Abosso Goldfields Limited (Damang mine) has awarded full scholarships to 60 students from its host communities to pursue various programmes in public universities and tertiary institutions across the country.

The 2020/21 scholarship recipients will join 157 continuing students from the host communities, who are benefitting from the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation scholarship scheme, which covers tuition, accommodation and other expenses approved by their universities.

This year, the Damang mine, through the Foundation, is supporting visually impaired children from its host communities, according to Dr Celestina Allotey, Vice President and Head of Sustainable Development for Gold Fields West Africa.

“For the first time, four children with visual impairment have been enrolled at the Mampong School for the Blind. They are in kindergarten and primary school. The scholarship will cater for their educational and special needs for four years,” Dr Allotey explained.

“The Gold Fields Ghana Foundation scholarship scheme forms an integral part of the company’s skills development strategy aimed at enhancing the quality of human capital in the host communities of our Tarkwa and Damang mines,” she added. 

Scholastica Gebuni, a scholarship beneficiary who is pursuing a Doctor of Pharmacy degree at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), said she was on the path to becoming one of the best pharmacists in the country.

“With this scholarship, I will have a sound mind to study and pursue my six-year pharmacy programme to achieve my dream of becoming one of Ghana's best pharmacists. I feel privileged because I come from a home that wouldn’t have been able to grant me this opportunity,” Gebuni said.

“This is a stepping stone to success and will allow me to achieve my dream of becoming an engineer to work with Gold Fields in future,” said Nathaniel Nyameboam, who is pursuing BSc Geological Engineering at KNUST.

Dr Allotey noted that Gold Fields Ghana, which operates the Tarkwa and Damang mines in the Western Region, is committed to education, one of the key areas which receive significant support from the Foundation.

“Our commitment also aligns with the SDG goal four, which ensures inclusive and equitable quality education and promotes lifelong learning opportunities for all,” she said.

Since the Foundation was established in 2004, the Damang mine has invested over US$3.6m in education and provided scholarships and educational support to 664 young people in its host communities.