$10K Davis Grant: Lois Amponsah Scales Entrepreneurship in Ghana

For many entrepreneurs, the drive to build something new stems from a personal encounter with a systemic problem. For Lois Amponsah ’27, that problem was the devastating impact of unemployment on families in Ghana. Having experienced the challenges of rural life firsthand after her father lost his job, Amponsah recognized early on that economic instability is a primary barrier to peace and community health. Today, as the founder of the NGO Wings of Change, she is transforming that childhood impression into a national movement for entrepreneurial empowerment.

Recently named the winner of the 2026 Davis Projects for Peace grant, Amponsah has secured $10,000 to scale her vision. Administered by the Patricelli Center for Entrepreneurship at Wesleyan University, this grant represents more than just funding; it is a strategic investment in Ghana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. With youth unemployment affecting nearly one-third of young adults in Ghana, Amponsah’s work focuses on moving beyond theoretical education to provide practical, income-generating skills.

The Wings of Change Fellowship: Moving Beyond Theory

The flagship initiative of Wings of Change is its entrepreneurship fellowship program. The NGO identifies 30 youth from underserved and remote regions in Ghana, areas often overlooked by traditional business hubs, and provides them with a rigorous training platform. Amponsah’s philosophy is simple: in an economy where jobs are scarce, young people must be equipped to create their own.

The fellowship program provides:

• Skill-Based Workshops: Expert-led sessions on bookkeeping, marketing, proposal writing, and investor pitching.
• Industry Mentorship: Partnerships with organizations like the Young Achievers Foundation, Ghana, and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to match fellows with seasoned industry professionals.
• Direct Industry Exposure: Interactive site visits to local companies, allowing students to see the “mathematics of business” in action.

Adding Value to Local Resources: The Story of Edible Treats

A core tenet of Amponsah’s strategy is “value addition.” She points to the cocoa industry as a prime example of a missed opportunity. While Ghana is the world’s second-largest producer of cocoa, it remains a major importer of finished chocolate. This imbalance results in high import taxes and lost revenue for local farmers.

Through Wings of Change, Amponsah has supported ventures like Edible Treats, a family business that manufactures chocolate locally. By processing the raw cocoa within Ghana, Edible Treats bypasses import costs and keeps the economic value within the community. For Amponsah, this is the essence of entrepreneurship: identifying a local resource and applying innovation to maximize its impact.

Scaling for National Impact

With the $10,000 Davis grant, Amponsah plans to expand Wings of Change from the Ashanti region to all 16 regions of Ghana. Her “tour of schools” initiative aims to visit high schools and institutions nationwide to educate students on the power of the “startup mindset.” By the end of the program, fellows don’t just walk away with knowledge; they compete for a dedicated startup fund to launch their ventures.

Amponsah’s dual path, majoring in neuroscience while leading a national NGO, highlights the importance of a well-rounded entrepreneurial skill set. She credits her time at Wesleyan, particularly student forums like “Shark Tank” and “Map the System,” with honing her ability to analyze problems deeply and communicate effectively with investors.

A Blueprint for Student Leaders

Lois Amponsah’s journey serves as a blueprint for any student founder looking to make a social impact. Her success is built on a foundation of personal experience, academic rigor, and a commitment to infrastructure. As she prepares to apply for medical school, her goal remains clear: to build Wings of Change into one of the leading organizations in Ghana, ensuring that the next generation of West African youth has the tools to employ themselves, and eventually, their communities.