Testimonies

Leeford Dufe

Graduate from a Ghanaian University

We live in a world where there is a steadily increasing gap between the rich and the poor. My higher education was indeed full of difficulties, but my successes thus far, have outnumbered the setbacks. A higher education in Ghana has awarded me with employment prospects, as well as further educational opportunities.

I attended four years at the University of Cape Coast. Here, I faced many challenges. One of the challenges included a crowded and uncomfortable living situation. There were four to five students in a small room about 10 x 8 feet. The hostel had perennial water shortages and I spent sleepless nights traveling long distances to obtain water for bathing. In addition, power outages were common and I studied by candlelight for a next day quiz or examination. I frequently did not have money for food and when I did, it was scarce, and I stood in long queues to get a plate for lunch or dinner. Transportation throughout the campus was difficult to find and I found my wallet empty utilizing private taxi services to get from one end of the college grounds to the other end to attend a lecture. Today, although I faced these challenges at a university in Ghana, I have made it.

Peter Carlos Okantey

President and Founder, Naa Amerley Palm Education Foundation

Growing up in Ghana, a third-world country, the size of Oregon with a population of about 24 million people and in a middle-class family, I knew beyond every shadow of doubt that amidst all the gifts God endowed in me, education was the key to making a difference in my life, my family’s life, my country and the world.

After completing high school, I did not realize my dream of attending university. I had to wait for two years because of lack of  opportunities only to gain admittance into a Teacher Training College. At that time, there were only five universities. This experience affected my academic performance because I had no interest in becoming a teacher. Yet, I never gave up my dream of pursuing higher education.

I started applying to the three major universities after completing my teacher training education program. Entrance into these universities is very competitive.  By traveling hundreds of miles to see people I believed could help me get into the university, I managed to get into a two-year Public Administration Program at the University of Ghana.

During that time, I slept uncomfortably in rooms with about 15 students sleeping on mats and foam, attended lectures in overcrowded lecture halls while often having to stand, fought for library seats and sometimes never found a recommended textbook for a class. I did not allow this to destroy my passion for higher education. Through determination and diligence, I made excellent grades. I managed to borrow money to complete my two years of university education in Ghana.

Soon after, I relocated to Portland, Oregon. I was accepted into the Adult Degree Program at Warner Pacific College. I completed my Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration in 2006 and completed my Master’s Degree in Management and Organizational Leadership in 2008.  Currently, I am enrolled in a doctoral program in Strategic Leadership through Regent University School of Global Leadership and Entrepreneurship.

Most importantly, I have a passion to Ghana to assist my country and feel strongly that education is the key to helping eradicate disease, poverty and corruption. I trust through higher education we can train and develop the leaders we need as a people. I believe that Africans themselves can only solve Africa’s problems and the only way those problems can be solved is through education.

My education, both in Ghana and at Warner Pacific College has equipped me to establish NAPE Foundation to assist students financially to complete their high school and university education, in accessing on-line degree programs, and eventually to develop a four-year liberal university in Ghana to create more opportunities for quality higher education.