RECIRCULATE is a £7m GCRF international collaboration, led by Lancaster University with partners in Ghana, Nigeria, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana and Kenya. Last week, this interdisciplinary project delivered a one-week capacity-building workshop in Zambia, organised by Lancaster University Management School.

The workshop, hosted by Copperbelt University, and held at Kitwe Garden Court Conference Centre, was part of a series of capacity-building workshops hosted by RECIRCULATE partners in Africa. This time, the delegates were drawn mainly from partners across East Africa (Zambia, Botswana, Kenya, and Malawi) and got straight on with the hard work of developing entrepreneurial solutions for Africa with pitches first thing on Day 2. It was also the launch of LUMS/LU Ghana major integrated research project, WINA (Women Innovators Network for Africa), reinforcing the power of context solutions for Africa from Africa.

The delivery team included Professor Nigel Lockett (Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship at University of Strathclyde), Dr Joana Zozimo (LUMS), Griselda Togobo (Forward Ladies), Drs Cynthia Forson and Priscilla Otuo (LU Ghana), Dr Akan Odon (Envirofly/LU) and a group of co-facilitators from Ghana – Rita Kusi, Dr Emmanuel Arthur – and Nigeria – Onyinye Okue. A special thanks to our PI, Professor Nigel Paul and the incredible support of Dr Paul McKenna and Alan Smith.

Thank you to Copperbelt University for hosting such a successful workshop and we look forward to the continuation of our great work through co-creation of solution-focused research to deliver innovative solutions in order to tackle African challenges.