Fireside at FemSTEM Africa: Acheampomaah Opoku Afari
Join KNUST & H2i on May 5th for a Fireside at FemSTEM Africa with Acheampomaah Opoku Afari!
What is Fireside at FemSTEM Africa?
Fireside at FemSTEM is an interactive conversation series held as part of the broader FemSTEM Africa event program.
Each session features a conversation with a distinguished woman working in the health entrepreneurship space. Speakers share reflections from their careers, lessons learned, and advice for founders building health ventures.
Audience members are encouraged to participate by submitting questions during the session!
FemSTEM Africa 2026 is co-designed and implemented by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Health Innovation Hub (H2i) under the Africa Health Collaborative, in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, and with legal partnership support from Sustineri Attorneys.
Meet the Speaker
Acheampomaah Opoku Afari is a legal practitioner and entrepreneur in the health and pensions management. She co-founded Equity Health Insurance and, as Managing Director of Shield Pensions Trust, a Ghanaian-owned, registered corporate Trustee under the Company Act of Ghana, fully licensed and regulated by the National Pensions Regulatory Authority.
She also serves as Co-founder and Board Secretary for Equity Health Insurance Limited, Medcare Plus Clinic, and Acheampomaah Pharmaceutical.
Acheampomaah’s career began at Nestlé Ghana Limited in Human Resources, where her passion for people management led her to earn an MBA in Human Resource Management from the University of Ghana Business School and a master’s in law (LLM) with a specialization in Insurance Law from Queen Mary University of London.
Meet the Moderator
Rhoda Akuol Philip currently serves as a Africa Regional Lead Research Officer, supporting partnership engagement, and research collaboration, as well as monitoring, evaluation, learning and adaptation. She is a central liaison for the Health Entrepreneurship (HENT) Pillar of the Africa Health Collaborative. HENT seeks to co-create and sustain entrepreneurial ecosystems, and launch scalable, impactful, and contextually relevant health start-ups that offer sustainable healthcare solutions.
Rhoda Akuol has previously held various research, entrepreneurship, and business analyst roles within different work environments and cultures, including at start-up companies, non-profit organizations, and academic departments. She is a serial social entrepreneur with a strong passion for community advocacy and serves on several advisory boards, including the Pan Canadian Voice for Women’s Housing (PCVWH).
Rhoda Akuol received the African Scholars’ Social Innovation Award 2021, and the EYOB G. NAIZGHI Female Refugee Leadership Award 2019.
FemSTEM Africa 2026 Programming & Timeline
Note: FemSTEM Africa Pitch Competition applicants are required to attend a minimum of two Fireside sessions. Please ensure your attendance to meet eligibility.
Kickoff Event & Panel | March 31, 2026 | 8:00 – 9:30 AM ET / 2:00 – 3:30 PM CAT (Virtual)
Pitch Applications Open | April 1, 2026 to April 15, 2026
1st Fireside at FemSTEM Africa | April 6, 2026 | 8:00 – 9:00 AM ET / 2:00 – 3:00 PM CAT (Virtual)
2nd Fireside at FemSTEM Africa | April 22, 2026 | 1:00 – 2:00 PM ET / 7:00 – 8:00 PM CAT (Virtual)
3rd Fireside at FemSTEM Africa | May 5, 2026 | 8:00 – 9:00 AM ET / 2:00 – 3:00 PM CAT (Virtual)
FemSTEM Africa Workshop (open to all) & Mentor Day (finalists) | June 1 – 2, 2026 (In-Person at Kumasi, Ghana)
FemSTEM Africa Pitch Competition | June 2, 2026 (In-Person at Kumasi, Ghana)