Earlier this year, within the early hours of 3rd January, we lost our brother, friend, boss and Co-Founder, Martin Bruce, to the cruel hands of death, a loss we are still learning to navigate. The loss was a massive blow to the organization, leaving us in shock and trying to figure out how to move forward. As difficult as it is, his legacy consoles us, and the vision of seeing it to fruition. Martin Bruce and Josephine Marie Godwyll formed Young at Heart, which is ten years old. As an ed-tech organization that seeks to promote STEM and aims at making education more affordable, engaging, and accessible to people in the most remote parts of the world, Martin has played a vital role in making this goal a reality. He was pivotal in spearheading the creation of Ananse the Teacher App. This gamified learning app uses folklore (based on the African folklore hero Ananse and the African Spiderman) and games to transfer knowledge and skills. This was to enable African students, especially Ghanaians, to learn with relatable people and tools in mind. 

Martin believed in the power of collaboration and cultural integration; hence, he was instrumental to connecting with schools and organizations within and outside Ghana that aligned with the organization’s vision. This collaboration connected us to organizations and institutions such as University College London, Indiana University, Hogeschool van Amsterdam, Jacobs Foundation, and Reach for Change. These collaborations went a long way regarding grants, knowledge acquisitions and transfers, and media publicity and engagements. 

Again, Martin played a key role in the invention of the Lab and Library on Wheels (LLOW) system. The LLOW is a computer laboratory in a cart that converts a space into an ICT lab.  In 2020, our mobile ICT Lab, also known as the Ananse Cart, was shortlisted for the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Africa Prize For Engineering Innovation, which Martin presented on behalf of the organization. At the just-ended Africa Prize For Engineering Innovation event in Nairobi, Kenya, Martin was honoured for his support and sacrifices as an Alumni. This honour assured the organization that Martin’s excellent work during his time on earth did not go unnoticed. The event was attended by one of Martin’s mentees, Prince Delvin Ohene Asamoah, with whom Martin has played a vital role in his life. Through the mentorship Price received from Martin during his primary school days, Prince has grown to be the Co-Lead for the Tech department of the organization and plays many roles in realising the organization’s goal.

Martin was always intentional about nurturing people and helping them become independent. We hope all his seeds will bear great fruits so everyone can reap the benefits.