About Dikan
Let African
knowledge lead.
An African knowledge
and learning institution.
Dikan is a nonprofit African knowledge and learning institution based in Ghana.
Dikan means “take the lead” in Twi. We believe Africa’s future should draw on the depth of its knowledge and the imagination of its people.
At Dikan, people can explore African histories, study original sources and develop work of their own. We want more people to understand the histories that have shaped their lives and have the resources to pursue questions that matter to them.
Our beginnings
It began
with books.
Dikan began with books gathered for a library in Ghana. Making knowledge available to others remains central to its work.
Today, that purpose extends through conservation, library and archive resources, education and exhibitions.
Our approach
How our
work connects.
Our mission brings together three commitments.
Preserve African knowledge
Care for the sources that carry African histories, ideas and experiences. Conservation, digitisation and the preservation of context help sustain their use across generations.
Advance African knowledge
Support inquiry, interpretation and new work. Create opportunities for people to engage with sources, develop understanding and contribute knowledge that others can examine and build on.
Equip people
Connect knowledge with learning and practical opportunities. Help people develop the understanding and skills to pursue their own work and contribute to their communities.
These commitments reinforce one another. Preserved sources support learning and investigation. What people discover and create can become knowledge that serves others.
Our mission, vision and valuesOur work
Knowledge in practice.
Dikan Library
& Archives
Resources for study, research and the development of new understanding.
Explore the libraryAwo Institute
Conserving and digitising historical materials, with care for their sources and context.
Discover AwoEducation
Learning opportunities that help people develop skills and work of their own.
Explore learningAhenfie
Exhibitions bringing African histories and ideas into public conversation.
Discover AhenfieOur community
A place to learn
from one another.
People come to Dikan with different experiences, interests and ambitions. A learner may be discovering a subject for the first time. A researcher may be pursuing a particular source. An educator or creative practitioner may be developing work that will reach others.
We are building a place where people can learn from one another, share experience and find encouragement to pursue their ideas.
African knowledge continues to grow through the experiences and discoveries of people today. The knowledge held within communities deserves recognition, and their perspectives should help shape the work we do together.
Our people
The people behind Dikan.
Meet our team, the people serving on our Board, and the partners and funders supporting our work.
You have a place
in this work.
Explore a collection. Visit an exhibition. Develop your practice, or bring a question you want to pursue.
What you contribute can become a starting point for someone else.
Plan your visit