School of Health Sciences Associate Professor Kwame Sakyi, Ph.D., has roots that spread far past Oakland University’s campus to his home country of Ghana. At a turning point in his studies, his health care education weaved irrevocably into his personal life and passions.

Associate Professor of Public Health Kwame Sakyi, Ph.D.

“When I was in grad school, my sister gave birth to a very preterm baby,” he says. “It was very traumatic for her. Not only did she have to worry about the child’s survival and wellbeing, but also the negative stigmatization that came with having preterm babies in Ghana.”

Watching her health crisis inspired Dr. Sakyi to extend his studies past the classroom. With the right tools, he could create a direct link between his health studies and needs in Ghana.

The Center for Learning and Childhood Development is a research-focused nonprofit organization that helps children's survival and development in Ghana.

Through these moments, Sakyi found the foundation to establish Ghana’s Center for Learning and Childhood Development, a nonprofit organization that focuses on early childhood development. The nonprofit partners with local organizations to identify resources, which form a community advisory board that drives research. Additionally, partnering with a local hospital in Ghana guides global health and understanding social issues.

While Sakyi’s community outreach spans over an ocean and throughout several local pillars, he connects the center’s success mainly to the caring mothers. “Mothers with children with disabilities have been our biggest resource,” he says. “They use their talent, passion for justice and humanity to change minds and improve the children’s wellbeing.”