By Stanley Senya
Accra, Sept. 07, GNA – Dr Mariam Abubakar, a medical doctor at the Holy Family Hospital, has recounted how the MTN Bright Scholarship enabled her to complete medical school after financial difficulties nearly forced her to defer her studies.
Dr Abubakar, who hails from Wenchi in the Bono Region, said her family had considered asking her to defer her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) programme at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) and enrol in a less expensive course.
She, however, opted to search for scholarship opportunities to enable her to remain in the medical school.
Her search eventually led to her selection as a beneficiary of the MTN Bright Scholarship, which brought immense relief to her and her family.
“I was extremely elated. I knew where my next fees were coming from, so my heart found rest. I was among the happiest beings on earth when I found out I had been selected,” she said.
The scholarship covered the financial burden associated with her studies and allowed her to continue her medical education without deferring or changing programmes.
Dr Abubakar graduated from the UCC in 2025 with an MBChB degree after completing the six-year medical programme.
Her academic performance was recognised with three awards, Overall Best Student in Surgery, Best Student in Family Medicine, and the Emeritus Professor E. E. Brako’s Prize for Best Student in Microbiology.
Following her graduation and the necessary clearance processes, she commenced her internship at the Holy Family Hospital in April 2026 as a Junior House Officer.
Reflecting on the impact of the scholarship, Dr Abubakar said it had enabled her to pursue the career she had always dreamt of.
“The scholarship led me into my dream career as a medical doctor. I am grateful to Allah for bringing MTN Bright Scholarship my way,” she said.
She said one of the most significant outcomes of the scholarship was that her family now had a doctor of their own.
The MTN Bright Scholarship was launched in 2017 as part of MTN Ghana’s 20th anniversary celebrations, to support brilliant but needy students to pursue tertiary education.
Over the nine years, the programme has supported 1,220 students across 18 tertiary institutions nationwide.
The scholarship covers tuition and accommodation, as well as providing beneficiaries with laptops and stipends for books and other study materials.
Beneficiaries have come from institutions including the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the University of Ghana and the University of Cape Coast, as well as colleges of education and health training institutions across the country.
The programme’s beneficiaries have recorded notable academic achievements, with 17 graduating as valedictorians or best students in their universities.
A further 299 beneficiaries graduated with first-class honours, while 47 obtained second-class upper and 16 obtained second-class lower honours.
As MTN Ghana marks its 30th anniversary, Dr Abubakar’s experience highlights the broader impact of educational support on young people and their families.
Her journey from a medical student who was at risk of deferring her studies because of financial constraints, to a practicing doctor demonstrates how targeted educational assistance can help students to complete programmes that might otherwise be beyond their families’ financial means.
For Dr Abubakar, the impact extends beyond her personal achievement, as she can now serve patients and contribute to healthcare delivery.
The story of the young doctor from Wenchi reflects the potential of sustained investment in education to produce professionals whose contributions extend beyond the beneficiaries themselves to their families, communities and the wider society.
GNA
Edited by Christabel Addo