Ghanaian Innovator’s ATi Games Gain Int’l Spotlight at Organizational Communication Conference in US

Ghana’s maiden game, developed to help fight deforestation and galamsey, is making waves on the international scene as the innovation has been presented at the prestigious Organization Communication Mini-Conference (OCMC) 2025.

The 2025 edition of the Annual International Conference was hosted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign from 3rd to 5th of October, 2025.  

The innovation, named ATi, is aimed at fighting environmental pollution amid the heightened campaign for environmental sustainability and climate change efforts.

Developed by a Ghanaian researcher and a PhD student at the University of Cincinnati, Amanda Kporwofa, ATi Games is a board and mobile game designed to combat deforestation and illegal mining (galamsey) through interactive learning.

The game creatively integrates Ghanaian culture, storytelling, and environmental education to inspire young people to take action for sustainability and contribute to climate action.

The 2025 OCMC

The conference is annually held by graduate students for graduate students in the area of Organizational Communication. It is aimed at highlighting and celebrating the groundbreaking works, ideas, theories, and methods in the field of organizational communication.

It also offers the opportunity for students to present their research, prepare for the job market and their career, while building bridges.

The 2025 edition, held in Illinois, brought together emerging scholars from top universities to discuss ideas, innovations, methods, and network.

Amanda’s Presentation

Amanda Kporwofa, who got the opportunity to showcase her work, presented on how innovations such as game-based communication tools can drive social change in developing economies.

She further emphasized how non-profit organizations can also look at innovative communication strategies to address environmental issues. Amanda stressed that her research has uncovered that the traditional “lecture-based” in addressing environmental issues has not proven to be effective.

Given the complexities and urgency of environmental issues, particularly in Ghana, where illegal mining and deforestation are on the rise, Amanda believes educating the young ones must be fun, engaging, and culturally relevant, hence the ATi games.

“Particularly with traditional lecture-based methods in Ghanaian schools struggling to effectively address complex environmental issues and make them relevant and actionable for young learners, there is a need for innovative communication approaches such as community-based, culturally relevant educational tools, to enhance environmental awareness and action,” Amanda told The High Street Journal after the conference.  

The Outlook

The ATi game’s presentation at the international conference is positioning Ghana as one of the pioneers in using games for climate education. It also showcased how the nation’s young innovators are blending technology, creativity, and environmental consciousness to respond to sustainability challenges in a relatable way.

The feat also underscores Ghana’s growing voice in global sustainability discourse. It is anticipated that the international exposure will open doors for collaboration with educational institutions and environmental organizations across Africa and beyond.

The Bottomline

The game, which has been piloted in some schools in Ghana, is a practical model for climate education. It makes environmental learning engaging, culturally grounded, and solution-oriented. It aligns with global goals such as SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG 15 (Life on Land), while also advancing Ghana’s national fight against deforestation and illegal mining.

The Eco Games Foundation, led by Kporwofa, is preparing to scale the project to more schools and communities. The international recognition at OCMC 2025 signals a potential global breakthrough.

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