Capturing the Magic: Ten Photos That Defined our 2024.

As we return to work to kick off the new year, we pause to reflect on 2024—a year packed with creativity, teamwork, and plenty of good vibes. 

From equipping young people with digital skills to bring their tech dreams to life, to turning AI research into real-world solutions, we’ve been on a mission to make an impact.

To celebrate the journey, we’ve rounded up ten photos and more that say more than words ever could. Each image tells a story of a bold project, unexpected challenges, moments full of laughter and joy we shared.

So grab your favorite drink, settle in, and join us as we relive the highlights of our 2024. You might even catch yourself in one of these unforgettable moments!

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1. Who is your office Val?

On Valentine’s Day, our team celebrated with heartfelt notes, thoughtful gifts, and a playful game of professional pickup lines that kept the laughter going. It was a perfect mix of connection, fun, and appreciation!

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2. Yɛwɔ abɔnten

Midyear, we pressed pause and headed to Afrikiko River Resort in Akosombo for a well-earned team-building retreat. The getaway reminded us that while deadlines push us forward, it’s the connections we build that truly matter. With laughter, adventure, and reflection, we recharged and strengthened our bond as a team.

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3. Community is everything.

3.1 I know where you were Last Friday

Every last Friday of the month, we host #LFHangout—a space for young professionals in Ho to connect, relax, and have fun with games and activities. In this photo, Team Perk celebrates their victory after dominating the charades game! The next hangout is on January 31, 2025—mark your calendar now and don’t miss out!

3.2 Node Women

We relaunched Node Women this year as a safe space for growth and empowerment for women in our community. Captured here is our inspiring Vision Board event, held at the start of 2024 to empower women in mapping out their goals for the year. Curious to see how those dreams turned into achievements?

We promised 10 photos, but we couldn’t resist sharing a smile for our hardworking programs manager who brought Node Women back to life. Her dedication shines through! 😊

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4. From coding to career – watch them rise

In this photo, Daisy lights up the camera with excitement to kick off her journey as a product designer! She’s one of 30 young people selected in Cohort 2 of our Jesi Young and Safe Scholarship Program. Over the next few months, they’ll gain skills in full-stack web development, product design, and digital marketing, plus mentorship and internships to land their first tech job. We can’t wait to see what amazing project Daisy will showcase on demo day!

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5. Building safe spaces

The launch of the Young and Safe Club at Taviefe Senior High School marked a big step in expanding our health and wellness bootcamp initiative to reach more young people. In this photo, club members are huddled in breakout groups, brainstorming and co-creating activities for their club. The Young and Safe Club is part of our larger Young and Safe Project, aimed at making Ho a youth-friendly city that supports young people’s needs and helps them grow into healthy, empowered, and engaged adults.

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6. What can you build in 4 hours? 

Brian challenged us to create a solution for tracking latecomers to work, and the hackathon was on! Teams quickly formed, and it was exciting to watch our in-house devs, designers, project managers, and comms team switch roles from organizers to participants.The pitch session was full of energy, with plenty of laughs as the backcrew finally took center stage. At the end of the day, Team Notre Dame won by just one point (we’re still questioning that!). The best part? We merged the best ideas from all the teams and built an MVP of the check-in app, which we proudly used for event registration at the Young and Loud Festival. Yep, we don’t just talk innovation—we live it!

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7. And David Danced! 

We’re all about fun and celebrating wins, and we never pass up a chance to do both. But have you met David, our Communications Lead? He’s all work when it comes to getting those articles, photos, and social media posts out. What we didn’t expect was his hidden talent—dancing! His birthday celebration brought the moves, and we had an absolute blast. Now, we’re just waiting for our MD to show us some dance skills—maybe this year?

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8. Turning Up the Volume on Youth Voices

Here’s a rare moment: all the hosts and panelists of the YRadio Show in one shot! Since they alternate weeks, this was a special occasion. The YRadio Show has been one of our favorite initiatives this year, giving young people a platform to speak their minds and share stories. Topics ranged from academic success and sexual reproductive health to mental health and youth participation in governance. Season 2 is here, response has been amazing especially the theme song produced by our very own nyornu!  Have you tuned in yet? We’d love to hear your feedback!

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9. Tech Arts and Soul 

This year, we launched The Tech, Art & Soul Podcast, and we just can’t stop talking about it! In collaboration with the Goethe Institute, the Creative Avenue, and CW Studios, we created a podcast that dives into the exciting possibilities when the worlds of tech and art collide. The show brought  together artists, techies, and thought leaders for authentic, unscripted conversations that challenge the way we see the world and spark new ideas at the intersection of creativity and innovation. What’s your favorite episode? 

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10. Is our future bright? Check the numbers

…Elegant and fierce, Joana is having a conversation with three young people in Ho to check if the data and insights in the Youth Well-being Index report we published this year truly reflect the reality on the ground. The Ho Youth Well-being Index provides crucial insights into the challenges and opportunities young people face in the city. It’s a powerful tool for advocacy, offering a clear picture of youth development in Ho.

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11. When Science meets fun

“I can see my digestive system!” – Emefa exclaimed in awe. The Node STEM program reached over 200 kids this year, helping them grasp their science courses through hands-on demonstrations, taking them on virtual reality journeys around the world, and igniting hope for a bright future. It’s been a year of inspiring young minds and fueling their curiosity!

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12. What is that? – Young and Loud!!

If you weren’t at Young and Loud this year, you seriously missed out—about 10% of your life, to be exact! 😉 This year’s festival was bigger, more exciting, and full of inspiration, all revolving around the theme of Skills, Opportunities, and Jobs for young people. From bootcamps to street art festivals and talent competitions, the event had something for everyone, sparking joy and energy throughout the crowd.

Attendees got into live painting, skating, street performances, and played both board and video games. The festival also featured incredible performances from Chief One, Nyornu, Rizzlah Stylah, BlazeBwoy, and HomeBoyz, creating an electric atmosphere of creativity. And let’s not forget the highlight of the night—Chief One’s performance! They say a picture is worth a thousand words… trust us, this one is worth a million

There were so many standout photos from Young and Loud that we’re reserving 3 more slots just to showcase them! 

You Don’t Need a Crowd to Stand Out

The dance category at the Young and Loud festival is a team sport—the bigger the group, the more coordinated and beautiful the performance, increasing your chances of winning over both judges and the crowd. But Richeal? She stepped out during the audition as a solo dancer. Bold move, girl!
Jonathan captured Richeal mid-leap, showcasing wild dance moves that blended the best of old and new. Azonto to Afrobeat, Breaks to Amapiano—it was an incredible sight to behold! Watching her own the stage was nothing short of amazing.

You got served!

This year, we introduced ping pong to the Young and Loud festival, giving individuals a chance to test their skills. But the real showdown happened when senior high school reps went head-to-head.It was a fierce battle, and then a rep from Taviepe stepped up, delivered a killer serve, and finished off his opponent with style. His crew went wild, celebrating their new champion. Someone better call Saul, connect him to a table tennis scout from China!

Flying low, dreaming big. 

The skate team from Wheels Ghana absolutely owned the spotlight at the Young and Loud Street Festival. Remember Israel, the one you helped get his first skateboard? Well, he had everyone’s eyes locked on him. Lying flat on his board with the road ahead, he wasn’t just showing off his moves—he was telling a story of courage and freedom. For a brief moment, it felt like he was flying, reminding us that sometimes the boldest dreams are lived just inches above the ground.

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This year was filled with so many inspiring moments that ten photos in one story just couldn’t capture them all. We hope these photos sparked the same inspiration in you that they did for us.

Before signing off, here’s a proud moment worth sharing—Node Eight was crowned Tech Hub of the Year by MTN Ghana to kickstart the year. We deserve to toot our horns a bit, don’t we? 🎉

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We’d love to hear from you! Which photo stood out to you the most? Got any personal highlights from 2024 you’d like to share? Drop your thoughts in the comments, and let’s keep the conversation going.

Let’s continue to innovate, learn, and make a difference in our community. Here’s to an even more exciting 2025!