Foster Awintiti Akugri, the co-founder and curator of HACKLAB Ghana, will be representing Ghana this year in Davos.

HACKLAB is a not-for-profit foundation promoting technology in Ghana and empowering a young generation of techpreneurs to design solutions to address local problems while creating jobs for people.

The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation and engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.

The Forum believes that progress happens by bringing together people from all walks of life who have the drive and the influence to make positive change.

The 48th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos is themed, “Creating a Shared Future in a Fractured World”. It, therefore, aims to rededicate leaders from all walks of life to developing a shared narrative to improve the state of the world.

The programme, initiatives and projects of the meeting are focused on creating a shared future in a fractured world. By coming together at the start of the year, we can shape the future by joining this unparalleled global effort in co-design, co-creation and collaboration. The programme’s depth and breadth make it a true summit of summits.

HACKLAB Ghana, known for its annual technology hackathon hosted in partnership with Stanbic Bank Ghana and the Computer Science Department of KNUST, brings over 200 tertiary students from 12 participating schools under one roof with industry players, CEOs of technology firms, policy makers, professionals in academia, investors and business development service providers to discuss new solutions to address local issues.

The HACKLAB Community has grown exponentially since its inception in 2016 from 70 people to a community of over 1000 people. HACKLAB Ghana has also run a HACKLAB Junior Makers Summer Camp, a two-week boot camp designed for children between the ages of 7 and 13 years.

Foster believes every child/youth deserves an equal opportunity to become whomever he or she wants, but can only achieve this if given a level platform to compete with the advantaged in the community. He hopes to use HACKLAB to create a common ground for every youth/child interested in taking a career path in technology by strengthening HACKLAB’s partnerships with corporates and professionals in the technology ecosystem, hence providing the needs and support for members of the community.

This includes employment, promoting entrepreneurship, creating and matching investment opportunities and career mentorship programs.

Foster is a Global Shaper of the World Economic Forum and the Curator for the Kumasi Hub, one of the 374 Global Shaper Hubs across the globe. The Global Shapers Community of the World Economic Forum is a network of young people driving dialogue, action and change.

Every year 50 Global Shapers (#Davos50) are selected out of over 7,000 Shapers to represent the youth across the world serving as the mouth-piece and advocates for the position of the youth Global decisions made by leaders who attend the Annual Meeting.

In 2018, Foster will be attending the Meeting with 5 other Global Shapers from Africa, Anita Okemini from Nigeria, Doreen Kessy from Tanzania, Fabrice Alomo from Cameroon, Grace Mugabekazi from Rwanda and Shamiso Kumbirai from South Africa.

Also attending from Ghana are H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana, Hon. Alan John Kwadwo Kyerematen, Minister for Trade and Industry, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and Betty Enyonam Kumahor, Managing Partner, The Cobalt Partners.

The Meeting is co-chaired by Christine Lagarde, Managing Director, International Monetary Fund; Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC); Fabiola Gianotti, Director-General, European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN); Isabelle Kocher, Chief Executive Officer, ENGIE Group; Ginni Rometty, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, IBM Corporation; Chetna Sinha, Founder and Chair, Mann Deshi Foundation and Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway.

The Meeting shall take place in Davos-Kloster, Switzerland from 23rd January to 26th January, 2018. To follow #Davos2018 live while it’s happening, click here.