Team Technocrafts Innowear from Services Primary and JHS in the Greater Accra Region has emerged as the champion of the 2025 Ghana Science and Tech Explorer Prize Challenge.

The team of six smart and innovative young ‘STEMpreneurs’ developed their project idea after learning about the kidnapping of one of their team members.

Kwabena Boateng Danky, 13, a member of the Technocrafts Innowear team, was kidnapped at the age of 8 by some men while on his way with his siblings to spend the vacation with their grandmother.

His siblings had gone ahead, but in his rush to catch up with them, Kwabena lost his way and was unfortunately abducted. His intelligence and the timely intervention of an elderly woman ultimately saved him.

Kwabena’s traumatic experience inspired his team to create a technological protective wear designed to help reduce the rising cases of kidnapping in Ghana and to protect the lives of both children and adults.

 “It was a part of a vacation where we had to go and visit our grandmother. So my dad gave me his phone to head towards the house. My siblings had already left. I was called back to comb my hair because it was it wasn't done well. So then they brought me back. My siblings left. I saw I thought I saw them pass the right side, but it was the left side because there were two parts. So after I quickly rushed to catch up with them and I took the right path. But then I realized that after a long walk, I couldn't locate the house I was looking for. So then I met an old woman who greeted me and told me and asked where I'm going, and I told her where I wanted to go. She told me that I had to cross the road, but that's not a direction my dad gave me.”

“So I realized that I was in the wrong place. But before I realized, there was this man who looked big and strong. He was talking to me, and I got scared. But then before I could move or even respond, he held me, covered my eyes and my mouth. He sent me to a dark room and in that dark room, I heard some men talking about something being sold. I don't know if they're talking about me or something else, so I was very scared. Then for some time, someone opened the door, and I took the opportunity to run out.”

He cleverly sneaked out with his father’s phone, which allowed him to call his uncle for rescue. This traumatic experience inspired the idea of creating Innowear, a smart safety innovation designed to deter potential kidnappers as cases of missing persons continue to rise daily in Ghana.

From trauma to triumph, the team innovatively developed a technological Smart Safety Vest with the support of their tutors and coordinators, a project that ultimately earned them the title of champions in the 2025 GSTEP (Ghana Science and Tech Explorer Prize) Challenge.

Team SCI-G from the Eastern Region secured the first runner-up position (2nd place), while Team Eco-Fuel Agenda from the Ashanti Region took the second runner-up position (3rd place).

The exhibitions and awards ceremony was held at the National Theatre, graced by dignitaries including the Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak; the Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Dr. Munawaru Issahaque; and many others.

The Ghana Science & Tech Explorer Prize Challenge is funded by Fondation Botnar and implemented by a consortium of Ghanaian organisations including DreamOval Foundation, Partnership Bureau, Shulem Lake, and the Practical Education Network (PEN), in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service (GES).

The event was sponsored by AngloGold Ashanti Limited, Fidelity Bank, Goil, Joy Prime of The Multimedia Group Limited and Special Ice Company.  

Below is the full live stream of the 2025 GSTEP challenge Exhibitions and Awards ceremony