Forteen brilliant but needy students have been granted scholar­ship by Relief and Aid International (RAI), an international Non-gov­ernmental Organisation (NGO) to enable them further their studies.

They are to pursue degree courses in medicine, nursing, engineering and education.

Their scholarship package was handed over to them during the or­ganisation’s annual scholarship awards ceremony held in Accra on the theme: “Beyond the Aid, Unveiling the Fu­ture,” with aimed at providing support to the needy but brilliant students to help them.

The President and Founder of RAI, Mrs Peggy Anna Naa Ayikailey Adamafio, emphasised the importance of education in shaping the country’s future while making reference to a quote made by the former Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), the late Kofi Annan.

According to her, the investment being made by RAI in young people was in recognition of their potential to drive positive change in society.

Mr Adamafio said the scholarship ceremony was celebrated not just for financial aid but a profound trans­formation, honouring the awardees’ resilience and determination.

She urged the awardees to carry the torch of opportunity with humility, re­membering the hands that lifted them and extending help to others in need.

“One day, it will be your turn to extend yours to another; to mentor, to donate and to advocate for others,” she said.

She commended all the benefactors for their generous contribution in transforming the less privileged in the country as well as all individuals who saw to the success of the event.

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, in a speech read on his behalf by the Deputy Minister, Dr Clement Apaak, said the event was not just a celebration of academic excellence but a reaffirmation of collective commit­ment to equitable access to quality education, particularly for students from underserved backgrounds.

He said that the theme of the event highlighted the importance of estab­lishing partnerships and developing innovation that go beyond temporary support to build long-term resilience and opportunity for our youth.

Mr Iddrisu commended Relief and Aid International for consistently driving community development and educational empowerment through its scholarship interventions, adding that “May your work continue to flourish and inspire many more.”

According to him, RAI’s commit­ment to education not only remove financial barriers from the beneficiaries and their families but also to ignite hope, potential, and service-oriented leadership in the next generation.

He further stated that the initiative aligned with the government’s edu­cation agenda, which was to provide inclusive, equitable, and relevant educa­tion that empowers every Ghanaian to thrive in a knowledge-based economy.

Mr Iddrisu said that the Ministry of Education was opened to further engagements with RAI on knowledge sharing, research, and targeted support that strengthens learning, outcomes, especially at the community level.

He urged them to see the support not only as a reward but as a respon­sibility to serve, to lead, and to uplift others.

The awardees pledged to their benefactors and the organisation to learn hard in realising their dream and not to let their sacrifices and support go wasted.

 BY CYNTHIA ASAMPANA