Earlham College junior Eric Ford selected for global grant from Projects for Peace

As a high school student in the Ayiyga Zongo neighborhood of Ashanti Region, Ghana, Eric Ford remembers holding his nose to shield himself from the stench emanating from the trash-lined streets and riverbanks.

“I witnessed the impact that the overpowering smell had on the health and well-being of our neighbors,” Ford said.

Now a junior at Earlham College, the math and business double major has the resources to make a difference in the lives of the community’s 10,200 residents living in what a recent study describes as one of the worst “cholera hotspots” on the African continent.

Ford was selected this spring for a highly competitive $10,000 grant from Projects for Peace to launch the Kama Campaign Project. The grassroots effort — kama means clean in Akan, a predominant language spoken in Ghana — will elevate waste management practices and promote harmony in a community reeling from poverty and disease.

“This is something I’ve wanted to do since high school,” said Ford, who is a native of Ghana and South Africa and grew up in the Ashanti region before attending high school in Ayigya Zongo. 

“Despite governmental efforts to improve sanitation, many residents dispose of their garbage in open spaces,” he said. “This not only violates regulations but also hinders the peaceful coexistence of residents and local authorities, risking potential conflicts within the community. There is also tension, fear and uncertainty surrounding these diseases which causes victims to be blamed and stigmatized.”

“This is something I’ve wanted to do since high school. We believe this will serve as a medium to continue to campaign against waste pollution and create a welcoming atmosphere where residents can socialize and share important information with one another.”

Eric Ford

Ford is partnering with Terraplus Ghana and the Kumasi Compost and Recycling Plant (KCARP) to launch the project, beginning in May.

“With this collaboration, we are not only fostering environmental stewardship but also fostering community resilience and well-being,” said Stephen Boafo Junior, CEO of Terraplus Ghana. “Together, we embark on a journey towards a greener, healthier future, one where innovation and partnership paves the way for sustainable change.”

The Projects for Peace grant will be used to purchase 100 industrial size waste bins and two motorized tricycles for hauling waste to KCARP. The bins will be strategically located in public areas where solid waste is commonly found and heaped. Solid waste will be disposed of in landfills or converted into recyclable byproducts.

Local residents will be hired to drive the tricycles on rotating shifts five days a week. Workshops will be scheduled to promote safety on the job. Additional workshops, and the development of a “Kama Club,” will promote community collaboration and cooperation to ensure the success of the project.

“The idea behind the Kama Campaign project is very interesting but at the same time very daunting,” Ford said. “Nevertheless, I am highly encouraged by the enthusiasm shown by the many people joining the effort.

“We believe this will serve as a medium to continue to campaign against waste pollution and create a welcoming atmosphere where residents can socialize and share important information with one another,” he said. “This, to us, is the definition of peace.”

Nate Eastman, Earlham professor of English and director of the honors program, has nominated the Kama Project for the National Collegiate Honors Council’s Community Engagement Award. The award is given to one service project annually. Awardees are given a scholarship to attend the NCHC’s annual conference in October and make a presentation.

“This project has done the hard work of getting the details right,” Eastman said. “Because of that it’s a great example of how a focused initiative, run only by a few people, can deliver quality-of-life improvements to an entire city.”

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About Earlham College 

Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion foster a collaborative learning community that inspires and motivates students with transformative opportunities and experiences so they can become catalysts for good in a changing world. Located in Richmond, Indiana, Earlham is one of U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 national liberal arts colleges and offers one of the top 20 classroom experiences in the nation, according to the Princeton Review.