Frequently Asked Questions

Because of the generosity of our founder, we can guarantee that 100% of your donation will go directly to the children in West Africa. Also, if you would like your donation to be put towards a specific project, you can specify that when you donate. We will keep you personally updated on the project your money went to if you wish to sponsor a specific project. 

Our students generate energy by spinning the merry-go-round, which is connected to a highly efficient gearbox and generator system. It’s able to convert mechanical motion into electricity. The electricity is routed through a power box that rectifies and regulates the power, stores it in a battery, and then integrates energy from a solar panel to boost overall output. The stored energy is then able to be used to charge things. To see a diagram for further explanation, click here.

One of our core values at Empower Playgrounds is sustainability. We reject the approach of giving an intervention to a school and never returning. Our employees based in Ghana are constantly visiting, upkeeping, and checking in on our schools and projects. We replace or fix anything that breaks or requires attention. We build relationships with headmasters and teachers so they call us when something goes wrong. Because of this approach, one project can reach thousands of students over the years. To learn more about our sustainable approach to improving education in rural areas, watch this video.

The majority of our projects are found in Ghana, West Africa, and all of our African employees are residents of Ghana. In 2014, Empower Playgrounds expanded from Ghana into Mali, and then Burkina Faso a few years later. However, because of political unrest and travel safety restrictions, our employees haven’t been able to return to either country since 2019. In 2025, Empower Playgrounds expanded into Sierra Leone, followed by Liberia. We firmly believe in continually visiting and upkeeping projects we put into schools, and will continue to visit Sierra Leone and Liberia in years to come. As soon as Mali and Burkina Faso are safe, we will return there as well. 

At Empower Playgrounds, we believe it’s important to thoroughly understand the problems you are trying to fix as an organization before you can adequately address them. Only then can you accurately measure how your programs are impacting the problem. Since 2008, we have done extensive research to understand the problems facing children in rural West Africa. Our employees are also Ghanaians who understand their peoples culture and problems. Each program brought to a school has a direct correlation to a problem rural areas are facing. For a more in depth view of the connection between each EPI program and problem, please view our Theory of Change.

Additionally, we are always open to adding new programs to our list of projects we do within our schools. When a new project is introduced, it is done through a pilot programs. We introduce it in a few schools and monitor how it’s impacting the school and community to decide whether it should be continued and implemented in other schools. This allows us to see the real impact before we invest fully into a new program. 

Empower Playgrounds conducts continual thorough surveys of the programs at each of our schools. We interview students, teachers, and parents to understand personal experiences. We look at and collect performance data from the government and school districts to see if scores and attendance are improving at schools. We keep records of before and after we implement a program to understand how they’re being impacted. Please look at our Annual Reports over the years to see specifics.

Small efforts make a big difference! Anyone can help with our efforts to improve education in innovative ways. A few easy ways to get involved include:

1. Follow us on social media and share our posts (links to all our socials can be found on the header or footer of our website)
2. Make a donation! Even a small donation can make a huge impact on a student
3. Become a volunteer! Donate your skills and time. To get started, fill out the form on this page
4. Collect books to donate! We are constantly in need of books (reading level K-9) to send to West Africa for our libraries
5. Take a humanitarian trip with us! Learn more about our trip options here
6. Attend our Annual Event each year in October

We often get asked by those wanting to donate, “Where is your greatest need?” The reality is, after years and years of research, feedback, and working with the local West African people, the thing that makes the greatest impact is educating people and providing them with opportunities to change their own lives. Every intervention we implement helps to provide opportunities for students to receive an education and better their life in the long run. So any and all of our projects can be considered the greatest need. 

However, this being said, we do work with local communities to determine which project or program might be a higher priority based on the urgent needs occurring there. 

Yes! Each year in the fall, typically the first week of October, Empower Playgrounds has an Annual Event in the Provo, Utah area. It includes dinner, a program, keynote speakers, and inspiring videos of our students and projects in West Africa. Please join us! To be in the loop on when to get tickets, follow us on social media and sign up for our newsletter 

Yes, at Empower Playgrounds we are now offering family humanitarian trips! You can sponsor a specific project, then travel to Ghana to help the project come to life. Families will be able to assist with hands-on work for our projects and have face-to-face interaction with the students in our schools. Each trip will includes a mix of tourism, cultural immersion, and humanitarian service in Empower Playgrounds schools. Come join us and witness the impact your project has and help our team in making it happen. For more information or to get started booking a trip, read this document.