Women's Health in Agbogbloshie and Teacher Mante

Wilke, Ethan; Fitzpatrick-Schmidt, Grace; Masse, Nicholas; Le, Helen

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Women's Health in Agbogbloshie and Teacher Mante

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Ghanaian women play an integral role on e-waste sites by preparing and selling food to workers and caring for children on the site. This involvement with e-waste exposes them to various pollutants that can harm them and those around them. Pollutants are materialized from the air, water, and food around the site and enter the body through constant exposure. Due to the social environment in Ghana and unequal distribution of labor, women are disproportionately affected by these pollutants. The most commonly found toxins on an e-waste site include PCBs (carcinogenic for humans), dioxins, and heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and nickel. Toxins from pollution can be pervasive and many people do not understand the risks they pose to their health. The greatest challenge in limiting hazards in e-waste is the lack of widespread understanding, so an information campaign to inform people of those surrounding them is vital to making e-waste sites safer. The distribution of this information poses logistical and cultural challenges because many e-waste site residents have limited access to the internet and limited free time to consume information. They also do not inherently trust foreigners, so working with leaders of the site and neighboring villages will make the information more palatable for many people. Working with our partners in Agbogbloshie is vital to developing a method that can help people understand the risks they face daily. Without their input and expertise, any attempt at spreading information would risk failing to inspire understanding of the issue This project is to be transdisciplinary, meaning the information obtained about the e-waste pollutants will be considered alongside health effects on the people, food, and water. The data will be examined collectively by locals, experts, and us to ensure the best understanding and outcome from the information campaign. The project and information were designed such that the entire community understands its importance. It needs the support of the people to inspire meaningful, long-term changes. There should be multiple methods of delivering information, verbal announcements, pamphlets, and organized information sessions are all effective options. For families living near the sites, or workers exposed to e-waste directly, the community must understand the dangers they face and be informed how to mitigate the risks.

This report represents the work of one or more WPI undergraduate students submitted to the faculty as evidence of completion of a degree requirement. WPI routinely publishes these reports on its website without editorial or peer review.

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