The Vodafone Ghana Foundation, the charity arm of Vodafone Ghana, has settled the fees of five needy students at the Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ) as part of its strategy to improve lives and communities through education.
The foundation has presented a cheque for GH¢9,510 to management of the school to cover fees of the five final-year students who “genuinely” could not pay their fees for the 2020/2021 academic year.
Presenting the cheque at a brief ceremony, Head of Vodafone Ghana Foundation, Rev. Amaris Adjei Perbi, said the organisation is concerned about empowering and transforming society through education – hence the gesture.
He said the move is also in keeping with the foundation’s Kindred Partnership Project, which was launched recently to support its sustainable initiatives to drive social change, improve lives and solve pressing social needs.
“For us, this is not just any gathering but a relationship that we want to establish with the GIJ; and going forward, we will be able to focus on most of the priorities that we have in relation to education,” he said.
“We are excited to assist some students of GIJ with funds so they can continue their studies. We are also poised to maintain a long-term relationship with the school by providing the needed support in various projects and initiatives, as a way to facilitate quality tertiary education in Ghana.”
He added: “Under our educational portfolio, we have the Instant School platform (Virtual school) with various modules wherein students can subscribe for free, and the Foundation intends to extend this service to students of GIJ”.
Rev. Amaris further hinted that in line with the Foundation’s strategy of improving lives and communities through education, his outfit is partnering with the Ghana Library Authority to equip some Information and Communications Technology (ICT) centres in the country.
Receiving the cheque on behalf of the students, Rector of Ghana Institute of Journalism (GIJ), Professor Kwamena Kwansah-Aidoo, commended Vodafone Ghana Foundation for the gesture and expressed hope that the move will set the tone for more fruitful engagements between the two institutions.
“Going forward, GIJ will effectively cooperate with the Foundation to harness available technological initiatives in equipping students with the requisite digital media skills needed to promote the work of industries,” Prof. Kwansah-Aidoo underscored.
He said the GIJ has a scholarship foundation through which it seeks to collaborate and cooperate with organisations to support the financial needs of students.
