By Stanley Senya
Accra, Sept. 30, GNA – For Theobald Kambonga, the journey from a small beer bar in Navrongo to becoming a Doctor of Pharmacy graduate is a story of family sacrifice, financial hardship, and opportunity.
Kambonga, who grew up in Navrongo in the Upper East Region, secured admission to the University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale, to pursue the six-year Doctor of Pharmacy programme.
However, financing his education became a major challenge after his father, a teacher, retired.
His mother, who operated a small beer bar business, became the main source of financial support for the family and his education.
“Paying my tuition fees, securing accommodation, and meeting daily upkeep expenses were constant struggles,” he said.
With the family’s resources stretched, Kambonga began actively searching for scholarship opportunities that could reduce the financial burden on his mother.
His search eventually led him to the MTN Ghana Bright Scholarship.
Kambonga said he learnt that he had been selected for the scholarship after receiving a call from Mr George Frimpong, a coordinator with the MTN Ghana Foundation.
“When I received the call informing me that I had been selected, I was overwhelmed with joy. I remember shouting and jumping in excitement,” he recalled.
The scholarship covered his tuition and accommodation, allowing him to concentrate more fully on his studies instead of worrying about how to meet his educational expenses.
He said the support also significantly reduced the financial pressure on his mother, whose small business had been helping to fund his education.
“By relieving me of financial stress during my studies, the scholarship enabled me to focus fully on my education and personal development. This support motivated me to give my best,” he said.
Kambonga successfully completed his Doctor of Pharmacy degree at UDS and has since begun building a career that combines pharmaceutical knowledge, industry, and research.
He currently works as a Marketing Representative with Gokals Limited, while also serving as a Research Assistant at UDS.
His professional path, he said, had been shaped in part by the opportunity the scholarship created for him to complete his university education without the financial pressures that had threatened to derail his studies.
Kambonga’s experience forms part of the broader impact of the MTN Ghana Bright Scholarship, an initiative of the MTN Ghana Foundation to support brilliant but needy students pursuing tertiary education.
Since its launch in 2017, as part of MTN Ghana’s 20th anniversary celebrations, the programme has supported 1,220 students to complete their tertiary education.
The scholarship package covers tuition, accommodation, a laptop, and a stipend for books and other study materials.
The programme has supported students across 18 tertiary institutions, including the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Ghana, and University of Cape Coast, as well as colleges of education and health training institutions.
The beneficiaries have also recorded strong academic outcomes.
According to the MTN Ghana Foundation, 17 Bright Scholars have graduated as valedictorians or best students at their respective institutions, while 299 graduated with first-class honours.
A further 47 graduated with second-class upper honours and 16 with second-class lower honours.
For Kambonga, the scholarship’s significance extends beyond obtaining a university qualification.
He said it provided relief to his family and gave him the opportunity to focus on developing himself academically and professionally.
“The scholarship meant everything to me and my family. It significantly eased the financial burden on my mother, who had been supporting my education through her small business. This support came as a great relief and source of hope for us all,” he said.
As MTN Ghana marks 30 years of operations in Ghana, Kambonga’s journey is among the stories of beneficiaries whose tertiary education has been supported through the MTN Ghana Foundation’s investment in education.
From relying on the proceeds of his mother’s small business in Navrongo to finance his education, Kambonga is now a Doctor of Pharmacy graduate pursuing opportunities in both the pharmaceutical industry and research.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei