locally produced, income-generating technologies

for developing countries.
The 3rd Prize for $1,000 project seed money is on “Project Irrigation Initiative” from

Senegal.
The URL link is http://arc.peacecorpsconnect.org/view/503

The summary of the idea is “The Project Irrigation Initiative is a small-scale irrigation

project to increase fruit tree and gardening production and promote agro-forestry technologies

in rural communities in Senegal.
The statement said through November, monthly winners are chosen based on the number of

endorsements they receive from other participants on the site.

Each month, the top three ideas are awarded a cash prize of $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000

respectively to help implement their idea. Winners also receive a prize winner badge that

appears on their ideas page on the ARC Web site.
The statement said all monthly round winners would compete in the final round later this

year, where one winning idea would be selected by a panel and awarded $20,000 to implement

their plan.
Last month, the three top ideas selected were from Nigeria, Washington, D.C. and Ghana.

"The contest has spread geographically and transcended borders … we hope to continue

receiving ideas particularly from participants on the ground in Africa because we believe they

have so much to add to the online discussion," says Mattessich.

"This is a contest that is powered by a unique technology platform that fosters collaboration

so that every idea counts."
The NPCA is a non-profit, membership-based alumni organization that serves all returned

Peace Corps Volunteers and former staff, as well as Peace Corps family, friends, and

supporters.
GNA
Ghana / Africa / Modernghana.com