Who We Are
Open Mind Africa is a Ghana-based nonprofit organization redefining education by focusing on what matters most; the development of mindset, character, and emotional intelligence in young people.
Our Beginning
Founded on January 29, 2016, by Joseph Afful Adams, Open Mind Africa was born out of a simple but urgent realization: Africa’s future will not be transformed by academic knowledge alone, but by the quality of its people; their thinking, their values, and their ability to lead with empathy, resilience, and purpose.
The Education Gap
Across much of the continent, education systems continue to prioritize memorization and examination performance, often overlooking the development of essential human skills. Yet it is these very skills; self-awareness, emotional intelligence, social responsibility, collaboration, and leadership, that shape how individuals navigate life, contribute to society, and build the future.
Open Mind Africa exists to bridge this gap.
Our Approach
Through innovative, experiential learning approaches, we work with schools, educators, and communities to cultivate these foundational life skills in children and young people. Our programs are designed not only to educate the mind, but to shape identity, behavior, and character, ensuring that what students learn becomes part of who they are.
Our Core Initiatives
Our work is delivered through three core initiatives: Kinesthetic Intelligence Education (K.I.E.), a pioneering model that engages children from early childhood through junior high school in purposeful, experience-based learning; OMASEL, which extends social-emotional learning through youth programs, camps, and school-based initiatives; and the Educator Summit, which equips teachers with the tools to nurture well-rounded, future-ready learners.
K.I. Education
Purposeful, experience-based learning from early childhood through junior high school.
OMASEL
Social-emotional learning through youth programs, camps, and school-based initiatives.
Educator Summit
Tools for nurturing well-rounded, future-ready learners.
Our Reach
Through K.I Education, we have reached nearly 12,000 students across the Bono and Ashanti regions of Ghana, embedding essential skills such as confidence, empathy, resilience, teamwork, and social awareness through repeated, meaningful experiences. By focusing on how children learn and what they repeatedly experience, we help ensure that these skills become second nature, forming the foundation upon which they grow, lead, and contribute.
Global Partnerships
With a strategic presence in Chicago supporting research, development, and global partnerships, Open Mind Africa continues to expand its reach across Ghana, with plans to extend its impact across Africa.
Our Vision
Our vision is bold but necessary: a future where Africa’s growth and transformation are driven by a generation of emotionally intelligent, self-aware, and purpose-driven young people, individuals equipped not only to succeed, but to lead, to serve, and to build.