In short, the mission of Sankofa International, Inc. (Sankofa) is to help needy Africans become self-sustaining.  Education is a critical component to ensure success.

In Ghana, public school education is free up through middle school (junior high).  Afterwards, students are required to pay.  In the rural villages, 95 percent of the students are not educated beyond the middle school level for financial reasons.

In 1997, Sankofa launched an annual program to provide school supplies for rural elementary schools, and in 2002, awarded full scholarships under its Annual Continuing Education Scholarship Program (covered fees, books, accommodations, and pocket money) to three students (Emilia Nyamaa-age 16; Michael Asamoah-age 17; and Beatrice Yeboah-age 16).   All three students were graduates of the Adum-Afrancho Junior Secondary School at Afrancho in the Bosomtwe-Atwima-Kwanwoma District of Ghana’s Ashanti Region.  On scholarship, Emilia and Michael attended Senior Secondary School (Academic High School) and Beatrice attended Vocational School (emphasis on catering services).  Since then, over a dozen students have graduated from Senior Secondary, Vocational, and Technical Schools. 

In 2005, Mr. Ronald Settle, a resident of Virginia, established the “Nellene Turner Settle Award For Excellence In The Face Of Adversity”.  Priscilla Obeng Kwakye, a sixteen year old from Kumasi, Ghana won the award including a full scholarship at the senior secondary school level.  Unfortunately, after two years, Priscilla became ill and was unable to complete her education.

In 2009, Isaac Abu graduated from Winneba Secondary School.  Isaac was sponsored by Joan Mancuso, a resident of Florida.

In 2010, Gifty Nyarko graduated from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) with a degree in Human Settlement Planning. Prior, Gifty was supported by Sankofa while she attended senior high school. Both schools were located in Kumasi-Ghana, West Africa.

To date, Sankofa has sponsored many full-time and part-time scholarship students.  Some of our students include: Joyce Nartey – Elite College; Richard Arko – Toase Senior High School; Florence Nyarko – Serwaa Nyarko Girls’ Secondary School; and Benedicta Minlah – Accra Polytechnic. .

Based on Sankofa experiences, most students in Ghana are struggling to make payments.  Therefore, to expand the Sankofa scholarship program and provide financial relief for more students, in 2010, Sankofa established The Sankofa National Scholarship Program (SNSP).