As part of the community engagement process to commence the [Insert Study Name], the GeoHealth West Africa team organized a community durbar at Agbogbloshie on 15th February, 2017. The event, held on the grounds of Sikkens Limited, formally launched the study and fostered collaboration between the research team and the residents and workers of the Agbogbloshie community. The ceremony was lively, with traditional drumming and cultural performances, and was hosted by renowned television personality and actress Joselyn Dumas. The durbar received coverage from both radio and television media houses.
The durbar brought together a wide range of stakeholders, including both the West African and North American GeoHealth teams, representatives from the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Youth and Sports, the National Youth Authority, the Dagomba Chief, executives of the Scrap Dealers Association, e-waste and scrap metal recovery workers, head porters, and other community members.
During the program, Professor Julius Fobil, Principal Investigator for the West African team, addressed the gathering and emphasized the importance of community participation to the study’s success and its potential positive impact on Agbogbloshie. His message was warmly received. Professor Tom Robbins, Principal Investigator for the North American team, also introduced his team and reaffirmed their commitment to the project. In addition, Professor Stuart Batterman demonstrated the use of custom-designed backpack personal air sampling monitors, explaining how they would be used to collect valuable data on environmental exposures. His presentation generated keen interest and enthusiasm from the audience.
Community members asked questions about the study, which were addressed by Professor Fobil and his team, assuring participants of ethical standards and strict confidentiality regarding biological samples (urine and blood) to be collected from consenting volunteers. The open dialogue strengthened trust between the researchers and the community, with residents expressing their appreciation for the GeoHealth team’s willingness to engage directly in their living and working environment.
This durbar marked an important milestone in building strong, collaborative partnerships with the Agbogbloshie community, laying the groundwork for meaningful participation in the study.