Paul – “a future to look forward to!”

Paul is one of the brightest students at his senior high school, and has just won an award to prove it! But a year ago he was on the verge of dropping out because he couldn’t get to school with his wheelchair – until Action Through Enterprise stepped in.

 

It was a truly proud moment for all us when Paul took centre stage at Lawra Senior High School’s Speech and Prize Giving Day, where he received a certificate for his year’s Best Information and Communication Technology Student – and was filmed by Ghana’s JoyNews!

 

In a district where the poorest students only have a 10% chance of finishing school, 20 year-old Paul is already an inspiring success story. But it hasn’t been easy. Aged nine, he was paralysed following a terrible fall from a mango tree. Despite the challenges, he stayed in school and in 2024 gained excellent exam grades and a place at senior high school – but had absolutely no way to physically make the journey to join his new class. Despite all his efforts, his future looked bleak.

Paul said: “I remember the uncertainty I felt, I stayed at home with very little hope. My parents were unable to afford the cost of my transportation, and it felt as though my dream of attending senior high school was slipping away.”

Fortunately, Action Through Enterprise was able to step in, paying for a taxi to take Paul and his wheelchair to and from school every day.

“Your support didn’t just provide a way for me to get to school, it restored my hope and gave me a future to look forward to. Now, as a second year student, I can happily say I’m enjoying every bit of my journey. Beyond my academic studies and pursuing my career goals, I have been able to develop lasting, true friendships and grow personally through social experiences I never thought I would have.”

Paul is also a regular visitor to our Lawra Tech Zone, where he’s really impressed Tech Coordinator Michael Frimpong Gyimah: “What really stands out about Paul is how curious he is and how open he stays to everything. He gets genuinely excited about everything new with tech and is always eager to learn and keep growing. During vacation, he comes to the Tech Zone and is really interested in the latest technologies in the phone industries, how they are assembled, the operating system and how he can reprogram them for personalised use. He does so much learning on his own.”

For Paul, our support has been transformational: “Thank you to the entire team for the key impact you have made in my life. Your support from Form One to today has changed my path, and I am incredibly grateful.”

Could you help a disabled child fulfil their potential and thrive? Check out our Funding Priorities page here.