KNUST GIV Office Hosts Empowerment and Inclusion Workshop for Students with Disabilities

The Gender, Inclusion and Vulnerability (GIV) Office of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, in collaboration with the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, recently organised an Empowerment and Inclusion Workshop aimed at promoting confidence, personal development, and active participation in campus life among students with disabilities. The event forms part of the University’s ongoing initiatives to create a supportive and inclusive environment where all students can thrive academically and socially.

Head of the GIV Office, Mercy Badu, highlighted that the workshop was designed to provide students with disabilities a platform to express themselves, showcase their unique talents, and interact with peers to build confidence. “This is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their abilities and for us to learn from one another while fostering a strong community,” she said.

Representing the Director of Student Affairs, Francess Dufie Azumah reaffirmed the University’s commitment to accessibility and inclusion. She emphasised the importance of involving persons with disabilities in decision-making processes and ensuring they have equal opportunities to benefit from University programmes. “Nothing about us without us and disability is not inability,” she noted, stressing that students with disabilities must be included in conversations shaping policies and initiatives that affect them.

The workshop also featured remarks from Chief Counsellor of the Mastercard Foundation Scholars Program, Dr. Stephen Jantuah, who shared the programme’s policy of reserving 10 percent of scholarships for students with disabilities, thereby enabling talented but economically disadvantaged students to access quality higher education. He further highlighted the need to challenge societal misconceptions about disability and create a culture of acceptance, respect, and empowerment.

Participants engaged in open forum discussions addressing confidence, self-esteem, inclusive communities, and strategies to combat stigma associated with disability. Muntari Afoyem Ayoka, a Mastercard Scholar, emphasised the importance of self-acceptance, stating that confidence begins with believing in one’s abilities regardless of disability. Maximillian Morimi highlighted the significance of community support and sharing personal stories to reinforce that students’ voices matter.

Olivia Diane Nkrumah, an alumna of KNUST, commended the University for providing a platform where students with disabilities can flourish and encouraged them to be proactive, creative, and confident in pursuing their goals. The workshop also benefited from contributions by Prof. Ibok Oduro, President of Women in STEM Ghana (WiSTEMGh), Prof. Anthony Kwaku Edusei of the Department of Health Promotion and Disability Studies, and Rabbi Darko, who moderated the discussions.

Through this workshop, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology demonstrates its commitment to fostering an inclusive campus culture that empowers students with disabilities to actively participate in all aspects of academic and social life.