2020 Mastercard Foundation-KNUST Directory

ICT. The 2017 session took place from Monday 3rd July Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 51
to Saturday 15th July and the 2018 session was held
NAME: Kumbong Hermann Nyuykonge from Monday 18th June to Monday 2nd July. The 2017
SHS: Sacred Heart College Mankon, Bamenda, sessions were from 12:00 to 17:00 each day meanwhile
Cameroon. those of 2018 were from 9:00 to 15:00 owing to the
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Computer large number of students. The last two editions of the
Engineering program took place at Optimus Education Foundation
ASPIRATIONS: Researcher and Artificial Intelligence office Located at Mile 3 Nkwen Bamenda, opposite
CORE VALUES: Excellence, Integrity, Hard work and St Paul’s Church Nkwen Bamenda in the North West
Persistence Region of Cameroon.
In 2017 there were 31 participants most of them aged
Background of the Project: between 10 and 18. From the preliminary survey made,
about 95% of them had never used a computer prior
ICT is a core part of the Cameroonian curriculum and to the training. 55% of the participants were female
the main component of the final is the practical session. debunking the myth that knowledge in technology
However, students from less endowed schools do not is reserved for males only. Participants were mainly
have access to computers to practice and many of them secondary school students who were looking to gain
end up going for the practical exams without ever using practical skills in preparation for their final exams
a computer. This results in them scoring very poor and to sharpen the theoretical knowledge they already
grades in ICT. Even without the need to perform well in had. 2018 saw an increase in participants to 43 owing to
exams, information and communication technology has the success recorded in the 2017 training session.
become a very important tool in the 21st century. It is Due to the socio-political crisis in the Anglophone
therefore very vital for everyone to have at least a basic regions of Cameroon, the training session was not held
knowledge on how to use computers. This volunteer in 2019. However, plans are being made to continue the
project seeks to address the situation by providing training in 2020 and to accommodate a larger number
youths with hands on training in ICT during their of students.
summer vacation.
"My volunteer project
Impact of the Project: seeks to address the
situation by providing
Each year the training takes place for two weeks and youths with hands
targets mostly youths with little or no knowledge in on training in ICT
during their summer
vacation."

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 52 accomplishment I’m proudest of is the establishment
of a prepping Centre for the community. Through
NAME: Kumi George observation and other appropriate methods, Students
SHS: St. John Senior High School, Takoradi, Western at home virtually do nothing to complement what they
Region. are been taught in schools. Assignment given to them
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Petrochemical is always returned untouched. Other issues registered
Engineering include lack of reading and learning materials, poor
ASPIRATION: Manufacturing Engineer reading skills, students selling in class to fend for
CORE VALUES: Commitment, Hardworking and themselves, and few other things that drive the attention
Selfless. of the students from classwork.
We realized that a prep Centre will be the very first thing
Background of the Project that will be needed to start in dealing with the issues.
Growing up in a community where illiteracy is very This Centre is to provide a conducive environment
high, younger ones have very few people to learn and where students will have extra time for themselves to
live up to. Very Few ones are always successful in their their academic work.
final exams which qualify them into tertiary institutions. Impact and Experiences 
The vast majority among the few are made to stay homes The provision of this prepping Centre has made a lot of
due to financial constraints. positive impact on the community. Few among these
include
Teenage pregnancy, school dropout, early parenthood, Students now get a conducive place to meet and do their
theft cases, streets are the blessing that results from these assignments.
predicaments. It is in the light of these that I (Kumi With the help of prep master students who do not
George) and some other innovative youth who are burnt understand lessons during class hours are been taught to
in leading a transformation have formed a foundation better things.
known as Enlightenment Ambassadors Foundation The strict evening prep has inculcated in students, the
(ENAF). In short, we serve as missionaries who talk sense of learning on their own during free periods.
about parenting.
There has been a lot
Progress of the Project of challenges in all
ENAF through some other visionary leaders has made activities from the initial
a lot of achievement within a short period. The major stage. Lack of interest,
financial constraint and
other few challenges
that retard the progress
of the foundation.

conditions in remote areas. I have thus chosen to be Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 53
the leader who would lead the way by influencing and
NAME: Suonyir Simon Saade inspiring the people to go the extra mile to take charge
SHS: Lassia-Tuolu Senior High School, Wa, Upper of their health needs to ensure the longevity of life that
West Region will in the long run, add value to the human resource.
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: Doctor of Optometry Because most health conditions rarely have early
ASPIRATIONS: To be a renowned health researcher signs and symptoms, they only begin to manifest at
and optometrist the stages precarious damages have already been done
CORE VALUES: Integrity and team spirit, generosity to the system. The result of this health unawareness
towards all. is that, people have to face the dire consequences of
meeting untimely deaths, cutting their dreams short,
Background of Health Seekers Foundation causing indelible sorrows to family members, relatives
and society at large. It is in the light of this we deem it
The Wa West District is one of the remotest parts of plausible to be at the centre of the people’s health by
Ghana where the inhabitants are frequently faced with forming the Health Seekers Foundation. The foundation
a plethora of life threatening health conditions. The rate seeks to proffer a change in the health habits of the
at which inhabitants lose their lives on the slightest of people by helping them to know their health statuses
illnesses has been on the ascendancy in recent past. In through screening exercise and education through
a narrowed memoir, reaching out to people in some health talks and empowerment.
communities under the district, we learned of the Impact of the Project.
highly unhealthy culture of living they are engrossed in. We have organised a screening exercise for the people
Growing up I have watched on with catchy empathy; of Meteu. The exercise saw us screen for the Hepatitis B
how the people suffer agonising and excruciating deaths virus, hepatitis C virus and hypertension. A significant
from health conditions that could possibly be treated number of people were found positive for various
with the minutest of resources if the people were aware conditions. Victims were referred to the Gurungu clinic
of their health statuses through various screening for counselling and possible treatment regiments to
exercises and health talks. be given. The Hepatitis B and C virus victims could
not be attended too as planned due to cost. However,
I aspire to be a beacon of positive transformation in the those who are hypertensive have been kept under
lives of the marginalised groups in society who are often check to monitor the pressure. The exercise has since
predisposed to the invariably atrocious health and living encountered several heckling challenges of which fiscal
difficulty is major. But it offers a great delight to have
realized that a lot of the people now value their health
as they come to us to seek advice on what to do anytime
they encounter health problems.
In conclusion, the motivation behind this initiative is
just the joy in knowing that one has saved lives and
that people are now weary of their health and would
stay alert about their own health. In simple terms, this
initiative was born to help people know about their
health statuses through screening, educating the people
about their health and charging them to stay alert and
proffer preventive health care measures to the people of
Wa West and beyond.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 54 out to. I have started this way because of the locating
of operating that is in Rwanda. There is high demand
NAME: Tuyisenge Joyeuse of cloths as a result of some government policies, going
SHS: FAWE Girls’ school, Kigali, Rwanda into sowing will help develop the project faster such that
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Electrical and one machine will buy other ones hence employ new
Electronics Engineering persons and it goes on like that.
ASPIRATIONS: Electrical Engineer and Entrepreneur This has imparted entrepreneurial mind-set (one of my
CORE VALUES: Compassion and Fear of the Lord aspirations) into the people I have reached out to so
far. I believe in a saying that: You can’t change a man’s
Background of the Project: life without changing his mind first as paraphrased
from Apostle Vinny Max Bani. My project is a process
I have undertaken three different community projects I don’t see to be simple but it is possible to implement
so far, where the first one focused on teaching women according to the experience so far.
balanced diet by learning recipes plus preparing tofu Furthermore, the nutrition based project I undertook in
(soy beans bread) 2017, it will take a stubborn woman to have a nutrition
deficiency patient in her house. After leaving that
Secondary, a group of scholars from Rwanda community for school one of the health councillors
came together and visited handicap children in took over and now there is a custom named Igikoni
their institution (Centre des jeunes et des enfants Cy’umudugudu translated as a kitchen for the village,
handicapes), bringing them hope, gifts and show where women come together to study recipes for
compassion. Finally, the third one aims at bringing balanced diet with the most available ingredients in the
unemployed youth with skills and talents to use them to community. With that, they also cook and eat and also
make a living where I started with sowing skill. feed their infants they brought along.
Finally, talking about centre des jeunes et des enfants
Impact of the Project: handicapes; we presented to them some of the
opportunities they can be looking out for to help
With regards to the current project at hand which is support some of the children there who have the
bringing unemployed youth with skills and talents to ability to learn including scholarships like MasterCard
use them to make a living; even though it was quite foundation and other ones in Rwanda since considering
demanding in terms of financials and attention, by this some of the children’s physical state they wouldn’t be
I mean time for follow ups. I have been able to secure able to go far from their residences.
one sowing machine so far that is butterfly type and it’s
currently being used by one of the people I have reached

NAME: Ndoro Donald Chakanetsa Tafirenyika Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 55
SHS: St. John’s High School, Zimbabwe
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Civil engineering NAME: Atogembasia Aaron
ASPIRATION: Be a multi-talented civil engineer
CORE VALUES: Dignity, Respect and Excellence SHS: Lassia-Toulu Senior High School, Lassia, Upper
West Region
Background of the project PROGRAMME OF STUDY: Doctor of Pharmacy
ASPIRATIONS: Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker
After finishing my Advanced level examinations in and a Health Practitioner
November 2015, I started visiting a local orphanage CORE VALUES: Determination, Discipline,
called Danai Children’s Home. There, I was helping Professionalism and God Fearing
by providing tutorials in science subjects. As time
progressed, I managed to gather some of my friends to Background of Project
help in the orphanage. We then met other volunteers The desire to an impact or help others should be what
as well and combined to form a group called Help drives our lives. You have not fulfilled enough after
A Life Organization were I am currently the vice achieving your dreams but until you have helped society
president. Through monthly subscriptions we got to beyond them repaying you.
help financially at Runyararo Children’s Home. This is
a home also in my community. From time to time we A Community and its members and their community
buy groceries, diapers amongst other things to donate school, were in serious need to solve their poverty,
to them. We have been working well with these two uncompleted school, inadequate students and teacher’s
homes. We managed to accomplish a lot and we hope chairs and tables, books for learning too was an issue.
to be able to help more orphanages. In 2016 we got
the privilege of helping Danai Children’s Home on Impact of the Project
organizing a fundraising concert. The event occurred With the help of an Accra based philanthropist, their
on the 23th of October 2016 with the assistance of Jah needs were met. After I have written a proposal and
Prayzah and other artists. Right now we are working on prove of need to this philanthropist. She supported
getting registered as an official organization. I spoke to the community with twenty dwell desks, five teachers’
the Zimbabwe Youth Council and they are working on tables, twenty plastic chairs. She also gave four bags of
helping us. rice, four gallons of oil, clothes, shoes, books and other
learning material to the community and the school. She
Having gotten basic start-up advice from the United also completed the school building with an amount of
Nations Projects management Zimbabwe, HALO was GHc 14,204.00, after she promised during the donation
officially founded on the 29th of May 2015 by a group of day.
9 members.

Impact of the project

Each month we gather resources obtained and get
necessary items needed by the orphanages. These
items include: groceries, diapers, just to mention a few.
Programs such as winter campaign, clean-up campaign
and Easter party have also been held.

We have managed to get radio coverage and we are
working on expanding the impact to other communities.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 56 The second of these is about sensitization of commercial
drivers on improved ways of boosting their daily
NAME: Vincent Kingsley Yalley income. In this mini project, I am also working hard to
SHS: Shama Senior High School, Shama, Western bring commercial drivers’ unions very close to financial
Region institutions so that individual commercial drivers can
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Electrical and get financial assistantship when the need arises.
Electronic Engineering The last but not the end of these three is about the
ASPIRATIONS: Power Systems Engineer and creation of a computer and mobile application called
Entrepreneur SMArt App. The creation of this app will help students
CORE VALUES: Discipline, Generosity and Equity in most of the government basic schools to develop a
keen interest in subject areas such as Science, Math and
Background of the Project Arts through the use of graphics and games. This project
will be carried out in partnership with other three
My community project involves baskets of mini scholars.
projects all aiming at building a better society through Impacts of the Project
the sensitization of youths in different communities Most of the drivers that applied the basic principles
(majoring in my community, Essikadu) and which I dished out to them during my talks have given
technological development. me a positive feedback that their sales has increased by
some margin higher than they first expected.
So far so good, with only three of the projects in the A tertiary student, who is an executive member of TerSu
tunnel. has started an annual quiz competition for basic schools
The first on the list is about the establishment of a called Brain Math and Science Quiz, BMAS. The first
tertiary based foundation, Tertiary Support Foundation regional competition was held at the University Hall
(TerSu). I believe that in other for my community Dinning Hall on the 13th of February 2020.
project to reach a larger group, I will have to bring Some of basic schools across the country have
together different individuals from vast backgrounds established their full support to the creation of the
with similar ardent desire to help create a greater SMArt App. They believe that it’s a step that will boost
impact. With this, I established a foundation which technology literacy and also whet basic school students’
seeks to bring together tertiary students to make appetite in Science, Math and Art education.
remarkable impacts in different communities through
the participation in diverse voluntary activities.

NAME: Tetteh Davis Nartey Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 57
SHS: Yilo Krobo Senior High School, Somanya,
Eastern Region NAME: Adwoa Yeboah
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Materials SHS: St. Louis Senior High School, Oduom, Ashanti
Engineering Region
ASPIRATION: Materials Engineer PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Environmental
CORE VALUES: Commitment, Humility and Science
Empathy ASPIRATIONS: An Entrepreneur, Member of
Parliament and Farmer
Background of the Project: CORE VALUES: Honesty, Service to Humanity and
Integrity
I embarked on the project; Establishment library for my
Community in Somanya-Adjikpo in the Easter Region Background of Project
of Ghana. This project seeks to convert my community
into an active place of learning with easy accessibility People in the community who do not have private
to educational resources. Before embarking on the toilet tend to defecate in bushes and at the back of
project, I sought approval from the stakeholders of the people houses as a result of lack of public toilet in the
community. I then got the urge to send out proposals community. This has caused the outbreak of dangerous
to philanthropic organisations for support. But to my diseases such as cholera, malaria etc. Therefore,
dismay, I have not yet received any reply. my project seeks to help in the construction of an
abandoned uncompleted toilet facility at Ntensere.
While still anticipating the success of the project, I also
started working on a computer training classes for pupils Impact of the Project
in my community in order to enlighten them with basic
computer skills. By liaising with the Assembly man and seeking
sponsorships from two renowned company (Topman
Impact of the Project: Farms and PW Construction) the project was started
but has not been completed due to insufficient funds
Working on the project, I developed the skills of and resources. Yet we hope to complete the project
proposal writing, how to teach pupils for them to before the end of 2020 to reduce the outbreak of these
understand, and above all I got an increased sense of prevalent diseases.
empathy. My computer training enabled about 70 pupils
to acquire basic computer skills and it helped them
improve on their academic performance.

My bid to search for philanthropies made me come
across Millennium Fellowship. This fellowship is a
semester long programme which challenges, convenes,
and celebrates student leadership advancing the UN
Sustainable Development Goals. My application was
successful and I graduated from the programme in
2019. The training I received ranges from leadership and
entrepreneurial skills and project management. Upon
going through all the trainings, I was given a certificate
of recognition on my social impact idea which was
endorsed by United Nation Academic Impact (UNAI)
and Millennium Campus Network (MCN).

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 58 after 18 years. This will be done after school with the
involvement of more stakeholders.
I assume my project was successful because the core
value of MasterCard Foundation is “giving back” and in
any way possible so far as I am effecting changes in the
life of people. No one could imagine the little faces of the
orphans who were so happy and grateful and in turn my
thanks and appreciation goes to MasterCard for helping
me to make others smile.

NAME: Odoom Sarah NAME: Brakatu Benjamin
SHS: Shama Senior High School, Shama, Western SHS: Kwanyako Senior High, Agona Kwanyako,
Region Central Region
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BA. French PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Biochemistry
ASPIRATIONS: Bilinguist and Entrepreneur ASPIRATION: Forensic Biochemist
CORE VALUES: Peace and Humility CORE VALUES: Kindness and Integrity

The greatest privilege of my life is to be a Mastercard Background of the Project
scholar and I aim to work hard in serving my family,
community and the nation as a whole. Over the past My project is about helping a boy with a single mother
year I have been equipped with so many life experiences through his education by providing his educational
that I’m proud of, starting right from leadership materials. He is currently in primary 4.
seminars to the summer holiday camp that I enjoyed.
I took the opportunity to help him because of the
It was a whole new joy and excitement when I embarked difficulties in academics we face when we don’t have the
on my community project, I undertook mine at Jesus necessary means to learn or go through in education.
Is King Orphanage Foundation simply known as JIKO
Foundation at Aboadze in the Western Region. As the Mastercard Foundation has given us the taste of being
saying goes “To every chest the heart must beat” and stable in terms of academic requirements and its benefits
so it is necessary to extend a helping hand to others
in need. At the orphanage home I donated some food
items for the start and also taught the kids for two weeks
and continued to help the home for two years from 2017
to 2019. The project ended last year but it has been very
effective and encouraging impacting the lives of these
children in terms of home supplies like food and helping
with their academic work with my little knowledge.
Nevertheless, I aspire to extend the project to other areas
of the children lives like leaving the orphanage home

like sound and quality educational environment; with NAME: Ali-Mensah Beatrice Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 59
this I saw the opportunity to help someone who doesn’t SHS: Nyakrom Senior High Technical School, Agona
have this means to a sound education. Nyakrom, Central Region
I started the project in 2018 using some of my savings as PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BA Geography and Rural
financial support and I intend on continuing supporting Development
him throughout and even to impact other children with ASPIRATIONS: Lecturer and an Entrepreneur
the same need when I have the right resources. CORE VALUES: Diligence, Determination and
Impact of the Project Discipline
The beneficiary is rather a very brilliant student with
excellent academic results. Background of the Project
There have been great improvements in his academics
and mostly being the topper of the class. Project Vocational Education and Training was designed
He gets promoted to the next level after every academic to help reduce unemployment among the youth in the
year which was not the case before the project because Adambrobe community in the Akuapem South District
of financial boundaries he was facing. in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The idea behind this
project is to enrol victims of teenage pregnancy into
I really hope to be part of his success vocational institutions like the make-up training schools
story as Mastercard has been to my and would also help other youth in the community who
life as a student. have gained some training in vocational skills but as
a result of certain factors have not been able to set up
places of their own, set up their own places.

My vision is to reduce unemployment and teenage
pregnancy as well as creating jobs which in turn will
increase the standard of living of these individuals.

Impact of the Project

It was not easy getting as well as paying a professional to
teach the youth, therefore I decided to get the training
and then teach them myself. I did this by paying a
professional make-up artist to help me get acquainted
with the skill and also made use of YouTube. I learnt the
make-up, wig making and fixing of nails as well.

I did not learn these skills just to train the youth but
also use it as a business which fetches me some money
and the money I make is use to buy the materials these
individuals would need in order to help in the learning
process.

Currently I have been able to teach three ladies who
are shs leavers the make-up skills and out of these three
ladies one has been able to set up her own business by
the help of some of the members of the community
who supported. I am currently putting things in place
to make sure the other two ladies get businesses of their
own.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 60 ensure their wards academic success.
Its vision is to improve upon the academic performance
NAME: Vitalis Bangmeyiri of students of the town at hand.
SHS: Lawra Senior High School, Lawra, Upper West In view of this, I, together with Rev Sylvester Frimpong
Region (Catholic Priest of the town) and Mr Okumani Gyamfi
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Business (Headmaster of R/C School) organized talk on how
Administration (Accounting) these parents can get involved in their wards education
ASPIRATIONS: I aspire to be the Managing Director to help shape their academic performance positively.
of World Bank in the future. This was always done on Sunday basis as it is the only
CORE VALUES: Perseverance and Honesty day, these parents could be available.
Impact of the Project
Title of Project: Parental Involvement in With the introduction of this project, there has been a
Their Children’s Education change in attitude of some of these parents toward their
children education. However, not all of them practice
Poor parental involvement in their children’s education what was taught but a number of them has been able to
has been a problem affecting the academic performance cater for their wards, by providing them the basic things
of children in Kyekyewere in the Afigya Kwabre District they need to stay comfortably in school and learn. It
in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. This poor performance is my hope that these parents would get to realize how
is associated to the fact that these parents give their their involvement in their wards education can help
wards poor attention and care in school. improve their academic performance and to support
the educational aspirations of their children to actualize
A good number of parents of this town do not show their vision in the future.
concern for their wards education and they do very
little to support them in terms of what they need to stay
comfortable in school and learn. For instance, some of
these students do not have books to write etc.

This problem therefore, triggered me to undertake this
community-based project titled “Parental Involvement
in their Children’s Education”

Its aim is to bring the awareness of parents to realize
how their involvement in their children’s education can

NAME: Eyiri Tornu Ernest Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 61
SHS: St. Ignatius of Loyola Senior High School, Lassia,
Upper West Region NAME: Fuseni Baba
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Development SHS: Agogo State Senior High School, Agogo, Ashanti
Planning region
ASPIRATIONS: Entrepreneur and Policy Planner PROGRAMME OF STUDY: Doctor of Pharmacy
CORE VALUES: Perseverance, Consistency and Hard ASPIRATIONS: It has always been a fervent belief of
work. mine to see people prosper and be able to fully live
their dreams devoid of hindrances. I want to live a life
Background of the Project that impacts and inspires the next person
CORE VALUES: Prayers, generosity, determination
The major occupation in the Upper West region and for and hard work.
the matter, the Wa West District is farming. Meanwhile,
farming has faced a lot of challenges ranging from low Background of the Project:
soil fertility to prolonged drought. This result in low
crop yield and according accounting for food shortage Helping people reach the highest they can in their
and food insecurity in the region. It is not therefore educational career is one thing that brings me a lot of
surprising that, the region is the poorest region in the satisfaction and joy. For this reason, myself and a fellow
country and the Wa West district is classified as the scholar who shares this same passion have successfully
poorest district in the region. The situation is worst formed Science and Maths clubs in schools in Agogo.
amongst the aged and disabled who are also into The clubs are aimed at providing the motivation for
farming and depend solely on that for a living. The these students through the wide range of exciting
Disabled and Aged Care Foundation was initiated to activities we have planned organizing in the course of
touch the lives of the people in the district. We aim at the term.
promoting their welfare through periodic food supplies,
clothes facilitating their access to health and other basic Impact of the Project:
necessities of life.
With the help of our selfless and devoted teachers who
Impacts of the Project serve as coordinators for our club, the Science and
Maths club is very active and running in thirty schools
In the wake of the galloping spread of Hepatitis B in the in the district. It has also been realized that twenty-five
Wa West District, the Foundation organized a health out of these thirty schools with the clubs running
talk exercise on the disease. Community members recorded significant improvements in their performance
were educated by health officials of the Lassia- Tuolu in the Maths and Science subjects in the Basic Education
Parish health centre. They were educated on how Certificate Examination.
one can be infested with the disease, how to promote
oneself from contracting it and the need for regular
medical check-up. The foundation has also facilitated
the registration of National Health Insurance for
thirteen people comprising the aged and disabled. The
Foundation had tried to organize a health screening
exercise in the 2019 summer break on the disease and
also donates clothing to its members. Unfortunately, this
could not be carried out due to various reasons ranging
from inadequate finance and limited time as a result
of my engagement in other activities. Even though the
Foundation has not achieved enough in terms of its
operations, we shall not relent on our quest to achieving
our dream despite all the challenges.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 62 enhance the study and quality application of Maths and
Science for the growth and development of the nation.
NAME: Adoko Stephen Impacts of the Project
SHS: Nkroful Agricultural Senior High School, Currently, the Dadieso Health Clinic has been converted
Nkroful, Western Region to a fully-fledged hospital which now serves the people
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Biochemistry of Dadieso and its environs. Mortal cases have reduced
ASPIRATION: Medical Officer since there is now a medical doctor and enough
CORE VALUES: Integrity, Transparency, Hard Work medical staff to handle emergency cases. With the Fifty
and God-Fearing Pesewas Foundation, Last year, we donated over two
hundred exercise and notebooks, pens and pencils, 50
Background of Project mathematical sets, 30 uniforms and textbooks to aid
teaching and learning at Fanoma D/A primary school in
Suaman Dadieso is a town located in the western north the Suaman District. Recently, BMAS Quiz Foundation
region of Ghana with a population of over fifty thousand organized a quiz competition for the neighbouring
(50,000). One of the major challenges in the town is schools around KNUST, which was very successful. I
lack of a fully-fledged hospital to serve the community. strongly believe this initiative will prepare students in
As a result of inadequate health facilities, emergency the junior high schools to pursue their future careers in
cases are usually transferred to Juaboso, a nearby town math and science related programs.
and some patients lose their lives due to the distance Experience as a Scholar
between the two towns. My self together with two other Being on MCFSP for the past three and half years has
scholars decided to spearhead the transformation of the brought a progressive change to my life as an individual.
Dadieso Health Clinic into a fully-fledged hospital in Getting involved in a series of seminars, initiating
2017. I am also a confounder of two other foundations and partaking in community projects have helped
“THE FIFTY PESEWAS FOUNDATION” and “BMAS to improve upon my theoretical understanding of
QUIZ FOUNDATION”. The Fifty Pesewas Foundation leadership and have consistently moved me to pursue
seeks to support less endowed basic schools within the my dreams. Over all, MCF scholarship at KNUST has
Suaman District with stationeries and school uniforms. made me a better person all round.
Brain Maths and Science (BMAS) QUIZ Competition is
an initiative established to foster the interest of science "Last year, we donated
and mathematics in students in the various Junior High over two hundred exercise
Schools through quiz competitions. We aspire be one and notebooks, pens and
of the best educational platforms or tools that seeks to pencils, 50 mathematical
sets, 30 uniforms and
textbooks to aid teaching
and learning at Fanoma
D/A primary school in the
Suaman District."

helping and solving environmental crisis. I put before Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 63
them my project, and with their help a proposal was sent
NAME: Swallah Shaibu Marani to district assembly of my community.
SHS: Ekumfi TI Ahmadiyya Senior High School, Another project I undertook was a collaborative one
Ekumfi Essarkyir, Central Region with the help of other scholars. This project is about the
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Electrical and creation of a computer and mobile application called
Electronic Engineering SMArt App. The creation of this app will help students
ASPIRATIONS: Renowned Engineer and in most of the government basic schools to develop a
Entrepreneur keen interest in subject areas such as Science, Math and
CORE VALUES: Piousness, Discipline and Servitude Arts through the use of graphics and games. This project
will be carried out in partnership with other three
Background of the Project scholars.
I believe it take commitment and discipline to achieve Impacts of the Project
greater things in life. My goal in life is to improve the With the first proposal, no feedback was given hence the
lives of my family, community and the country at large. support from the construction firm fell through. The last
resort was to push hard with the help of Logic Thinkers
My community project titled ‘Light The Society’ which association. We continuously visited the office of the
involves the installation of considerate number of district assembly to request feedback. After some time,
streetlights at certain vantage points in my community. a positive feedback was given. Few weeks later, about 10
grid-dependent streetlights were mounted at vantage
I harnessed the opportunities around my community to areas in Atia Community. As the saying goes ‘Alone we
help with this project. can do little, together we can do more’.
Some of basic schools across the country have
Firstly, I wrote a proposal to government partnered established their full support to the creation of the
construction firm (Queiroz Galvao Construcao) SMArt App. They believe that it’s a step that will boost
working on Kasoa Interchange and ancillary works. technology literacy and also increase the interest in
These ancillary works include installing solar powered Math and Science at basic school level.
streetlight on major roads and nearby areas around
Kasoa. The creation of this app
The next action I took was joining a registered will help students in most
association called Logic Thinkers. Logic Thinkers is an of the government basic
association amongst others who is very passionate about schools to develop a keen
interest in subject areas
such as Science, Math and
Arts through the use of
graphics and games.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 64 university admission forms for those who could not
afford, help with their programme choice selection and
NAME: Koduah Bernard also how to cope with studies in the various campuses.
SHS: Assin Manso Senior High School, Assin Manso, We also let them know about various scholarship in
Central Region. the Universities and how to apply for them. We started
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Medical Laboratory out with three candidates; two boys and a girl whom
Technology we helped procure university admission forms and also
ASPIRATIONS: Medical Practitioner and help them apply for available scholarships.
Entrepreneur Right now, I can boldly say that the vision is not
CORE VALUES: Humility, Hard work, Discipline and farfetched as our three candidates have been able to
determination. secure admissions in the universities of their choice.
Miss Rosemary Enchill, the only girl among the
Background of the Project candidates had an admission into the prestigious Ashesi
University on a full scholarship ride by Mastercard.
As a young man, I set out to help out my community Master Richard and master Gabriel both had admission
by giving back to the youth in my community. Being into the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and
a Mastercard scholar has really helped me a lot and Technology and the University of Education, Winneba.
brought out so much potential I did not know I had in
me. In the light of this, I decided to help the youth in This is just the beginning and we are
my community by exposing them to the opportunities I willing to help more of the youth with
have had with this scholarship and all the benefits it has opportunities such as this.
given me.

Back in 2017, I decided to help SHS graduate in my
community to attain University admissions and various
scholarship schemes to help them achieve their dreams.
I did not do this alone, I did it in collaboration with
a senior scholar and a true friend of mine. It was our
idea that every youth who had their desire to further
their education to the university given that they qualify
should have the chance like we did and that they should
not be hindered due to poverty as tertiary education
in this country is costly. The vision was to help buy

NAME: Umuhoza Gloria Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 65
SHS: Ecole des sciences de Musanze, musanze,
Northern Province, Rwanda NAME: Joanne Ellis Essuman
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: Doctor of Pharmacy SHS: Odoben Senior High School, Agona Odoben,
(Pharm D) Central Region
ASPIRATION: Health Practitioner PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BA. Sociology
CORE VALUES: Love, Respect, Piety and Integrity ASPIRATIONS: Lecturer and NGO Worker
CORE VALUES: Optimistic and humility
Background of Project (Empowerment of Youth with
Disability) Background of Project

I have been seeing people with disabilities since I was a As part of my duties to give back to my community, I
child. Some of them being teased in their societies as a helped to facilitate the smooth processing of electricity
result they feel insecure and think they are unable to do meters to expand the access to electricity in my
anything in life for them to survive, thus they spend the community. The programme was very successful. The
whole life depending on others. project has bridge the electricity gap in my community.
It has also helped others to set up small scale businesses
Impact of the Project which demands electricity, furthermore it has provided
equal access to entertainment. Thus, the project has
I knew many old people with disability in my society lifted my community people a bit higher.
who are not employed, they just stay at home and wait
the help from relatives and friends. as my true passion Impact of the Project
relies in helping other in safe and effective ways, I have
helped five youth with disability in my community (who The Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at
were not schooling) to join the school called (ubumwe KNUST has been of a great help to me. The thought of
community center) where people with disabilities can grabbing a degree without paying a pesewa seems like a
learn skills like crafts including dolls, jewelry, souvenirs, miracle. The programme has reaffirmed my belief that
literacy, deaf learn sign language and more, that allow a small generosity can lift someone a little bit higher
them to build a sustainable life. Some of them were in life. The leadership seminars, summer-camps and
interested in hairdressing but there were no class of the family built as a beneficiary of this programme has
hairdressing, therefore I introduced it and decided to helped me to mature and fully prepared me to face any
be their trainer and teach them the basics in a period of challenge and grab further opportunities in the future.
two months since they were no teacher of hairdressing
over there. Now there is improved hairdressing class
where students are able to receive certificate and join
cooperative when they are done with trainings. Vision of
this project is to help people with disabilities to find out
their abilities

Some people use disability as an
excuse but the truth is that disability
is not inability, if you are disabled in
some way this does not mean that
you are unable.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 66 The issue of opioid abuse became a national canker and
my community was not left out. I found it worrisome
NAME: Emmanuel Kyei Boateng and took it upon myself to create awareness on the
SHS: Opoku Ware School, Santasi, Ashanti Region dangers associated with the use of opioids, specifically
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: Doctor of Pharmacy tramadol, and this awareness was themed as “The
(Pharm D) Youth and Opioids”. Together with a group of other
ASPIRATION: Medical Practitioner health personnel, we went out to create an awareness
CORE VALUES: Honesty, Loyalty and Perseverance on the dangers of being an opioid addict and treatment
plan were drawn for those that were addicted. We
I would like to say that being part of this great family experienced some few challenges, however we recorded
has really been exciting and wonderful and I do quite a number of positive results.
cherish every opportunity meted out to me for being a The most recent event was a two-day medical screening
Mastercard Scholar. programme which was conducted by myself and a
group of medical practitioners. A lot of people in
As an aspiring medical practitioner who takes my community were screened for conditions such as
inspiration from the quote “when individuals and diabetes, hypertension, and HIV status, just to mention
communities do not govern self, they risk being ruled a few. People who were found to have any of the disease
by external forces that care less about the well- being of conditions were put on drug therapy and counselled
the village”, it has become my ultimate desire to serve my appropriately and others were advised to visit the
community with my money, time and knowledge. As a hospital for further management.
way of giving back to my community, I embarked on a
project dubbed “Your health, My concern”. This project It has always been my vision to
spanned three years and in each of the years a different live in a community full of healthy
event was organized. and energetic people and I think
through this project my vision is not
The first event was a mass education on the theme far-fetched.
“Drug: a poison or a remedy”. I visited numerous
churches and schools in my community and educated
them on how to take drugs and effects of wrong
administration, issues of self-medication, adherence to
drug therapy, effects of over-dose and under-dose and
reporting adverse effects attendant with the use of drugs.

NAME: Osei Faustina Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 67
SHS: Dadieso Senior High School, Suaman-Dadieso,
Western North Region NAME: Offei Dorcas
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Business SHS: Akim Swedru Senior High School, Akim Swedru,
Administration Eastern Region
ASPIRATIONS: Entrepreneur and Philanthropist PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Chemistry
CORE VALUES: Respect, Honesty and Hard work ASPIRATION: Chemist
Mastercard Volunteer Group is embarked by three CORE VALUES: Honesty, Discipline and Hard Work
scholars namely Faustina Osei, Napoleon Baah
Oppong and Stephen Adoko. Our project initially was FAD change is a community project offering catering
to assist in getting a standby plant for the hospital in services to young girls. The group is made up of three
our community but since it is a long term project, we Mastercard scholars, named Asantewaa Rebecca, Freda
decided to embark on a short relief project which is Nana Kwaku, and Dorcas Offei training fifteen school
also a need in the community and requires less funding dropped-out young girls at Mpoase located at the
which was within our budget. Since “education is the Greater Accra Region of Ghana.
passport to the future for tomorrow belongs to those
who prepare for it today”, we then decided to support Mpoase is a very busy locality but has a lot of young
Berdiaben D/A Primary school with educational girls dropping out of school. This is mostly caused by
logistics such as uniforms, stationary and other learning financial problems, broken homes, teenage pregnancy,
materials to serve as a motivation for our young brothers loss of parents and others. FAD change deals with the
and sisters. Dadieso is known to be a small community making of pastries. It is a project embarking on the
located in the Western Region of Ghana and most of training of school dropped out young girls who do not
the inhabitants are into small scale farming therefore, have anything doing for a living and depending on
most of the parents take their children to assist them in devious means to survive.
their farming activities than taking them to school even
though the government policy of free education covers We learned how to make doughnut, chips, spring roll
them. This is due to the inability to purchase basic and other common pastries you can think of in the first
needs such as uniforms, stationary, and other learning phase. During the second phase of the project, we were
materials to support their ward(s). able to train fifteen schools dropped out ladies to make
chips and doughnut. The final phase would be done in
This we did as burdened the subsequent years to come. FAD change is very happy
scholars who want to see with the impact we are making in the locality of Mpoase.
improvement in the community. The group would do it best to come out with strong
The children were happy upon women to build a positive nation.
receiving the basic materials.
The head and teachers
expressed their profound
gratitude for what we did and
we also found fulfilment and
determined to do more.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 68 has involved themselves in small scale mining and we
observed that there have been high records of dead
NAME: Anokye Joyce in that place and decided to embark on skills training
SHS: Akrofuom Senior High Technical School, Obuasi for the youth in that community so that they can also
Akrofuom, Ashanti Region acquire a vocational skill, make goods and sell them to
PROGRAM OF STUDY: BA. Political Studies earn a living. We were able to get only fifteen people
ASPIRATION: Lecturer or Teacher but at the only five people were able to make bags and
CORE VALUES: Love, Honesty, hard work and sandals and now earning a living from that by selling
Tolerance. them to the Akrokerri teacher training people.

My personal goal is to promote female child education Experience:
in my community and Ghana as a whole. With this goal;
It has not been easy knowing that you have a
In 2017, I embarked on a project called “HELP ME responsibility you need to perform to help someone
REALIZE MY DREAM” and I had one lady name realize her dream. I have improved on my savings habit
Aishatu Mahmood whom I assisted in the purchasing since I know I have to save money in order to perform
of items on her prospectors and now she in Mfantsiman my responsibility. And I have learned that indeed
Girls Senior High School year three reading Pure “success is measured by what you add to the lives of
Science. others” and ever since I embarked on projects like this I
have never lacked in all aspects of my life.
In 2018, I continue with my project by assessing my
beneficiary`s results to know whether she was doing Impact of the Project:
well in her studies and also bought her some textbooks
core mathematics, chemistry, and elective mathematics The beneficiary of my first project Aishatu Mahmood
per her results and also the interactions I had with her. is now on Camfed Scholarship. I see this as an
My partners and I purchased five sewing machines and achievement because without if she did not go to school
donated it to teenage mothers and ladies who want and through the assistance I gave her, I do not think this
to acquire vocational skills at Winneba in the Central would have been possible. The five ladies too are still
region. learning the vocational skills and per our observations,
they are doing well and very soon they will be their
In 2019, I did a joint project with Afful Benjamin own bosses because “education is the key to success
cohort, three scholars, at Akrokerri in the Ashanti and knowledge is power”.
region precisely Adansi North district where the youth

NAME: Afful Benjamin Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 69
SHS: Akrofuom Senior High Technical School, Adansi
Obuasi Ashanti Region NAME: Baliekuu Emmanuel
PROGRAMME 0F STUDY: Integrated Rural Art and SHS: Ko Senior High School, Nandom Ko, Upper West
Industry Region
ASPIRATIONS: Versatile Artist, Self-Employer and PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BA. Geography and
Lecturer. Rural Development
CORE VALUES: Being myself and God fearing ASPIRATIONS: GIS Specialist and a Consultant.
CORE VALUES: Integrity, Competence, Humility
Background of the Project
In 2017, Grumesa D/A JHS is the community in which I Background of Project
chose to embark on my community project. The school
is located in a remote village called Grumesa in the My community-based project is called “Farming as
Adansi North District in the Ashanti region of Ghana. Punishment.” This seeks to erase our bad mentality
I taught the JHS students Basic Design and Technology about farming. Firstly, my concern is to divert the
from which I guide them to produce some artefacts like, farming system in my community. Many people in
leather wall hangings, bags, leather bracelet. my village engage in subsistent farming which is only
In 2018, the community I chose for my project work is food dependents. I intend to bring about tree crop
Akrofuom Senior High Technical School (ASHTECH) production in my community. I have introduced cashew
(Visual Department) which is a school located at the production in my community as a proof that farming
Adansi-South in the Ashanti Region of the Republic does not necessarily matter your status.
of Ghana. I choose to give practical orientation to the
Visual Art students of my alma mater to equip them Impact of the Project
with vocational skills of understanding how to work
around different tools and materials. The trees are of good stands, which I believed that after
In 2019, I chose to focus my community project on a year, they will start fruiting. Though it was a difficult
impart my community Akrokerri youth with vocational task, I managed through. The project has provided
skills. I’m helped the youth by teaching them as to part-time jobs for some members through the various
making different kinds of bags like ladies dressing bag, cultural practices require for the proper upkeep of the
purse, side bag, laptop bag, etc. These bags can be made plant.
at the comfort of one’s room and only demands little
materials and some basic tools.

Impact of the Project
From my achievements so far, I’ve been able to use one
week to train youth of such young age to produce their
own bags, purse and leather artefacts. I have learnt
how to invest in people and achieve a desired result,
encourage people into believing in themselves and
building their self-esteem, Sacrifice and devoting.

Way Forward
From my observation I have come to a conclusion that,
if I am able to use one week to train youth of such young
age to produce their own bags and purse to use, then
why don’t I schedule to extent the period of the study to
make more professional.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 70 Impact of the Project
Our main aims for GIBATS was to refurbish the
NAME: Eric Adukwa building and improve the academic performance of the
SHS: Bisease Senior High School, Ajumako-Bisease, students. To do this, we decided to use the first two years
Central Region to improve the academics of the school and capitalize
PROGRAM OF STUDY: Doctor of Optometry on that to create awareness of GIBATS’ presence in
ASPIRATIONS: A renowned Doctor and Healthcare the community so as to get more hands to aid in the
Entrepreneur infrastructural rehabilitations.
CORE VALUES: Honest, Perseverance, Determination Plans were successful as our first batch of the students
and Optimistic we taught in 2017 did extremely well in the 2017/2018
BECE. We then decided to inform the assembly
Background of the Project. member of the community about how risky the school
As Nelson Mandela says, “Education is the most infrastructure has become for student to live under. This
powerful weapon which you can use to change the is because almost all the pillars that hold the building
world. However, it tends to be a fate that decides for were destroyed and part of the roofing sheets were also
most youth’s hopeless course in my community as they removed.
get stuck along the way due to very poor academic Together with the Headmistress, series of letters were
performance. This piqued my interest to found GIBATS dispatched to the district’s education office and some
(Giving Back to my School) project. well-to-do individuals to help refurbish the school. it
was actually difficult getting response in the beginning,
GIBATS is an educational and infrastructural but eventually all parties that were informed came to
development project that employs both past and our aid, and the roofing of the building was completely
continue students of Aboso – Benso ‘B’ School in the changed, now the pillars have been replaced and other
Central Region of Ghana to curb the persisting low works are still in progress to patch all tattered surfaces
academic performance of the said school. I started and structures.
GIBATS in 2017 with other 2 colleagues Bentum
and Eva. These colleagues are non-scholars and were
attending different universities but we are all alumni of
Aboso-Benso JHS. We started GIBATS as a vacation
class where it was compulsory for all form 2 and 3
students to attend. The classes were well supervised by
the school administration.

NAME: Jennifer Sennie Meiza NAME: Kpiembareh Nibekuon David Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 71
SHS: Obuasi Senior High School, Obuasi, Ashanti SHS: Queen of Peace Senior High School, Nadowli,
Region Upper West Region
PROGRAM OF STUDY: BSc. Nursing PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Mathematics
ASPIRATION: Nurse ASPIRATIONS: Teacher and Programmer
CORE VALUES: Honesty and Humility CORE VALUES: Humility, Respect and Tolerance

Background of Community Project The project is aimed at helping pupils to improve the
performance of basic school pupils during the Basic
Basic Skills for life (BSL) is established to train young Education Certificate Examination (BECE). Statistics
boys and girls to acquire handiwork such as bead from the West African Examination Council (WAEC)
making and dressmaking. I realized that most of the on the performance of pupils led has been declining for
Junior High and Senior High School leavers in my the past few years.
community engaged themselves in antisocial vices such
as theft and sexual promiscuity. Therefore, I had an idea The aims of the project will be achieved through the
of teaching them about some basic skills to keep these motivation of pupils through the introduction of
young ones engaged with work, help them earn a living innovative and interactive tools for teaching to allow
from it, and also use that opportunity to encourage them for the full participation of pupils, also through quizzes,
to continue schooling if they wish to. mentorship sessions and extra classes for pupils.

Impact of the Project Through the execution of the project, my
communication and interactive abilities have improved
At first, most teenagers in my community were and also I have gained some level of access with some
interested in learning the skills but as time went on, people in authority which naturally without the project
only few were actually serious about it. Getting them would have been difficult.
involved and teaching them was a very big challenge for
me. Nevertheless, I have been able to train one girl and The first stage which was meant to introduce the
two boys with these skills. They are all in SHS currently, purpose of the project has been completed and the next
but as and when they come on vacations, they make phase which is the implementation stage where other
bags, rings and purses with the beads and sell them to people such as the teachers and other like-minded
earn a living for themselves and their family rather than people. The impact of the second stage is likely to be
indulging in antisocial practices such as theft and sexual measured at the end of this academic year.
promiscuity. Their parents are very thankful to The
MasterCard Foundation for this arrangement.

Way forward

I look forward to training new set of students this year
with some added skills such as the production of some
pastries. I believe this can help them in the long run
since food is something we cannot live without.

I hope they learn these skills and
teach others to do same, so together,
we can also reduce the rate of
unemployment and school dropouts
in the country.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 72 scanning, registration and even students who complete
the Basic and Secondary school are able to check their
BECE and WASSCE results respectively as well as
placement.
The student being sent to school has also gotten
admission into the secondary school and currently in
her second year reading Home Economics. I believe that
when we know, no one cares but when we care, everyone
knows.

NAME: Pittri Hayford NAME: Larbi Emmanuel Adu
SHS: Mangoase Senior High School, SHS: Nsaba Presbyterian Senior High School, Nsaba,
Mangoase-Akuapem, Eastern Region Central Region
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Quantity Surveying PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Electrical and
and Construction Economics Electronic Engineering
ASPIRATIONS: Lecturer and Entrepreneur ASPIRATION: Electrical Engineer
CORE VALUES: Humility, Integrity and Care CORE VALUES: Integrity and Discipline

Background of the Project Background of the Project
Each and every individual has a social reasonability
to cater for be it a scholar or not. The name of my My community project is mainly aim at providing
community is Pakro in the Eastern Region of Ghana. quality education to children in Ashaiman. This project
Amongst the things my community lacks are road is going to help motivate students to learn and also
networks, poor academic performance of students, increase their interest in education. The project aims at
lack of printing services and many others. Being a providing students with stationary, uniforms and other
scholar, I have used skills and knowledge acquired to essential materials that will aid them in their studies.
embark on a free vacation classes and also sent one lady This project is going to be carried out by identifying
who dropped out of school back to school. I have also children in the community with the desire to go to
opened a printing shop to render printing services to my school but don’t have the financial strength. I will also
community as a form of social entrepreneurship. I also visit schools and identify students who find difficulties
meet students on regular basis to encourage them and
mentor them to climb the academic ladder.

Impact of the Project
The academic status of students in my community is
on the rise and this can be attributed to the initiative
of organizing this vacation classes and also mentoring
students in my community.
Secondly, my community now get access to printing
services such as photocopy, typing and printing,

in purchasing learning material and provide them with NAME: Sylvester Wepaworo Adoa Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 73
it. This project is capital intensive and I’m seriously SHS: Awe Senior High Technical School, Navrongo,
soliciting for funds hence this project hasn’t really Upper East Region.
commenced. PROGRAMME OF STUDY; BA. Geography and
But for the meantime, I’ve taken on other mini projects; Rural Development
First, I contributed some amount of money to a ASPIRATIONS: Human Rights Lawyer and
scholarship scheme that is going to be used to help in Entrepreneur
the education of some orphans in my community. CORE VALUES: Determination, Perseverance,
The other mini project is the creation of a computer and Respect for Human Rights and Integrity.
mobile application called SMArt App. The creation of
this app will help students in most of the government Background of the Project
basic schools to develop a keen interest in subject areas Topic: Eradicating Open Defecation in
such as Science, Mathematics and Arts through the use Nania Community.
of graphics and games. This project will be carried out in
partnership with other three scholars. This project focuses on ending open defecation in Nania
Impact of the Project community in the Upper East region of Ghana. The
I’ve come across two orphans who have been project was initiated by Sylvester Adoa with the help
beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme. One has of an opinion leader in his community and two other
completed Senior High School and undergoing a colleagues and it is slated to be completed latest by 2020.
vocational training and the other recently completed
Senior High School. The project mainly targets ending open defecation in the
Some of the basic schools across the country have community by helping the entire community to build
established their full support to the creation of the household toilet facilities by using local materials such
SMArt App. They believe that it’s a step that will boost as wood, water barrels among others.
technology literacy and also wet basic school students’
appetite in Science, Mathematics and Arts education. Impact of the Project
The creation of this app is still ongoing.
The program started 2016 and that whole year was
basically used for preparing the grounds, holding
meetings and sensitizing the populace on the negative
effects of open defecation and the need to end it. After
that phase, many steps have been taken and a lot of work
have transpired over the four-year period as the project
chopped a number of successes. As at December 2019,
more than half of the total households in the community
were able to build their own toilets.

But as I speak now, almost every household in the
community has now gotten its own toilet facility and
God willing latest by April 2020, the community will be
declared open defecation free.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 74 In 2018, the focus shifted to the youth as drug abuse was
on the rise in Ghana. I took the mandate to educate the
NAME: Nartey Samuel youth about tramadol abuse. I visited various houses
SHS: Prempeh College, Kumasi, Ashanti Region in my locality to educate individuals on the opioid,
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: Doctor of Pharmacy tramadol. The various effects abusers exhibited imposed
ASPIRATION: Renowned Pharmacist some level of fear on non-abusers. I explained into detail
CORE VALUES: Discipline and Service on the need to take the right doses so as to experience
the analgesic effect without exhibiting any serious
About 3 years ago, I championed a course dubbed adverse effects.
“Your health, my topmost priority.” The project seeks Going forward, I needed to partner with various
to inculcate into individuals good and healthy living health groups so as to widen the prospects of my
habits and educate individuals on the efficient use impact. Successfully, I was part of a team of healthcare
of medications so as to minimize the complications professionals that embarked on a health outreach in
thereof. My team organizes talks and health seminars the Effiduase locality in the Ashanti region. We carried
in various schools and churches and other social out malaria, blood pressure and blood sugar tests and
organizations to impart this knowledge of healthcare gave out free health advice and dispensed medicines
into individuals. where needed. New diabetes and hypertension cases
were diagnosed and we took the chance of counselling
My project over the years has recorded some successes patients on efficient ways of managing these ailments.
and made immense impacts on the lives of individuals After the outreach, I got the opportunity to work in a
and to the general public. In 2017, I organized a newly opened pharmacy shop to offer pharmaceutical
health talk in various churches on “how diabetes and services to the inhabitants of Effiduase.
hypertension are affecting mortality rate in Ghana.”
I educated individuals on the need to live healthy I strongly believe that this is only
lifestyles so as to enjoy life devoid of these chronic the starting point of the immense
life-threatening conditions. I encouraged already contributions I can offer to the
diagnosed patients to continue taking their medicines general public. I still remain a friend
and stressed on the benefits of continuing therapy and of the human race – “Amicus humani generis.”
the dangers of defaulting medications.

NAME: Wekesa Doreen Nafula Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 75
SHS: Bishop Sulumeti Chelemuk Girls High School,
Teso, Busia County, Kenyan. NAME: Gyesi Agnes
PROGRAMME: BSc. Medical Laboratory Technology. SHS: Mpohor Senior High School, Mpohor, Western
ASPIRATIONS: Biomedical Scientist and a Lecturer. Region.
CORE VALUE: Discipline, God Fearing, Hard Work PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BA. English
and Integrity. ASPIRATIONS: Businesswoman and a Teacher
CORE VALUES: God Fearing, Integrity,
Background of the Project. Determination and Perseverance
TITLE: Tuseme (Speak out).
Problem: Teenage pregnancy. I grew up to become somebody through God’s fearing,
determination, integrity and others. Therefore, passion
Women are important in the society, due to their for humanity is one of my hallmarks. I was very sad
strength, intelligence and ambition. When well-educated when I realized that the nursery kids in my community
they can enhance the development of the society. ‘when school sat on the bare floor for lessons. I come from a
a woman is educated a nation is educated’. Teenage town called Ekumfi Adansi in the Central Region of
pregnancy denies them this opportunity. Many are Ghana.
faced by this challenge due to lack of education, low
socio-economic status and peer pressure. The kids’ situation propelled me to find a solution to
it. I was able to provide ten tables with chairs to the
Project. kids in my community school with the help of my
My focus was on young girls who are still at school. I family. Nevertheless, there are challenges of fund, time,
went to blessed showers high school where I was made disappoints from people and others but I was glad for
the class mother for form 2 students for 6 weeks. My the smiles and comfort I have given to the kids.
role was to train them how to face challenges with
boldness (Tuseme), give peer mentorship and motivate I was taught indirectly, to acquire skills aside from the
them to work hard. My aim was to make them know academic works through encouragement and training
that there are many opportunities out there that they from this program. Hairdressing was one of the
wouldn’t want to miss. We were having interactive interesting skills I have successfully acquired aside my
sessions, doing discussion and revision of class work. In academics. Another project is in the pipeline but I wish
addition to this I also shared my faith with them. I also to use this skill to impact communities in Ghana as a
went to Kamasielo Youth polytechnic, to give a word of whole.
inspiration and motivation to them.

Experience.
The number one way to live a life free of regrets is to
pursue those interests after you have identified them.
Passion and drive can wither and die without actions
supporting them. Your time is precious. It’s common to
struggle with feelings of futility when you don’t make
immediate progress. We can’t choose the outcome of our
actions, but we can choose every day to keep pursuing.
Every day take an action, no matter how small, to
achieve your goals. Each day is a step forward and none
of it should be wasted.

Lesson.
We are blessed to be a blessing to others.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 76 The Uncle, together with the girl, Rasheda were talked
to, to decide on what she wants to do and is good for her
NAME: Asante Francisca since her parents are in the Northern region and she has
SHS: Sefwi Wiawso Senior High School, Sefwi been with her uncle ever since she knew how to talk.
Wiawso, Western North Region She wanted to acquire some skills, which will help her
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Midwifery even after she has gone to the Northern region and
ASPIRATIONS: To travel the world, and make a therefore decided to go into sowing. According to her
positive impact wherever I go. and the uncle, few number of people are seamstress at
CORE VALUES: Love, Patience and Respect their place and if she was to learn how to sow, it will be
beneficial.
My community project was based in Mintah Krom a A machine was bought for her and she started learning,
village in the western Region of Ghana, with the name but then somewhere along the line she got pregnant
“HELP ONE”. The project seeks to impact positively with a guy at their neighbourhood and she stopped
in the lives of individuals who are willing to help going to work.
themselves by supporting them. I really didn’t know if I made the right decision, but
then again I realize that in this journey called life
This project came into being, after realizing that the mistakes are bound to happen, but then it does not
world would be a better place if we help others. If you mean that is the end. It is never over until you give up,
cannot help hundreds help one, has been my motivation and it is never over until you say it is over. When you
in this project and therefore its name. realize your mistake and determine to make a good
change, then your journey starts afresh even though
A seventeen-year-old girl whose parents arranged you are continuing. You gain new experience, and you
marriage for, in hopes of getting what was due them, appreciate the up’s and down’s in this life.
were advised to against the idea of marriage at the time
and other alternatives looked into, and considered. "She has given birth to a
handsome boy and has
And this reminds me that not all hands are equal, and gone back to the skill
that the amount of grace that we have differ from person acquisition. At the end
to person in this world. That some are lucky than others of it all, I have gained a
and so if you find yourself in comfort, help others. friend and a new family in
Rasheda."

illiteracy. Having gained the push to higher education, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 77
looking forward to go along with these deprived
NAME: Enbong A. Kunsaari communities became a priority hence the start of the
SHS: Nandom Senior High School, Nandom, Upper project. It started in May, 2017 as a continuation of my
West Region personal projects hitherto to my admission into the
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc Food Science and tertiary level.
Technology The project started with inexperienced senior high
ASPIRATION: I aspire to be a responsible citizen of school graduates in Jentige with just one among us
Ghana by advancing my passion to add value to the as a college graduate. It started with community
food value chain in Ghana and beyond as a way to sensitization on the importance of Children’s education
ensure food safety and security. and later in January, 2018, the community collaborated
CORE VALUES: Idealism, Self-Motivation, with CAMRUD GHANA to adopt a set of rules and
Determination and Commitment. regulations called FCUBE rules to ensure that children
of school going age attend school and those in school
I wish to achieve this through contributing to human cannot be withdrawn recklessly.
development as Tutor (Lecturer) and practicing as an Quiz competitions, extra classes and other community
agri-preneur (Agricultural entrepreneur). engagements to improve education has been carried out.
In December, 2018, 400 Pupils in four basic schools
As a social philanthropist and a community in Mandari circuit, of Bole District benefited from the
development campaigner, I wish to transform the lives CAMRUD Ghana Educational Talk and Donation
of people in deprived communities through Leadership, of Teaching and Learning Materials. The beneficiary
NGO and support you for social transformation schools were: Tinyekuraa, Chache, Kpenaayiri and
projects. Debouyiri.
In January, 2019, CAMRUD GHANA enrolled three
Background of Project children of a man suffering from LEPROSY in school
The community project is titled Campaign for Rural and we still take care of their basic educational needs.
Development (CAMRUD GHANA). This project In April, 2019, CAMRUD GHANA, conducted mock
was born out of the experience I had in living in a exams for all BECE candidates in Mandari circuit.
rural community. These communities are deprived of
infrastructural development, social impact and high Impact of the CAMRUD Ghana Project
Through the intervention of the project, the UN
SDGs, 1, 2, 4 and 9 are brought closed to the people of
Jentige, hence, hunger, poverty, quality education and
infrastructural development are being handled and
progress have been made in the community
The personal benefit this project has on the students
taking the activities is tremendous when all of them are
rising to further their education. They got Motivated
to go behind SHS and three of them are in tertiary
education with others following this year.

The enrolment and performance of pupils in the school
in Jentige is a signal that they are responding to the
projects being carried out.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 78 greet between alumni of my high school and freshmen
during the orientation program. My project team
NAME: Osei Monica have assisted many of the students in their tertiary
SHS: Nsutaman Catholic Senior High School, Nsuta, application processes and have also helped raised
Ashanti Region funds to support some of our tertiary students with
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Biological Sciences who have needs. Since 2017, there has been significant
ASPIRATIONS: Nutritionist and Food Industrialist improvement in students’ performance and admission
CORE VALUES: Equality, Uniqueness, Perfection and into tertiary institutions, which can be directly linked
Love to my initiative. As a result, I have established an
alumni association of Nsutaman students in KNUST
Background of Project with eighteen members and I am still coordinating
Having had a three-year exposure to the system of my the cohesion of our students in many other tertiary
high school, I realized that an important element was institutions to facilitate networking amongst ourselves.
missing in the school: - there was no opportunity of
past students to share their experiences and advice with Coordinating all these and many
new students. Thus, the school’s alumni played a limited other activities and finding solutions
role in the school’s development, and this is where I am to their attendant problems has
leading a change. helped me identify my abilities and
My project is titled “Improving the Access to Higher improved my leadership skills. I
Education among Students of Nsutaman Catholic believe that MasterCard Foundation
Senior High School”. I aim at building an alumni has offered a great opportunity for a
network which will facilitate the school’s development greater transformation!
in the next few years through mentorship and personal
development programs.

Impact of the Project
I have organized guidance and counselling sessions
for the students on three occasions, with emphasis on
building the students’ interest for higher educational
pursuits. In October 2019, I organized a meet and

NAME: Emmanuel Kwame Dzakpasu On the 21st July 2018, Saturday, we crowned it all with Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 79
SHS: Dzodze-Penyi Senior High School, Dzodze, Volta a mega public education on the reasons why one must
Region. keep his/her environment tidy, causes and effects of
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Geomatic teenage pregnancy and the effects of school dropout
Engineering. on the development of the community and the nation
ASPIRATIONS: Geomatics Engineer, Philanthropist Ghana. We also use the opportunity to unveil the
and Entrepreneur. current scholarship opportunities to the public and
CORE VALUES: Humility, Respect and Hard Work. students who want to further in the area of their studies.
We invited chiefs, elders, youth leaders, nurses of the
Background of the Project community and other stakeholders and the entire
Initially, I started with a project entitled water is life. community to witness this life changing and educative
This project seeks to provide portable drinking water program.
for Torfoe community but due to insufficient funds and The special guest who was the Community Nurse of
lack of support, this project eventually went up in the the Clinic educate the public vividly on the causes and
smoke. Well, not relenting, I approached some of my effects of teenage pregnancy and the possible ways it can
colleague scholars and we decided to form a foundation be reduced.
with some other tertiary students who also share in our During the 2019 summer, I thought it wise to organize
vision and were interested in volunteer services and with a group of young people who I had gone to the same
the passion to improve upon the welfare of others. SHS with in to order to give back to my senior High
School. I choose these young people because they
The Community Based Project is about Sanitation, have all climbed the academic ladder and also know
Reducing Teenage Pregnancy and Accessible Education. the problems we encountered while in school. We
In order to have significant impact in the lives of shared the work among ourselves- some took part in
individuals in project Community and Africa at large, motivation talk with the students whilst others took
we organized a group of students from other tertiary part in academic works thus teaching the students the
institutions in Ghana to form the foundation called various subjects. The project was very impactful the
Kekeli Foundation. headmasters commended us. I recognize that making a
Kekeli Foundation is a non-governmental organization lasting change starts by investing in our communities.
which seeks to identify, analyze and devise long-lasting
sustainable solutions to challenging issues in the I believe in volunteering
communities through volunteerism as Kofi Annan once and giving back to
said ‘’If our hopes of building a better and safer world community. Our
are to become more than wishful thinking, we will need communities want us to
the engagement of volunteers more than ever’’ give them hope, encourage
Our first analysis and background checks were made them and alert them on
in Dorfor Atitekpui-Tagadzi in the Volta Region of what they must do to
Ghana on 20th of April 2017. The result of the analysis define the world they
was poor sanitation, increase in teenage pregnancy and belong.
school dropout.
On 19th July 2018, Kekeli Foundation, organized her
first Community-give back and volunteering program
at Dorfor Atitekpui-Tagadzi. The program involved
cleaning exercise which include cleaning and clearing
bushes around the clinic- St. Annes’ Polyclinic and silts
removal from choked gutters

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 80 to promote quality education and improve academic
performance of the students, vacation classes have been
NAME: John Agbowada Baidoo organised since 2018 for Junior High School pupils. It
SHS: Akontombra Senior High School, Sefwi has been recording a very fetching number off attendees.
Akontombra, Western North Region. A proposal was put before the traditional authority
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Development about the project and the acquisition of land for its
Planning. commencement. However, in 2018, the chief of the town
ASPIRATIONS: A Counsellor, Philanthropist and a died and the process for the approval and consent by the
Great Leader. traditional body has been slackened. We look forward
CORE VALUES: Discipline, Determination, Loyalty to soliciting for funds to complete the whole project by
and Perseverance. the end of 2019.
Impact of the Project:
Project Background Through this project, I have had a lot of discussion with
stakeholders in my community and it has given me the
A library (mini standard) to enhance the academic confidence to lay open any development issue in the
performance of students. community to the elders of the community for swift
intervention.
The building of a mini library was a project supposed Though the project has not been commenced, we look
to enhance the academic performance of both JHS and forward as a community to ensuring that it comes
SHS students in Sefwi Akontombra. It was based on the into an existence to help promote quality education
problem of poor academic performance and inability of in the community. The vacation classes however, have
students to speak the foreign language (English) fluently. addressed the issue of students gallivanting in the streets
during vacation and also the feedback indicates that the
The project also sought to help eradicate the hurdles vacation classes have been very helpful to the children.
parents go through to acquire textbooks for their wards I look forward to extending it to the SHS level in the
due to lack of bookshops in the community. subsequent years.

The mini library system would ensure that, there is a "My project also sought
stock of books in a designated room where students can to help eradicate the
apply for any book needed for their academic works, be hurdles parents go
it an assignment which include homework and or taking through to acquire
them for their personal studies. As part of the activities textbooks for their wards
due to lack of bookshops
in the community."

Impact of the Project Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 81
Members of my community especially students of
NAME: Puorizaa Titus school going age have been sensitized and enlightened
SHS: Lawra Senior High School, Lawra, Upper West on the need to be in school. The SHS leavers were also
Region. enlightened on scholarships and career opportunities
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Chemistry available. They were also informed about the advantages
ASPIRATIONS: Quality Control analyst, and demerits of schooling and education.
Environmental Chemist and Entrepreneur. Thankfully, one of my community member is currently
CORE VALUES: Determination, Perseverance and a Cohort 6 MasterCard scholar and another also on
Realism. GNPC Scholarship at KNUST. Many a parent in my
community were also sensitize on the need to send their
Background of Project children to school.
The Head teacher of the school and the assemblyman
Students at the primary level in my community of the area have accepted the proposal to convert
(Lawra-Zambo) find it difficult to read, write or speak one of the school’s classrooms into the library. A
good English. In order to address or reduce the menace five-member committee have been instituted to oversee
of this nagging issue, I have decided to start a library the implementation of the said project. Members
project in my community. embarked on a mission to solicit for used books and
other academic materials to support the stocking of the
In consultation with the head teacher and some opinion library.
leaders in my community, it has been agreed on to My team also made some monetary contributions
turn one of the classrooms in my community’s primary towards the purchasing of the materials needed for the
school into a well-furnished library by supplying reading library. Some of materials have been acquired already
books, writing books, dictionaries and other requisite despite the challenges facing the implementation of
educational materials to the school’s library to aid and project especially source of funding.
promote effective teaching and learning.
With the commitment to
The above mentioned project is necessary due to the fact do my best for community
that, school library equip students with lifelong learning development and a
skills and develops them thereby enabling them to live pledge to contribute my
as responsible citizens. quota towards societal
enhancement for the
greatest to humanity.
I always try my best to
help my colleagues and
friends to be better and
enhanced.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 82 Impact of the Project
GOT foundation has proven to be growing successful
NAME: Jennifer Nabil Akologo gradually. Currently we have about 30 girls who we can
SHS: Methodist Girls High School, Mamfe, Eastern call unto for any program we organize.
Region I and my team have been able to organize talks for
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BA. Publishing Studies the girls to develop their confidence as girls to avoid
ASPIRATION: Entrepreneur stooping low to conditions that could lead to teenage
CORE VALUES: Humility, Commitment and Love for pregnancy.
all We have also been able to organize a four days training
in bead making for some girls in the community and
Background of Project have successfully employed one to make and sell them
and get paid. Some of the trainees have created their
My community project is a girls’ foundation which seeks own small business after our training.
to nurture girls, educate them against teenage pregnancy Also through this project I have been able to take a
and also create jobs through entrepreneurship 16-year-old girl school dropout back to school after
training and skills training. The project is based in several years of staying home.
Manhean-Ablekuman. So far it has been a great learning experience and
exciting to know that people are smiling because of the
Having been enlighten through the MCFSP leadership little impact you caused in their lives. School schedule
programs, I realised that a problem that disgusts or has been a challenge because the project had to be run
frustrates you is an opportunity to solve that problem yearly instead.
because you are the best person to solve it. Therefore, As I complete I hope to develop the project better
I took it upon myself to help solve a problem in my because I am very passionate about it thus giving up is
community that frustrates and saddens my heart; which not an option.
was rampant teenage pregnancy cases of which victims
are as low as 14 years old and also so many JHS drop
outs.

This triggered the initiation of my project to campaign
against teenage pregnancy, educate on career
development and also encourage entrepreneurship.

NAME: Wani Gloria Juan Clement Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 83
SHS: Juba Day Secondary School, Juba, South Sudan
PROGROMME OF STUDY: BA. Sociology NAME: Joycelline Quayson
ASPIRATION: Social Worker SHS: OLA Girls Senior High School, Kenyasi, Ahafo
CORE VALUE: Honesty Region
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Human Biology
Project Background MBChB
The project is about enhancing the draining system in ASPIRATION: Medical Doctor
my community. In my community when it rains heavily, CORE VALUE: Honesty
water overflows to the whole neighbourhood.
Background of Project:
This renowned project seeks to provide remedies for the
root causes of poor drainage system (like extending the Seeks to equip one physically
size of existing gutters, clearing of chocked gutters and challenged person at a time with
constructing gutters in where there are no gutters) in vocational skills and training of their
my community thereby not focusing on the symptoms choice.
of the poor drainage (like homelessness of inhabitants,
collapsing of houses, flooding and so on). Impact of the Project:

Putting this project into practice, I organized the There’s one beneficiary so far; Mariam Abubakar, a
available youths in the community to come up with single mother who nurtures the desire of becoming a
all the necessary resources. These resources including Seamstress.
the youths facilitated in clearing the chocked gutters
in the milieu. I also called few experts in planning In 2018, she was enrolled into apprenticeship under the
proper drainage system to give us knowledge on how tutelage of a professional fashion designer and will be
to extend the size of the existing gutters and if possible completing in 2021.
constructing new gutters in the community.

As a competent and brilliant young leader, the
community elders saw my efforts and committed into
this project by calling for a community meeting to
talk to the member about this project. Almost all the
members in the community join hands in the project
since it was rational. In Africa, when we belief in
something we do it with all our strength, so since the
community members belief in chieftaincy, when the
elders pronounced the project to them they were not
lackadaisical.

Impact of the Project

My project has improved drainage
system and given opportunity for the
youth in my community to contribute
to their community.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 84 our voice to the authority for electricity extension to the
school in the community. This collaborative initiative
NAME: Awine Akanlerige started in 2017 and we had a positive response from the
SHS: Chiraa Senior High School, Chiraa, Bono Region authorities in 2019. So far, the community has received
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BA. Publishing Studies electricity poles and work has started by a contractor
ASPIRATIONS: An Entrepreneur and we are expecting the work to be done by 30th June,
CORE VALUES: Hard work, and Determination 2020.
Personal Project (Promoting Agriculture
Quality basic education is essential which I think every Among Youth)
child should get regardless of their family background Agriculture forms the basis of any society and plays
and the community to which they belong. a crucial role in the socio-economic development
of a country. One cause of rapid increment in
For someone to succeed in education mostly depends unemployment in the country can be traced to the
on the educational foundation the person will go youth not having desire in farming. It is time for the
through at the early childhood stage. Kobedi is a deprive youth to see agriculture as an intellectually stimulating
community in the Sunyani West District of Bono region and economically sustainable career and invest much
in Ghana. into it.
I have always dream of becoming an entrepreneur due
My people depend on small scale farming to earn a to my passion for entrepreneurship. I believe the rate
living. About 85% of the households including the of unemployment can be reduced and growth and
school do not have access to electricity. This is having development can be achieved through entrepreneurship.
a negative impact on education in the community. It I establish a farming venture called “Young Vision
is always heart touching seeing my younger siblings Farms”. The farm so far has three cattle and two acres of
who are schooling in the community struggling in the pepper plantation. I envision to expand Young Vision
night to find a place where there is light to do their Farms to be one of the greatest farm in Africa.
assignments or study. This is a situation I went through
when I was in per-tertiary in the community.

Progress of Project

As part of my Give-Back to society efforts, I tried to win
the support of the youth in the community to project

NAME: Ahmed Nazir Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 85
SHS: Kwame Danso Senior High Technical School,
Kwame Danso, Bono East Region NAME: Debash Weldegebriel Teklie
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Business SHS: Sekota Secondary and Preparatory School,
Administration (Logistics and Supply Chain Sekota, Amhara Region, Ethiopia
Management) PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Chemical
ASPIRATION: Global Procurement Specialist engineering
CORE VALUES: Tolerance, Discipline and Optimism ASPIRATIONS: Entrepreneur and Researcher
CORE VALUES: Hard work and Optimistic
Background of Project:
Mushroom production
I believe that research is one of the ways students can
acquire knowledge and skills to enhance their learning This community-based project is about producing
abilities, this can only be achieved when we have access and supplying fresh mushroom and mushroom
to some basic materials. products.  By Training farmers and unemployed
youth and then Suppling mushroom seed for trained
Over the past years, the Senior High School in my farmers and youths and then After Collecting fresh and
community has been faced with the challenge of having dried mushroom from them then it will be processed,
modern books that have to bear on the current syllabus packaged and with raw mushroom distributes to hotels,
in their library. This has brought an adverse effect on the supermarkets and restaurants.
students’ academic performance.
Based on recent reports in my country, Ethiopia. 40 %
As a diligent and a concerned citizen of my community, of children under the age of 5 are stunted, 51 % of child
I took it upon myself to help improve my community death are associated with malnutrition. But Ethiopia is
school library to enhance teaching and learning. agriculturally resourceful with so many opportunities.
My experience in this Area led me who is motivated
I was able to provide some books within my capacity to to change a serious problem of food security in my
furnish the library. The impact was great. Students are community and my country and I find out mushroom
not only depending on their notes for studies because production is a very new Area as well as very important
they have access to books in the library. Though not to solve malnutrition in the country since it is rich in
enough to completely eradicate this upheaval, I believe food content. And also it is developed by technical
change is not achieved within a twinkle of an eye but
rather, through gradual means.

Owing to the impact created, the district also saw it as a
tool for development, hence, it established a community
library to help students, professionals, and stakeholders
achieve academic excellence.

It is the small changes we affect that
lead to the great transformation of
our communities and the nation at
large. I aim at being a blazing touch
of transformation of my community.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 86 production skills and has a general advantage of
reducing child malnutrition, stunting and poverty of the
people. The product has a direct advantage by solving NAME: Abigail Appiah
the food-related problems and a balanced diet for the PROGRAMME OF STUDY: LLB
people and indirect advantages are promoting green SHS: Ola Girls’ Senior High School, Kenyasi, Ahafo
community, reducing the amount of carbon dioxide and Region.
reducing unemployment by creating job opportunities ASPIRATIONS: A Lawyer and Lecturer
The product has the following essential producing CORE VALUES: Perseverance and service to
techniques and qualities; humanity.
• The mushroom cultivation needs low space, little
Background of Project
water, and little investment
• The product does not need light (we can produce In July 2017, I begun a project titled ‘The AJ Initiative’.
This initiative seeks to help individuals to acquire
in our home) and does not need electricity knowledge and skills to enable them earn a living. This
• It helps to broaden the country’s crop diversity, project seeks to alleviate unemployment and poverty
in Obuasi community in the Ashanti region of Ghana
climate resilience and can produce throughout the through skills training. I decided to embark on this
year. project because of the high rate of unemployment and
Progress of the project poverty in my community. 
The project has been already started producing
mushroom since March 2018 with a total capital of The project provides financial assistance to young
$750 US dollars and two years from now the project will women and ladies with a demonstrated financial
achieve and will have the following assets as well, such need who have exhibited interest to acquire skills in
that: dressmaking and hair dressing. My focus is Senior High
• more than 2000 trained mushroom farmers and School graduates, persons with physical disability and
more than 50,000 customers orphans.
• improved nutritional status of infant, youth,
children and women by 6% My vision is to support two people in Obuasi each
• total revenue of $150,000 US dollars And year and I intend to increase this number to about
five beneficiaries per year. My project will also assist
Planned to make
mushroom staple food
in waghimra, Sekota
and other Ethiopian
regions based on
demands of the
targeted population.

beneficiaries to generate start-up capital to begin work NAME: Asare Stephen Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 87
after successfully completing the training process. The SHS: Toase Senior High School, Toase, Ashanti Region
first batch of beneficiaries are obliged to train a member PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Civil Engineering
of the community who falls within the target group as a ASPIRATIONS: Civil Engineer and Entrepreneur
way of sustaining the growth of my project. CORE VALUES: Selfless and Tolerance
Impact of the Project Background of Project
Three persons in Obuasi have benefitted from this I started with the initiative ‘’Deprived Widows
initiative and would be completing at the end of 2020. Foundation.” Going forward, I relished working with a
I have also obtained the assistance of my parents and group of scholars with similar convictions as I have. As
a preacher from my local congregation who monitors an individual, there is little I can do as compared to a
the project in my absence from the community. A group that shares a collaborative effort and ideas where
scholar from the same community has partnered with there is no conflict of will.
me to execute this project. In our attempt to extend our
target group to include persons from the orphanage, My vision is not thwarted since the group also envisions
we visited the Adullam Orphanage in 2019 to speak a world where the interest and needs of the poor and
to the management on how our project could be of deprived are their topmost priority.
benefit to persons at the orphanage. Before our visit,
we collected food items and materials from members Currently, our project focuses on service to humanity
of the community to donate to the orphanage on the and animal farming. The service to humanity
day of our visit and the children were very happy that subsumes providing employment opportunities for the
we visited. We have reached a consensus with the unemployed, helping the poor and deprived and the
management and they have promised to contact us physically challenged and then advocate for widows who
whenever they identify persons who are interested in go through ordeal after the demise of their spouses.
our services.
This project has inspired me to continue to give back Animal farming seeks to raise funds for us to pilot
to my community and the world around me because I the service to humanity. We have started with rabbit
believe the little I do could change somebody’s life for farming concerning animal farming. We have raised
good. more than thirty (30) rabbits and looking forward to
starting a poultry farming.
Impact of the Project
Currently, we have one widow who receives an amount
of GHc 50.00 from us every month to support her
business which was established under our auspices.

More to that, we have employed a young man to attend
to the rabbits for which he is being paid GHc 100.00
every month.

We anticipate being a beacon of hope to many people
who are deprived, unemployed, poor and weak.

I envision a world where the measurement of one’s
success is not in the abundance of one’s possessions but
the value added to people’s lives, raising the weak and
providing hopes for them.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 88 attributed to the fact that, due to economic hardship
of parents they are compared to force their children
NAME: Appiah-Kubi Enoch to engage in Kente weaving even at a very tender age.
SHS: Akontombra Senior High School, Sefwi With regards to the issue aforementioned, the interest
Akontombra, Western Region of children in Education completely disappear as they
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Human Settlement become more into money making.
Planning Impact of the Project
ASPIRATIONS: A Researcher in Urban planning, a After engaging in house to house sensitisation of
Lecturer and Businessman the parents on the need to comprehensively ensure
CORE VALUES: Determination, Consciousness, development of their children’s education, there have
Humbleness, Influential and Integrity been a colossal bang on the number of pupils attending
school. Also, I have noticed seriousness in the students’
Background of Project base on the advice and encouragement given to them.
Most parents have been asking me to be checking up
My fundamental irreducible mission and vision is to on their wards at home because they realized that, the
immensely contribute to the course of development exercise have been proliferating the performance of their
in my community. In an attempt to intervene in my wards academically.
community and cause a change, I thoughtfully adopted Furthermore, in attempt to bring more hands-on desk, I
a community-based project dubbed; ‘Improving took an initiative of bringing the youth; both literate and
Education among Students’. illiterate, in my community together. By so doing I will
be able to collectively tackle the insurmountable issues
This community project is basically to improve students’ confronting my community in areas like education,
performance in my community after realising that as health, and economy.
the main and feasible problem to be paid attention to. Therefore, I will gradually work hard to ameliorate
This project was commenced by seeking permission and the students’ inability to perform well in their final
assistant from the community leaders such as the Chief, examination.
the Assemblyman and the parents.

Upon one or two conversations, engagement and
personal observation, I realized that the level of
education in my community is very low. This was

NAME: Ezekiel Osei Kwaku child education in both JHS and SHS levels. In fact, Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 89
SHS: Aburaman Senior High School, Abura Dunkwa, the Ayeldu Catholic Basic School now has a stream
Central Region specifically for girl child education to the credit of
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: LLB my team and myself. Regarding homebound teenage
ASPIRATIONS: A Professor of Law and Justice of the mothers, in June 2019, the Torch Bearers Network, (an
Supreme Court organization that I am a member of) and I enrolled
CORE VALUES: Tolerance, Fairness and Integrity three in trade profession.

Background of Project NAME: Abidin Abdul Mumuni
SHS: Kpedze Senior High School, Kpedze, Volta
Originating from a community where teenage Region
pregnancy is predominant, it has become imperative on PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Statistics
me as a concerned young leader to tackle it within the ASPIRATIONS: Biostatistician and Statistician
purviews of my capabilities. According to the District CORE VALUES: Hard Work and Determination
Health Directorate report on teenage pregnancy in Background of the Project:
2015, my community (Ayeldu) was one of the highest My project seeks to address some of the challenges
recorders of teenage pregnancy in the Abura Asebu Kpedze Rashadiya English and Arabic school is facing.
Kwamankese District Assembly. Upon this negative Some of the problems are inadequate classroom blocks
appraisal, I intend go into a project named: Eliminating and learning materials. We are currently working on
teenage pregnancy in my community (Ayeldu) and completing a classroom block. This would help ensure
its environs. What informed the commission of this that the children continue school there and that they
project is because of the adversities teenage pregnancy would not go to other schools. This would also avoid
in community has had on education and the unideal overcrowding and provide a conducive environment for
alternative used by the chief in unravelling this teaching and learning.
problem. By the year 2020, I expect that there is a total In 2007, the MP of the area Hon. Emmanuel Bedzra
reduction in teenage pregnancy in my community and had promised to complete the project but left us
its elimination being cultured, and improvement in disappointed along the line. I have decided to call on
education in my community. In tackling this problem the NGOs after having discussed this issue with the
in my community, I intend to promote sex education
in schools and also provide financial support to less
privileged school girls and those in the course of
learning a trade.

Impact of the Project

Undertaking this project has not been an easy task. My
experience has taught me how aspirations can be killed
in a day because of a decision taken in a moment. My
interactions with most teenage mothers and fathers,
some of whom happened to be my classmates in Junior
High School, tells me how they envisaged to have
bright academic lives in the future but for unfortunate
incidence of teenage pregnancy. It sometimes feels very
hard to speak to them about hope and opportunities
awaiting them out there. Notwithstanding this, since
2017 that I began this project, we have recorded
no teenage pregnancy during the last three years
of the B.E.C.E. We recorded an increase in the girl

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 90 committee and the headmistress of the school. Missive
and proposal were sent to an NGO called SONSET, Care
and Social Development Organization. The feedback NAME: Akpabli George
was for us to keep on calling them to find out if there is SHS: Ahafoman Senior High Technical School, Goaso,
an opportunity available, they would gladly help. The Ahafo Region
second plan was that we have organized “Maulid Nabiy” PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Land Economy
(celebration of Birth of Prophet Muhammed) in the ASPIRATION: Valuer
community to raise funds for the temporary structure to CORE VALUES: Hardwork, Discipline, And Integrity
accommodate some pupils. An amount of GHc 1,530.00
was gathered and that project was successfully done in We (Dansowaa and George) believe that as individuals,
2018. we should not always think of improving our individual
Fortunately, the MP of the area had come to fulfil his lives alone but try to impact the lives of others as well.
promises and now the first phase of the project, which is We believe that helping others to be at par with you
the completion of the classroom block, is 70% done. We, reduces the burden or responsibility on you trying to
however, anticipate that the project would be completed develop the society and yourself.
by the end of 2019.
Moreover, we are yet to work on the second phase of Background of Project:
the project which is inadequate learning materials. The
necessary plans have been put in place and would be Title: The environment, the key factor in the
soon implemented. development of education
Finally, the impact of the project is that we were able to
achieve the objectives of the project, that is continuity Aim of Project: improving quality education in our
of the school and there is a conducive atmosphere community by raising the environmental status of the
for studies. The pupils have been performing well student.
academically and the enrolment is now on the
increase. We were also able to organize a festival that Impact of the Project
was organized many years ago by one rich man in
the community. Residents were happy that we were The nature of our project and research that went into
able to revive it and strengthen the relationship that it to make sure the right thing is done has resulted
existed between my community and the neighbouring in some kind of delay at the implementation stage.
communities. In all, we give thanks to God. However, we believe that, if it must be done, it must be
done well. Besides, we do not want to cut corners in our
"My project seeks to address project, to prevent any unforeseen circumstances in the
some of the challenges
Kpedze Rashadiya English
and Arabic school is facing.
Some of the problems
are inadequate classroom
blocks and learning
materials."

community. The progress we have achieved so far is that Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 91
approval has been granted by the school authorities, the
technical experts in the field of construction have been NAME: Alagpulinsa Frank
consulted and proper advice on how to implement the SHS: Zuarungu Senior High School, Bolgatanga,
project has been given. The estimated amount for the Upper East Region
completion of the project has also been acquired from PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Human Settlement
experts. Planning
Challenges ASPIRATIONS: Town Planner and Philanthropist
• Discouragement from some people in the CORE VALUES: Frankness, Perseverance, Self-
Discipline, and Candor
community
• Time constraint: We found it difficult to engage Background of Project

people at the implementation stage Life without computers is unimaginable today.
• Financial constraint: The main factor leading to Computers, along with the internet, have changed
the world in a way that can be termed incredible.
the delay in the implementation of the project is Computers brought convenience to all aspects of
financial constraints. Per the nature of the project, modern life and one may even be laid off the job market
much is needed in terms of capital. There have years to come if he does not have IT skills.
been several approaches to solicit funds for the
project but it seems much has not been achieved. Having this at the back of my mind, I tried to diagnose
Strategies to Overcome the Challenges my community to know the major problems and how
Upon interactions with people to generate funds, we I can also contribute to finding scalable solutions to
realized that most of them were willing to support the them. After months of such diagnoses brought to my
project but we could see the doubt in their eyes. The notice that the level of computer illiteracy is high in
question that runs through our minds is how we can my community which is Chuchuliga in the Upper East.
clear such doubt. Being a victim of this canker, I think if this problem
We ended up in a plan B to get a mini-project, which is solved, other problems may automatically not show
will be funded by our personal savings. their faces again in the community. The title of my
project is “Reducing the Level of Computer Illiteracy
We believe once in Chuchuliga” with the theme “I see a computerized
this mini project is world; I see a computerized Chuchuliga’’.
accomplished, we hope
to get a solid ground
to solicit funds and get
stakeholders on board to
accomplish our mission
and vision.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 92 The project is about organizing computer classes for the
primary students, classes four and five were the main
focus is practicing using the computer. NAME: Bless Ransford Amegbletor
The project started in 2017 with two schools being SHS: Awudome Senior High School, Tsito, Volta
enrolled under the Azue- Yeri and Awulansa-Adabeinsa Region
Primary schools in Chuchuliga. One other school was PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Geomatic
added in 2018. Engineering
As stated earlier, the project is about organizing IT ASPIRATIONS: Agriculturist and GIS Specialist
classes for students at the basic level for some selected
schools. Before the commencement of the project, a CORE VALUES: Discipline, Hardwork, and
stakeholder consultation was done where I went to the
various schools and made my intentions known to the Leadership
Teachers and the students of the selected schools as
well as their parents. After such a consultation where Background of Project
the stakeholders as mentioned above showed their School infrastructure is complex to assess because
interest and readiness to welcome such projects into of the many dimensions involved. However, school
their schools, the project started by getting a place surveys found that the state of physical infrastructure
for the classes. Students are normally taken through often impeded instruction in countries of all income
the theoretical aspect of the course to have a fair levels, particularly in socio-economically disadvantaged
understanding before the practicals with my personal schools. The 2013 Third Regional Comparative and
laptop computer. Explanatory Study in Latin America showed that more
Impact of the Project than four-fifths of the richest grade 3 students attended
The project started in 2017 with only two schools but schools with adequate water and sanitation facilities,
one was added in 2018. The project has so far achieved while only one-third of the poorest students did.
the following;
• Students can use the mouse and the keyboard Primary schools in many poorer countries lack access to
electricity. In sub-Saharan Africa, only 22% of primary
(typing) schools have electricity. The disparity also exists in
• They have acquired some MS word processing technology and internet access among and within
countries, with rural schools less likely to be connected
skills such as editing, cut, copy and pasting of than urban schools.
documents.
• One desktop computer has been repaired in one (Reference: UNESCO, Global Education Monitoring
of the schools to be used with the laptop for the Report 2017)
practical
• The major challenges of the project are; inadequate
funds to purchase computers and to repair some of
the computers in the various schools.
Persons with IT knowledge are also needed because
I’m the only one going around the three schools for the
practical’s which at times slow down the session. I will
be grateful to welcome anyone who will be willing to
help me materially or with his/ her skills to help train
these younger ones in the community and prepare them
for the future.
“I see a computerized world; I see a computerized
Chuchuliga’’ Contact: [email protected]

In my experience as a student, I have come to realize In conclusion, I will say that “the capabilities of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 93
that students tend to perform well whenever there scholar cannot be underestimated in the development of
is a prize to fight for. For instance, currently, in the our communities and the continent as a whole”.
College of Engineering, students who have a cumulative
weighted average of 75 and above at the end of every NAME: Anzagra Daniel
academic year are rewarded. This practice has been a SHS: Wa Senior High School, Wa, Upper West Region
motivating factor for the students to work hard. In some PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Agribusiness
basic schools, there is what is referred to as the speech Management
and prize-giving day. These practices encourage students ASPIRATION: Commercial Farmer
to work hard in their academics. CORE VALUES: Integrity, Excellence, Determination
The factors mentioned above and many others and Hard Work
necessitated my decision to undertake the project which The future of Ghana as well as Africa as a whole is
I entitled “Help Me Climb”. This project is about helping basically in the hands of the agricultural and the
the school in my community as well as the students, agribusiness sector. As an agribusiness student with
through the provision of some infrastructural facilities in-depth knowledge in the agricultural sector, my
and awarding students to motivate them to keep community project is still into swine production
working hard. which is based at Wa in the Upper West region of
I started this project in 2017 with the following aims: Ghana. I started the project during the 2016/2017 end
• To provide infrastructural facilities to the school of academic year vacation break with few animals.
• To motivate the students by the provision of awards Currently production has increased, and I aim to have
about 100 to 150 swine at the end of the year 2020. The
and inspirational speeches focus is to be among the leading producers of swine
• To instill in the students a sense of belonging and in the Upper West region after graduation so that I
can generate some job opportunities for some of the
community service unemployed youth in my community.
• To provide some teaching and learning materials to

the school
The project is structured into the primary and secondary
projects where I will continue with the awards and
inspirational speeches as the primary project and the
second project will comprise the infrastructural facilities
and the teaching and learning materials.

Impact of the Project
In 2017, I started with providing ICT training for the
JHS students and continued and in 2018, I continued
with the construction of a three-chamber urinal for the
community basic school. In the same year, starting with
the awards scheme. I initially planned on rewarding
the best students in every subject but due to inadequate
funds, I had to reward the two best performing students
in each class from primary to JHS. Most of the students
were encouraged and the feedback I got suggested
that there will be improvements in their academic
performances in the coming years.
In the coming years, I plan on providing electricity to
the classroom blocks and continue with the awards
scheme.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 94 to the student, mentoring them to attain higher goals
and coaching parents to play a vital role in a child’s
NAME: Anokye Frederick development.
SHS: Yamfo Anglican Senior High School, Yamfo, As said by Nelson Mandela, “education is the most
Ahafo Region powerful weapon which can be used to change the
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Materials world”. Thus, the need for people to be educated is
Engineering paramount to make informed and reasonable decisions
ASPIRATIONS: An Engineer & Entrepreneur that will help society and nations to achieve growth and
CORE VALUES: Peace, Discipline, Commitment, And development.
Integrity Currently, the project is ongoing in two Junior High
Schools in the Yamfo community. These schools are
Experience as a Scholar the Roman Catholic and Islamic Junior High School
in which some selected students who are academically
As a Mastercard Foundation scholar at KNUST, I brilliant but are financially underprivileged are
have acquired a lot of experiences, skills, and ideas benefiting from the project. We hope these beneficiaries
ranging from academics to personal interaction with would be transformed and successful in any discipline
my colleagues and lecturers. The numerous seminars, they choose as they move from the high school level
both leadership, and entrepreneurship we have been to the tertiary level to help and contribute their quota
taken through as scholars have given me a wealth of as well for the development of our community and the
experience and skills including emotional intelligence, country at large. The project seeks to expand its benefits
design thinking, the drive of problem-solving, good to other Junior High Schools in the community in the
analytical skills, networking, etc. coming future.
It is within my limited time on earth that I hope to
Background of Project make a great impact in my community and the country
at large. And I am inspired by this quote “Success is
Project “Help me achieve my aim” is an educational measured by the value we add to other peoples” lives
project with the vision of empowering individuals and not what we gain for ourselves”.
irrespective of their academic background to have
equal access to quality education and inspiring them to
believe in themselves and their abilities to reach their
potential. They seek to provide educational materials

NAME: Frimpong Manso Ophelia Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 95
SHS: St. Joseph’s Senior High and Technical School,
Ahwiren, Ashanti Region NAME: Awuku-Amador Success
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Business SHS: Awudome Senior High School, Tsito-Awudome,
Administration, (Logistics and Supply Chain Volta Region
Management Option) PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Telecommunications
ASPIRATIONS: Chattered Accountant, Motivational Engineering
Speaker and Philanthropist ASPIRATIONS: Network Engineer and Entrepreneur
CORE VALUE: Integrity, Hardworking and CORE VALUES: Humility, Caring, And Selflessness
Determination
Being part of the Mastercard Foundation has been my Background of Project
greatest achievement. It has also given me the chance
to experience and learn a lot across cultures since I have My Community-Based Project is about Sanitation,
gotten the opportunity to meet new people of different Reducing Teenage Pregnancy and Accessible Education.
ethnic groups, countries and also get to know why To have a significant impact on the lives of individuals
people do what they do or believe in what they do and in my Community and Africa at large, I organized
experience new things as well. a group of students from the tertiary institutions in
The foundation has given me an exposure which will Ghana-UEW, UG, KNUST, UCC and other Colleges of
help me in making a positive impact in the lives of Education to form a vibrant foundation called Kekeli
others, which will also help me get a bigger platform Foundation.
to see my dream become a reality. Since MasterCard
is about leadership and making impact in the society, Kekeli Foundation is a Non-Governmental Organization
this has influenced my decision of making an impact newly formed by students from the above-mentioned
whereever I find myself. With this same vision I share tertiary sectors to identify, analyze and devise
that birthed my community-based project. long-lasting sustainable solutions to challenging issues
in the communities through volunteerism as Kofi
The name of my community is Abidjan-Nkwanta Annan once said ‘’If our hopes of building a better and
in the Bosomtwe district in the Ashanti Region of safer world are to become more than wishful thinking,
Ghana. The inhabitants sought to drink water from a we will need the engagement of volunteers more than
rusting borehole which is found in the middle of the ever’’
community. This borehole poses a threat to their health
hence the need to construct a mechanized borehole that
is safer and better than the one in the community.

But unfortunately this project never saw the light of the
day due to political instability between the chiefs in my
community but this instability has not stopped me from
making this project a reality.

With the help of other people who
share in my dream, we are still
educating the chiefs on the for
community development which
has a generational influence on the
community.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 96 Our first analysis and background checks were made in I believe in volunteering and giving back to the
Dorfor Atitekpui-Tagadzi in the Volta Region of Ghana community. Our communities want us to give them
on the 20th of April 2017. The result of the analysis was hope, encourage them and alert them on what they must
poor sanitation, an increase in teenage pregnancy and do to define the world they belong to. Since, they believe
school dropout. in us, as university students.
On 19th July 2018, Kekeli Foundation organized her I end by saying, if you want to touch lives, then learn
first community-give back and volunteering program how to volunteer. Volunteerism is everybody’s duty as
at Dorfor Atitekpui-Tagadzi. The program involved far as you want to be called a true leader. Scholars let us
cleaning exercise which includes cleaning and clearing learn to put a smile in the face of the hopeless because
bushes around the clinic- St. Annes’ Polyclinic and silts we are the hope of the new world -Awuku-Amador
removal from choked gutters. Success.
On the 21st July 2018, Saturday, we crowned it all with
a mega public education on the reasons why one must NAME: Archibald Manu
keep his/her environment tidy, causes and effects of SHS: St. Thomas Senior High-Technical School,
teenage pregnancy and the effects of school dropout Asamankese, Eastern Region
on the development of the community and the nation PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc Civil Engineering
Ghana. We also use the opportunity to unveil the ASPIRATION: Structural Engineer
current scholarship opportunities to the public and CORE VALUES: Discipline, Determination and
students who want to further in the area of their studies. Perseverance
We invited chiefs, elders, youth leaders, nurses of the Growing up, one of my dreams is to see young graduates
community and other stakeholders and the entire becoming entrepreneurs, creating wealth and jobs
community to witness this life-changing and educative for themselves and others. Individuals who are not
program. privileged to have gone through tertiary education have
The chief of the community used the opportunity to also developed their talents for nation-building.
also educate the youth on regular community cleaning. As a proud scholar of the Mastercard Foundation
The special guest who was the Community Nurse of Scholars Program, I have learned from the training I
the Clinic educates the public vividly on the causes and
effects of teenage pregnancy and the possible ways it can
be reduced. She also added that “reduction in teenage
pregnancy is the sole responsibility of parents, teachers,
elders and the individual teenagers”. Few of the tertiary
students had the opportunity to share their life stories
on the educational journey.
After all, we observed that:
• Five out of the few teenagers who drop out of

school went back to school.
• Much work has been done at the community clinic

for our projects.
• The choked gutters were cleaned and when rain

falls, all the areas noticed to be flooding are no
more.
• The students were enlightened on the scholarship
opportunities and few of them bought admission
forms for tertiary education.

received that every great thing has a little beginning Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 97
and this has inspired me to start with the little I can
to further this great ambition in my community. NAME: Arthur Dinah Dansowaa
Fortunately, I met three other young leaders who share SHS: Ahafoman Senior High Technical School
my drive for change. I collaborated with them since PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Forest Resource
I believe working as a team would make much more Technology
impact on our community. ASPIRATION: Natural Resource Manager
We established an organization called Leaders of CORE VALUES: Honesty, Humility, Discipline
Change Foundation which started operating in 2017.
As a step towards the bigger picture, we concentrated We (Dansowaa and George) believe that as individuals
on the informal sector. Our goal is to ensure that the we should not always think of improving our individual
total potential of our human resources is utilized by lives alone but try to impact the lives of others as well.
raising young entrepreneurs in our community. It is not We believe helping others to be at par with you reduces
everyone who had the privilege to be in the university the burden or responsibility on you trying to develop the
or high school, but they have the potential to become society and yourself alone.
great entrepreneurs when they are given the necessary
support. The organization seeks to provide leadership Background of Project
and vocational training to the youth especially the needy The Environment, the Key Factor in the Development of
with the talent and passion for entrepreneurship. Education
Currently, the foundation has a person under training,
it has also trained four members in yogurt production. Aim of Project:
The organization also has plans to support other Improving Quality Education in Our Community by
people in training and also get them well established in Raising the Environmental Status of the Student.
yogurt production. According to the layout plan, the
first cohort was to be selected from the Asamankese Achievement
community in the Eastern Region of Ghana and their Per the nature of our project and interaction to make
training session was slated for December 2018, but the sure that the right thing is done has resulted in some
training couldn’t commence as planned because the kind of delay in our implementation stage in terms of
organization faced some challenges in withdrawing its groundwork. However, we believe that, if it must be
deposit from the partnered bank for the project, this was done then it must be done well. Also, we do not want to
due to recapitalization challenges and panic withdrawals cut corners in our project, to prevent any disasters in our
at the bank that led them to suspend all customer’s community.
withdrawals. Owing to these reasons, we couldn’t get
access to our funds from the bank for the project and
we also couldn’t get any funds elsewhere to further the
project.

We’re still working to come up with
some mini projects while trying the
retrieve our money from the bank
to start with training and production
hopefully this coming July 2019.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 98 Below is the progress we have achieved so far:
• Approval has been granted from school authorities.
• Technical experts in the construction field have NAME: Baborlu Wahab
SHS: Kanton Senior High School, Tumu, Upper West
been consulted of which proper advice on how to Region
implement the project has been given. PROGRAMME OF STUDY: LLB
• The estimated amount for the completion of the ASPIRATIONS: Barrister, Lecturer, and a Human
project has been acquired from experts Rights Advocate
Challenges CORE VALUES: Justice and Integrity
• There was discouragement from some people in Since childhood, it has always been my top priority to
the community. contribute to the development of my noble community.
• Time constraint: We found it difficult to engage Being a MasterCard Foundation Scholar, and with the
people in the implementation of the project opportunities at my disposal which has impacted me
• Financial constraint: The main factor leading to both academically and personally. This has engineered
the delay of our implementation of the project me to put my dreams into reality.
is fund. Per the nature of the project, much is
needed in terms of capital. There have been several As a transformative leader, to contribute my quota to the
approaches to solicit funds for the project. But it development of my community, I started a project titled
seen much has not been reached ‘‘Enhancement of academic performance at Nyivil Basic
Strategies to Overcome the Challenges School-Mathematics and Science’’ in 2016. As a past
Upon interactions with people to generate funds, we student, personal observations, and records have shown
realized that most of them are willing to support but that the academic performance of the School both
we could see a little degree of doubt in their eyes. The internally and externally had always been an eyesore.
question that runs through our minds is how we clear As a leader of change, I deemed it a duty to resolve the
such doubt. canker.
We ended up in a plan B to get a mini-project,
which will be funded solely by us from our (personal From my previous effort, there has been progress so far
savings. Per our aims and objectives, we decided as the project execution is a concern. Famous of all is
on this mini-project. Which seeks to improve the the betterment of students’ performance. Juxtaposing
environmental condition of students. performances of students in the previous years to years
which project commenced, there has been a great
We believe once this mini project improvement.
is accomplished or constructed, we
hope to get a solid ground to solicit
funds and get stakeholders on board
to accomplish our mission and vision.

Also, I organized extra classes for the students in both NAME: Seidu Basiratu Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 99
Maths and Science during past vacations; two (2) weeks SHS: Tamale Senior High School, Tamale, Northern
during the 2016/17 Christmas vacation, 3 weeks during Region
the summer vacation (2016/17) and others. Aside from PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BA. Sociology
the extra classes, I rendered voluntary teaching services ASPIRATIONS: Educationist and Entrepreneur
to school anytime I go home. I took advantage of some CORE VALUES: Determination, Hard Work,
of these teaching and learning sessions to enlighten Perseverance and Equality
the students on how to learn effectively and making
effective use of their time. I also sensitized the students Being part of the Mastercard Foundation Program is
on the importance of education, consequences of school one of the best things that have happened to me. The
dropout, teenage pregnancy, and premature marriage. leadership seminars, field trips, summer camp skills
training organized by the lead has actually impacted
Notwithstanding these achievements, positively on my life, these programs have instilled
my next step is providing teaching in me confidence, self believe, critical thinking,
and learning materials to the students initiative-taking and more to which I say “Ayekoo” to
in Nyivil basic and junior high school. the board and staff of the MCFSP at KNUST, little did
To conclude, Nelson Mandela said I know I would one day be able to stand in front of a
that, "Education is the most powerful crowd to address them.
weapon which you can use to
change the world". Therefore, for a Poverty has been the story of the day of which the
better tomorrow, education must be three Northern regions have been tagged as the poorest
prioritized. regions in the country and strategies have been put in
place such as the Sustainable Development Goals to
eradicate poverty in the area and the country at large.

It is against this background that, Awakening Society
GH (AWAS-GH) a Non-Governmental Organization
in collaboration with “FAAKO” came together and
in line with the Sustainable Development Goals
to help reduce poverty and also aim at promoting
education, agriculture and environmental education,
entrepreneurial skills development, and improve
sanitation and hygiene to raise quality living standards
of the people living in extreme poverty in agrarian/rural
societies on the African continent. In the first phase,
during the summer holidays, the above-mentioned
partners organized a skill training session at Adupe, a
community in the Central Gonja District of Ghana to
take them through how to make liquid soap and also
took them through marketing strategies to help prepare
them for the job market. We can proudly say without
any doubt that four Individuals have started making
and selling the liquid soap and we are looking forward
to adding more packages as the saying goes “to whom
much is given much more is expected”.

Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program at KNUST 100 motivated the Guardians and parents of these wards to
work hard and improve not only the living condition of
the children but their educational careers as well. Our
accomplishments have taught me that, a better world
depends not on better people but rather, good people
pushing efforts with optimism and determination. This,
I believe, is how young people will make the world a
better place. Also, the world is not a place of suffering
as some people perceive it to be because there are a lot
of injustice and actions from bad and cruel people but it
is because good and honest people refuse to take action
and come to the aid of the less privileged in the society.

NAME: Boglo Richard NAME: Napor Dorothy Bindinpom
SHS: Amasaman Senior High School and Technical,
Amasaman, Greater Accra Region SHS: Sacred Heart Senior High School, Nsoatre, Bono
PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Land Economy Region
ASPIRATIONS: Lawyer, Contractor and Motivational
Speaker PROGRAMME OF STUDY: BSc. Electrical and
CORE VALUES: Hard Work, Determination and Electronic Engineering
Loyalty
ASPIRATIONS: Electrical Engineer and Entrepreneur
Background of Project:
I took it upon myself to reach out to the less privileged CORE VALUES: Integrity, Hardworking, Humility
children in my community who do not have access and Love
to quality education due to some factors like broken
homes, poverty, and single parenting. Background of Project
A dream does not become a reality through magic; it
Due to the above issues in my community, I was very takes sweat, determination, and hard work. In my quest
touched with compassion to collaborate with my church to see every young person succeed in life, I collaborated
and other notable personalities in my community to with likeminded Mastercard Foundation Scholars at
come to their aid by providing these young ones with KNUST to form the GetAid Foundation which was
school bags, exercise books and textbooks, school later changed to Leaders of Change Foundation (LOC)
uniforms, shoes and other educational materials
which would help them get the necessary basic needs
in education for their future and to the benefit of the
community and the country at large.

Impact of the Project:
With the few items provided to these young ones
and assessing their performance as compared to the
time they lack these things, it has improved averagely.
Due to the cause taken by me and the church, it has