By Gloria Amoh
The U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Virginia Palmer, has highlighted how impactful the Mandela Washington Fellowship program has been.
Speaking at the 10th Anniversary Conference 2024 on August 24, 2024, at the ISSER Auditorium, University of Ghana, H.E. Virginia Palmer began her speech by expressing her honour in attending the 10th anniversary of the Mandela Washington Fellowship in Ghana.
She highlighted how impactful the program has been, with over 330 alumni who have excelled both professionally and in their communities. She emphasised that the fellowship is highly competitive, even more so than getting into Harvard, and praised the fellows for balancing professional achievements with community service.
She then acknowledged several inspiring fellows, starting with Dr. Joe Afi Adzua, who brought telehealth to underserved northern Ghana, providing much-needed medical care. The ambassador also commended Regina, a 2014 fellow, for her work in encouraging girls to embrace STEM and finding solutions to local problems through technology.
She also recognised some people for helping vulnerable girls in Tamale gain skills to rebuild their lives and developing low-cost test kits for healthcare, which had a significant impact in Ghana. H.E. Virginia Palmer acknowledged how impactful the program has been, with over 330 alumni who have excelled both professionally and in their communities. She emphasised that the fellowship is highly competitive, even more so than getting into Harvard, and praised the fellows for balancing professional achievements with community service.
The ambassador underscored the importance of servant leadership, particularly in light of the current rollback of democracy in West Africa. She indicated the need for strong, ethical leadership like that of George Washington and Nelson Mandela. She discussed the idea that more democracy, rather than less, is needed to solve the region’s challenges, and she praised the Mandela Washington Fellows for embodying these leadership qualities.
In conclusion, she expressed her deep gratitude to all the fellows for their commitment to the program and their communities. The ambassador revealed that the Mandela Washington Fellowship represents a lifelong relationship with the United States, and she is proud of the remarkable young professionals who have been a part of this program. She ended by thanking everyone for their dedication and expressing confidence in the future contributions of the fellows.
