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A Kufuor Scholar’s story of why she can’t abandon the program
The hidden leadership qualities in people can only be manifested if they are trained to see things from different perspectives than what they are normally exposed to. And when that exposition happens, it straightway puts you on a path to becoming a great leader.
That has been my experience since I became a Kufuor scholar. Although it has been just a few months since I got involved with the program, the learning curve thus far has been long and exciting already.
It all started when I participated in the K-Talk program at my school, the University of Ghana, some months ago. I realized immediately that the Kufuor Scholars’ Program is the kind of mentorship program I needed to become a great adult.
I was keen on shaping myself into a leader of integrity that my family and community will be proud of and that is what propelled me to become a Kufuor Scholar. And thus far, it’s been nothing but great. I was overjoyed when I got selected as one of the scholars and I intend making the best possible use of this great opportunity.
Let me talk about my first experience with my other 24 scholars. We embarked on a trip to Ejura in the Ashanti Region of Ghana for a two weeks camp that focused on training us with good leadership skills. We had the privilege to visit and introduce ourselves to and interact with the Former President of Ghana, His Excellency John Agyekum Kufuor before we set off for our camp meeting. This opportunity to meet a great man like the former president is one that I never imagined I would ever have ever had in my lifetime, but for this program.
I picked a very important lesson from him the day we visited him at his residence. He told us more inclusiveness is needed in our society, and this is the sure way to create a better country for us all. I will never forget that lesson.
The camp in Ejura was such a great experience. There was a lot of ideas sharing and community service experience, mixed with laughter and fun. Most of all, it was a great opportunity to give back to society and I formed strong bonds with my fellow scholars.
I was amazed at the smartness and high level of intelligence that was displayed by my colleague scholars. We often broke into smaller groups and discussed what was taught and these discussions were usually very eye opening.
We had prominent people like Hon. Dr Kwabena Donkor, the Former Minister of Power; Prof. Baffuor Agyemang-Duah, the CEO of the John A. Kufuor Foundation; Miss Miriam Bokor, a current lecturer in the KNUST School of Business; and our very own coordinator, Dr. Pascal Brenya imparting a lot of knowledge in us on various topics.
There were good and sad times during the camp. And I picked very valuable lessons from the down moments that will shape my life experiences forever. For example, my saddest moment was when I didn’t adhere to time. I got on the bus late after a community service and I was asked to write a report explaining why. The lesson there was that time waits for no man and respecting other people’s time is how we build a great community.
Then along the line, something interesting happened. I received news from my mother that we finally got a permanent resident visa to be able to relocate to the United States of America. I was happy indeed because we had waited for almost 7 years for this. But I was also troubled by the fact that relocating to the USA will mean I would have to abandon this exciting training program I had just started and is expected to stay in for the next three years. But eventually, we had to leave the country.
When we finally landed in America, I was really confused about whether to come back to Ghana and be actively part of the 3 years leadership training or stay in USA and school. Upon sober reflection and looking at the exciting experiences I had gained from the program even in the first few months, I concluded I was not willing to let the experience of the Kufuor Scholars Program slip out of my hands.
Now, I have relocated to the USA to study hard for my degree and masters in Dentistry. But the experiences from the scholarship program will remain with me forever. I don’t think I want to let it go and so I decided that for the next three years, I will continue to visit Ghana and be part of the program even as I pursue my studies in the USA.
The Kufuor Scholars Program is a special one that I am convinced will better shape my future than any other experience and so though I am in the US now, I am not letting it go.
By Kelly Holmes
Kufuor Scholars Program Class of 2022