About us
An Africa-based non-profit promoting international youth exchange and mobility, connecting young people to educational travel, skills, and purpose for over 30 years.
Our heritage
Who We Are
The Student and Youth Travel Organisation (SYTO) is an Africa-based, non-profit, non-governmental educational organisation that promotes international youth exchanges and mobility in Africa and across the world.
We strive to place Africa in a more prominent position on the world stage, facilitating educational services and intercultural exchange programmes including internships, Study Africa, volunteering, cultural immersion, student work abroad, and educational travel and excursions. We offer a complete range of cross-cultural and support services to youth, volunteers, students, educators, institutions, and gap year students.
Our Vision
To be Africa's leading educational institution in student and youth mobility, skills development, and purpose-driven travel.
Our Mission
SYTO Ghana is dedicated to promoting in-depth intercultural interaction among youth and students, helping them develop the skills for living in today's interdependent world.
Our Story
Three Decades of Transforming Young Lives
Born in 1994 from a radical idea, that Africa is a source of knowledge, not merely a recipient of it. Today we operate across six countries.
1994
Founded on educational exchange
One of the first in Ghana to run international exchanges: Summer Study Abroad and the Student Work Abroad Programme (SWAP) to the UK, USA, Norway and Canada. SYTO worked with Ghanaian universities to connect students and educators with opportunities abroad.
1998
Internships and volunteering in Ghana
SYTO added internships and volunteering with international partners, matching each applicant's skills to a local organisation. Placements covered education, health, media and the environment.
2000-2006
Ghana-UK youth exchanges
Youth exchanges between Ghana and the UK through the World Youth Millennium Volunteers Programme and Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO).
2008-2014
Ghana-Canada youth exchanges
Youth exchanges between Ghana and Canada through the Youth in Leadership Action programmes with Canada World Youth (CWY).
2008-2016
150+ schools with Opportunity Education
SYTO partnered with Opportunity Education UK and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to support over 150 primary schools.
2020-2025
Re-institutionalising SYTO
A major reset: modern governance, a professional management team and a strategic repositioning to serve young people across Africa.
2026
SYTO today
SYTO relaunches as a pan-African youth hub, sending young Africans out into the world and welcoming the world to Africa, backed by a new HQ, modern governance and SYTO Clubs nationwide.
Founders
The Visionaries Behind SYTO
Two educators with a shared conviction: that young people everywhere deserved more than what the world offered them.
Co-Founder · 1994
Dr. Edmund O-T. Prempeh
Dr. Prempeh co-founded SYTO Ghana with a vision to reframe Africa as a source of knowledge, not just a destination for aid. His work has shaped educational travel policy and youth development practice across the continent for over three decades.
Co-Founder · 1994
Ms Marian Thompson
Ms Thompson co-founded SYTO with a commitment to cross-cultural exchange and economic empowerment for youth. Her leadership built the organisation's community and institutional partnerships from the ground up.