planetGOLD Ghana Project Intensifies Mercury Awareness Through Health Education Outreach in Senior High Schools

The Health Education Team of the planetGOLD Ghana Project has successfully conducted educational outreach programmes at Dompoase Senior High School in Dompoase and T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School in Fomena, reaching more than 5,200 students, teachers, and school management representatives. The initiative formed part of ongoing efforts to raise national awareness about the dangers of mercury exposure associated with Artisanal and Small-Scale Gold Mining (ASGM) operations.

The outreach sought to educate students and staff on mercury exposure, its environmental and health impacts, and the critical role communities can play in promoting safer mining practices to protect human health and the environment.

Addressing participants during the sessions, Mr. Lovelace Sarpong, Project Coordinator of the planetGOLD Ghana Project, provided an overview of the project's objectives and highlighted the important role students can play in supporting the transition to mercury-free technologies. He emphasized that young people occupy a unique position within their communities and can positively influence peers and family members, particularly those involved in small-scale mining activities, to avoid harmful mercury exposure practices.

“With the right information and awareness, students can become effective advocates for mercury-free mining and lead campaigns that promote safer environmental practices within their communities,” Mr. Sarpong noted, encouraging participants to actively engage in the awareness programme.

Facilitators guided students through the processes by which small-scale miners use mercury to extract gold and explained the significant risks associated with the practice. Participants learned how mercury released into the environment can contaminate soil and water and eventually be transformed into methylmercury—a highly toxic compound that enters the food chain through fish, crops, and other aquatic organisms. The sessions further highlighted how mercury pollution affects not only miners but also surrounding communities through contaminated air, water, and food sources.

The outreach programmes featured interactive discussions that allowed students to ask questions and share experiences. Participants sought clarification on whether mercury poisoning could be medically treated and whether contaminated soils and water bodies could be remediated. Facilitators explained that there is currently no known cure for mercury poisoning, underscoring the importance of prevention and reducing exposure.

Students with previous involvement in small-scale mining activities also shared firsthand testimonies on the realities and impacts of mercury use. Their experiences provided valuable perspectives and reinforced the urgent need to eliminate mercury from gold extraction processes. These discussions were complemented by educational video documentaries that illustrated the pathways of mercury contamination and its adverse effects on water bodies, agricultural systems, ecosystems, and public health.

In total, 5,204 participants took part in the outreach programme, comprising 2,540 students and staff from T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School and 2,664 students and staff from Dompoase Senior High School.

The outreach programmes successfully enhanced participants’ understanding of mercury exposure and its far-reaching consequences for human health and the environment. Students actively engaged in discussions, shared observations from their communities, and pledged their commitment to promoting safe environmental practices and supporting mercury-free initiatives.

As part of efforts to sustain awareness beyond the outreach sessions, the planetGOLD Ghana Project team engaged school authorities and students on practical measures that beneficiary schools can implement. These include establishing and strengthening environmental clubs, organizing school-based awareness campaigns, and participating in community clean-up exercises to address environmental challenges associated with ASGM activities.

The outreach activities underscore the planetGOLD Ghana Project’s commitment to empowering young people with knowledge and encouraging community-led action towards reducing mercury use, protecting ecosystems, and promoting sustainable livelihoods in mining communities across Ghana.