Ghana, one of the world's biggest producers of cocoa beans, is facing a crisis around dangerous and dirty galamsey, or informal gold mining—which experts warn could derail its agriculture sector.
This multimedia project, published by National Geographic and told using photography, video, and words, investigates the extent of damage illegal gold mining has on the environment, cocoa production, and the economy of Obuasi — Ghana’s century-old gold mining capital.
“The elders have a saying that you cannot give up on God while there is still light.”
Since 2012, Ghana has lived through an energy crisis — more commonly referred to as dumsor, literally meaning ‘on and off’. In the most severe stages of the ‘load shedding’ schedule, electricity would be off for 24-hours and then on for only 12.
This multimedia project — consisting of photography, video, words, data, and social media — explores the cause of dumsor, how it affects daily life in Ghana, and homegrown alternative energy solutions that could be used worldwide.
The African Energy Project was published by Al Jazeera English and La Stampa.
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Hearing the Deaf
Takoradi Oil
Behind the 2012 Ghana Elections
Loud Silence Goes Galamsey: Illegal Gold Mining
Trash for Cash
Cyber Soulmates
When It Rains It Floods
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