For 17 university students from Boston, the trip to Ghana was never meant to be just another study tour.
Instead of spending their time only in lecture rooms or tourist sites, the students from Northeastern University combined academic learning with community service, leaving behind school supplies, health education and lasting memories for hundreds of children and healthcare workers.
Led by Associate Professor of Applied Psychology, Dr. Vanessa Dianna Johnson, the students visited schools and health facilities in Ghana as part of an academic exchange programme coordinated by OG World Foundation, led by its Chief Executive Officer, Edward Tetteh.
The programme also took the group to the Peace and Love Hospital in Kumasi, where they interacted with healthcare professionals to learn more about breast cancer care and healthcare delivery in Ghana.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
For Dr. Johnson, the experience was as rewarding for her students as it was for the communities they visited.
She said every visit reinforced her belief that education should extend beyond textbooks and lecture halls.
“It makes me feel useful and at the same time, it makes me feel like I have a lot more to do,” she said.
Dr. Johnson, who was enstooled as a Queen Mother in Ghana in 2023 because of her humanitarian work, said returning to the country deepened her desire to continue supporting vulnerable communities.
The students, she explained, also gained first-hand exposure to Ghana’s healthcare system and community life.
Reflecting on the country’s healthcare challenges, particularly emergency care, Dr. Johnson said improving patient outcomes depended largely on investing in healthcare workers.
“I think it has more to do with training of health staff to deliver better services than anything else,” she said.
Preparing Children for School
One of the most visible impacts of the visit was at Bonwire Primary School, where pupils received backpacks filled with exercise books, pencils, erasers, crayons and modelling clay ahead of the new academic year.
The students also conducted lessons on oral and personal hygiene before distributing toothbrushes and other dental care supplies.
Headmistress Akua Serwah Boateng described the donations as timely.
“The new academic year begins in September, so I can say all of them are ready. They have their books, backpacks, pencils and erasers,” she said.
She believes the support could encourage more children to return to school when classes reopen.
“I am hopeful it will boost attendance on the first day of school because every child will be eager to come to school knowing he or she has almost everything required for the academic year.”
She appealed for continued support, particularly teaching and learning materials and audiovisual equipment for preschool education.
Helping Young Readers
At the school’s Junior High Department, students received exercise books and reading materials to strengthen literacy.
Headmistress Rebecca Nkrumah Mponponsuoh said the books would significantly improve library sessions, noting that students had long lacked adequate reading materials.
The hygiene education provided during the visit, she added, was equally important in promoting healthy habits among learners.
A Partnership Built on Service
Although the visit centred on academic exchange, it also highlighted how international partnerships can create practical benefits for local communities.
The combination of educational support, health awareness and professional learning demonstrated that meaningful exchanges go beyond classrooms, benefiting both visitors and host communities.
For the Northeastern University students, the lessons extended far beyond their academic programme.
For many of the children in Bonwire, the backpacks, books and encouragement they received may become an important part of their journey back to school.
And for Dr. Johnson, the visit only strengthened her resolve to continue building bridges between learning and service.
“I have a lot more to do,” she said.
