Belinda Obour had become desperate for help after tragically losing her guardian who was taking care of her tertiary education at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in the Central Region.
Her dream of becoming a medical doctor had drifted to the edge, slowly slipping down to shatter right before her eyes with no sign of hope in sight.
Belinda’s main headache was how to generate money to pay for her tuition and accommodation throughout the five years she had left to complete her Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery programme.
Dropping out of school was not an option for her and with a fire of determination and perseverance burning through her heart, she made relentless efforts to get regular support, all of which came to naught.
Fortunately, Belinda, through the support of her roommate and her family, was introduced to MTN Ghana Foundation’s Bright Scholarship which takes care of needy but brilliant students at all levels of education.
She immediately applied for a scholarship but was rolled onto the Foundat
ion’s Emotive Scholarship which is just like the Bright Scholarship.
The Foundation effectively rescued Belinda’s dying dream by paying for her tuition and handing her stipends throughout her stay in school.
‘Initially, it was tough, but it became a little more bearable and easier because I knew that the financial burden was not for me to think about.
‘Now, I am assured that every year, my fees are going to be paid and so I just had to put in my best and make sure I meet the demands for renewal every year,’ she recounted.
Dr Belinda Obour shared her experience with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the ongoing 56th congregation of UCC during which she graduated with 11 other beneficiaries of the Scholarships.
All 12 MTN-sponsored graduands passed colourfully with every one of them getting first class or second class upper.
The others include Mr Ebenezer Bambel, Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting); Mr Andreas Vanderpuye, BSc Laboratory Technology; Mr Clifford Nyarko, BSc Actuarial Science, Mr Fenuku Aaron BSc
Medical Laboratory Science; Ms Jennifer Nyameba Bonsu, Bachelor of Education (Arts) and Mr Illy Samuel, Bachelor of Education (Social Studies).
‘For you to be a brilliant and needy student, you really have to live up to it and so it means every year, you cannot disappoint those who are taking care of you just as you cannot disappoint your parents.
‘So, if you don’t put in your best, it means someone out there you who might have needed that money will be denied,’ she said.
She described MTN Ghana as a lifesaver, ‘it made me have a clear conscience to learn and focus on my education throughout the five years of my education.’
Dr Belinda Obour has now been posted to work with a government facility.
Mr Ebenezer Bambel, a Bright Scholarship beneficiary, who also shared his story revealed that he would have dropped out of school but for the scholarship.
Full of praise and gratitude, he recounted how MTN absorbed 100 per cent of his tuition and accommodation fees since he was enrolled in 2019.
In addition to
that, he received stipends frequently.
‘So, that burden of looking for somebody to pay my school fees was catered for by MTN, giving me the luxury and time to focus on my academics. If I had books to purchase, the stipends were able to go through for me,’ he said.
‘I thank MTN Foundation for the opportunity they have given me and that I have been able to attain my first degree.
‘It has been a very big opportunity for me to be enrolled and to attain this height; today I am so happy that I was able to graduate with first class,’ he added.
Mr Bambel is now working with the Sales and Distribution Division of MTN in Accra as a National Service Personnel.
‘God bless all the team of MTN and the Foundation for their support,’ he said.
Mr George Kyei Frimpong, Educational Portfolio Advisor, MTN Ghana Foundation, noted that the Foundation was investing a lot in students and projects to enhance education in Ghana.
He said the Foundation had sponsored about 800 students under the Bright Scholarship alone so far.
Last year alone, he said the Bright Scholarship sponsored 120 students but could not put a number on the beneficiaries of the other scholarships.
‘We are taking care of students at all levels of education including primary, secondary, and tertiary and giving them employable skills.
‘If we had not invested in them, their lives may have been in a mess but today they have graduated with flying colours and some of them have already started working,’ he said.
Mr Frimpong stressed that the MTN Ghana Foundation was putting its investments to good use and reaping from the performances of the beneficiaries.
Source: Ghana News Agency