Technology
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The Silent Struggle: Mental Health Among Ghanaian Youth
By Jasmine Accra, Ghana — At first, Ama’s friends thought she was just tired. The once-bubbly 20-year-old had stopped going out, skipped lectures, and often stayed in bed all day. She told no one that she cried every night and had begun to feel like life wasn’t worth living. “I didn’t know what was happening to me,” she says softly. “I just thought I was weak.” Ama isn’t alone. A silent crisis is sweeping across Ghana’s youth: rising levels of depression, anxiety, and emotional distress, all hidden behind filtered selfies, exam scores, and expectations to be “strong.” And for too many, help remains out of reach. The Hidden Epidemic Mental…
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Betting Culture: The High Stakes of Ghana’s Gaming Boom
By Steph Kumasi, Ghana — On a bustling street corner near Kejetia Market, a queue forms outside a brightly lit betting shop. Inside, 22-year-old Daniel Owusu hunches over his phone, refreshing a football live-score app. His ticket is riding on a Serie A match in Italy — and if Napoli wins, he walks away with ₵420. “This is how I make my lunch money,” he says, eyes glued to the screen. “Sometimes I win. Sometimes I don’t. But I always try.” Ghana’s betting industry has exploded in the past five years, driven by mobile phone penetration, youth unemployment, sports obsession, and fintech convenience. From Accra to Bolgatanga, betting kiosks and…
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Digital Romance: Love and Lies in the Age of Online Dating
By Nomako Accra, Ghana — When 26-year-old Leticia Mensah matched with “Kelvin” on Instagram, he seemed perfect — charming, attentive, and successful. After weeks of chatting, he asked for a loan to fix his car and promised to pay it back. She sent ₵500. “He blocked me the next day,” she recalls. “I was heartbroken. And broke.” Leticia is one of many Ghanaians navigating the modern maze of digital romance — where love blossoms through emojis, voice notes, and hashtags, but just as easily evaporates behind a screen. Online dating is on the rise in Ghana, fueled by expanding internet access, mobile apps, and shifting social norms. From Facebook and…
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The Internet Divide: Who Gets Left Behind in a Digital Ghana?
By Baaba Bongo District, Upper East Ghana — Fifteen-year-old Charity Adongo squints at her teacher’s chalkboard from the back of a packed classroom. She’s never touched a laptop. She’s never watched a YouTube video. She’s never Googled her homework. But she’s expected to pass ICT exams. “There’s one computer at school,” she says. “We take turns touching it once a week.” As Ghana accelerates toward a digital future — with e-government services, mobile banking, online learning, and remote work — not all citizens are moving at the same pace. Across towns and rural villages, the internet divide remains a glaring barrier, locking out millions from opportunity, learning, and even basic…