Practical Innovation Challenge
STEMForge Challenge Series
Young learners solving real problems in Ghanaian communities.
The series invites learners to observe real problems, define them clearly, and propose practical solutions that could be tested, improved, and possibly prototyped.
The STEMForge Challenge Series invites learners to observe real problems around them, define those problems clearly, and propose practical solutions that could be tested, improved, and possibly prototyped.
Participants
Learners aged 12 years and above
Team Size
2-4 learners encouraged
Focus
Problem recognition before solutions
About
About the Challenge Series
New challenges are announced from time to time, with enough room for careful observation, teamwork, and meaningful submissions.
How It Works
Start with the problem, then design the solution
Teams should observe carefully before they propose. The strongest ideas explain who is affected, why the problem matters, and how a solution could be tested.
Read the current challenge
Observe the problem around you
Describe who is affected and why it matters
Propose a practical solution
Add a drawing, diagram, flowchart, or model idea
Submit your solution by email
Selected promising ideas may receive feedback, mentorship, materials, or prototype support
Current Challenge
Can Everybody Hear? Improve Community Information Broadcasts
Before proposing a solution, teams must first recognize and describe the problem clearly.
Background
In many Ghanaian communities, information centers share announcements through loudspeakers mounted on poles. These announcements may concern community meetings, funerals, emergencies, sanitation, health campaigns, school notices, public events, or other important updates. However, not everyone hears the message clearly. Some homes may be too far away. Some areas may be affected by buildings, hills, trees, wind direction, noise, or poor speaker placement.
Challenge Prompt
Your team's task is to first describe the problem clearly. Where does it happen? Who is affected? Why do some people hear clearly while others do not? Then propose a practical solution. Your solution may involve better speaker placement, relay speakers, solar power, simple electronics, radio communication, mobile phone alerts, community volunteers, or any creative system you can explain.
You do not need to build the full system now. We want to see how you observe the problem, think about the community, explain your idea, and show how it could be tested.
Submission
What to Submit
Send your team solution by email. Include enough detail for reviewers to understand the problem, the people affected, your idea, and how it could be tested.
Rubric
Evaluation Criteria
Promising submissions recognize a real problem clearly, stay locally relevant, and explain a practical solution that could be tested.
| Area | Weight |
|---|---|
| Clear problem recognition | 20% |
| Local relevance | 15% |
| Practicality of proposed solution | 20% |
| Creativity | 15% |
| Explanation and diagram | 10% |
| Prototype potential | 10% |
| Teamwork and presentation clarity | 10% |
Prototype Support
From time to time, STEMForge Academy and its partners may support selected promising teams with feedback, mentorship, materials, or a small prototype grant to help them develop and test their concept.
Safety and Consent
Learners should not carry out unsafe experiments, climb poles, interfere with electrical installations, enter restricted areas, or visit risky locations without adult supervision. Submissions involving minors should be made with the awareness of a parent, guardian, teacher, or responsible adult.
Archive
Previous Challenges
Previous challenges will appear here as the series grows.
Future Challenge Themes
Ready to take the challenge?
Gather your team, observe the problem carefully, sketch your idea, and explain how your solution could work.
Send your solution to challenge@stemforgeacademy.com