Thirteen Scholars of Tomorrow

During the month of January in 2009, iSA provided thirteen students from grade one through six with school uniforms, notebooks and textbooks for the classes they take, stationary, and also examination fees at the end of the year for the entire academic year.

During a trip to Ghana, West Africa in December 2008, members of the iSA Board (Pichon Duplan, Peter Yobo, Eddy Duplan, and Abdul-Halim Musah) went to downtown Jamestown, Accra to St. Mary’s Anglican Preparatory School to help children StandAbove. St. Mary’s Anglican Preparatory School is a public school that was started by the St. Mary’s Anglican Church of Jamestown.

During the tour of the school, iSA saw potential in students that were faced with hardships such as poverty and the lack of resources that would allow for a sound education. After having a discussion with the Assistant Headmaster of the school and the Parish Priest, Father Tetteh, iSA devised a plan to help promising students overcome these adversities.

The St. Mary’s Anglican Preparatory School Administration selected thirteen high performing students (boys and girls) from grade one through six. These students would be chosen on the basis of their willingness to learn and determination to succeed. iSA in turn would then provide these twelve students with school uniforms, notebooks, textbooks, stationery, and the payment of examination fees. iSA felt that it was the financial means that was a major adversity for these children and by relieving them of this obstacle, it is our hope that these twelve children will have the motivation and determination to learn to their utmost potential and aid them in becoming the future leaders that they can be. This will allow them to see the importance and essence of giving back to one’s community. This presentation was announced to the whole church congregation on Sunday 19th of January 2009 at St. Mary’s Anglican Church.

On Tuesday, January 12th 2010, iSA had the opportunity of meeting and interacting with the thirteen students chosen for the scholarship. It was a chance to celebrate the Christmas holidays with the students as some may not have been able to afford even a bottle of soda during the entire holiday. Simple interaction and games were shared with the students to present an opportunity to get to know one another. It was a memorable day to observe the smiles on the faces of the students as well as the drive and ambition in their hearts in such an environment.

iSA would like to maintain this relationship with the school and church so as to sponsor these students up until they are ready to go to Secondary School. It is also our hope to expand our scholarship to different schools in different regions of Ghana in order to reach out to as many students as possible and give them the opportunities they deserve while standing above their adversities in life.