When Theobald Kambonga gained admission to the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale to pursue a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, he knew the six-year programme would be demanding.
What concerned him more, however, was how his family would finance his education.
His father, a teacher, had retired, causing the family’s income to decline. His mother ran a small beer bar in Navrongo in the Upper East Region, and much of the cost of Theobald’s education depended on what she earned from the business.
“Paying my tuition fees, securing accommodation, and meeting daily upkeep expenses were constant struggles,” he said.
A retired teacher’s pension and a small business
Theobald grew up in Navrongo with parents who wanted more for him than they could easily afford. After his father retired, his mother’s business became the main source of support for the household and for his education.
At UDS, the financial demands came from three main areas: tuition, accommodation and daily upkeep. Each had to be paid for, and each depended on money the family was already struggling to raise.
Theobald kept up with his studies, but the financial pressure did not ease. Rather than consider leaving his programme, he began looking for help. “I actively sought out scholarship opportunities, hoping to ease the burden on my family,” he said.
That search led him to the MTN Ghana Bright Scholarship.
The call that changed things
Theobald learned he had been selected when he received 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 said.
With his tuition and accommodation covered, Theobald no longer had to spend his time working out how the next set of bills would be paid. For his mother, it meant the cost she had been carrying largely on her own was significantly reduced.
“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.
From pharmacy school to industry and research
Theobald completed his Doctor of Pharmacy degree at UDS. He now works as a Marketing Representative with Gokals Limited, where he combines commercial and communication skills with his scientific training.
He also serves as a Research Assistant at UDS, which keeps him connected to the university where he trained and involved in research activities in his field.
He says the scholarship gave him the foundation to develop in more than one direction, in both industry and academia.
The MTN Bright Scholarship
Theobald’s experience is part of a wider programme through which the MTN Ghana Foundation has supported young people through tertiary education.
Since its launch in 2017 to mark MTN Ghana’s 20th anniversary, the Bright Scholarship has supported 1,220 brilliant, needy students to complete their tertiary education. The scholarship covers tuition, accommodation, a laptop, and a stipend for books and study materials.
Over nine years, the programme has reached students across 18 tertiary institutions nationwide, 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.
The programme’s academic outcomes have also been notable. Seventeen Bright Scholars have graduated as valedictorians or best students at their universities, while 299 have graduated with first-class honours, 47 with second-class upper and 16 with second-class lower honours.
For students like Theobald, those figures represent more than statistics. They represent opportunity, and in his case, the chance for a mother’s sacrifices through a small business in Navrongo to end in a Doctor of Pharmacy degree.
A story of opportunity and impact
Looking back, Theobald says the benefit of the scholarship went beyond him. “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, Theobald’s experience forms part of the stories of young people whose educational journeys have been supported through the MTN Ghana Foundation’s investment in education.
A student whose education once rested on his mother’s small business in Navrongo is now a Doctor of Pharmacy graduate working in both industry and research.
