Behind every national success story is a moment when talent is first recognised, encouraged and given room to grow. For many young Ghanaians, that moment comes quietly in the classroom or on the playing field, long before public attention ever arrives.
This belief in early discovery and steady support continues to drive the long standing partnership between Nestlé Ghana and the Ghana Education Service, a collaboration reaffirmed as preparations gather pace for the 2026 President’s Independence Day Awards.
At its heart, the awards scheme is about more than certificates and applause. It is designed to identify exceptional academic ability at the basic school level and to send a clear message to young learners, including those with visual and hearing impairments, that discipline, effort and excellence matter. For the 2026 ceremony, 52 outstanding pupils from all 16 regions are expected to be honoured, drawn from both public and private schools and representing both boys and girls whose examination results point to remarkable potential.
Education, however, tells only part of the story.
Beyond the classroom, Nestlé Ghana has maintained a parallel commitment to identifying talent through sport, recognising that ability often reveals itself through movement, teamwork and competition as much as through textbooks. That commitment was brought back into focus last year with the re launch of the MILO Under 13 Football Tournament, one of the country’s most enduring grassroots sports initiatives.
The unveiling of the 2025 MILO Under 13 Champions League once again turned attention to school football as a powerful tool for youth development. For more than two decades, the tournament has transformed modest school pitches into platforms of opportunity, offering thousands of young players their first experience of organised competition and discipline.
What has set the MILO Under 13 tournament apart is its consistency. In a landscape where youth programmes often struggle to survive beyond a few years, the competition has endured through policy shifts and changing administrations. Over time, it has become part of Ghana’s sporting memory, serving as an early proving ground for players such as Abdul Majeed Waris, Fatawu Issahaku and Kelvin Nkrumah, who all rose from school football to the international stage.
Managing Director of Nestlé Ghana, Salomé Azevedo, describes the tournament as more than a sporting contest. Football, she maintains, plays a vital role in shaping character and building values that extend far beyond the pitch.
According to her, the game reveals inner qualities in young players and helps prepare them for professionalism in many fields, teaching teamwork, discipline and resilience at an early age.
This philosophy reflects a broader approach Nestlé has adopted toward youth development in Ghana, one that blends education, sport and national pride. Alongside grassroots football, the company has consistently supported the President’s Independence Day Awards, reinforcing the idea that talent deserves recognition wherever it appears.
That message was echoed during a recent courtesy visit to the Ghana Education Service by Cristina Macina, Nestlé’s Vice President of Communications for Asia, Oceania and Africa. On her first visit to Ghana, she engaged with education officials and past award recipients to better understand how early recognition can influence confidence, ambition and long term outcomes.
Discussions during the visit also looked to the future of youth development, with GES expressing interest in expanding collaboration into areas such as nutrition education and sustainability, including practical initiatives like waste segregation in schools. These efforts are aimed at shaping responsible citizens alongside academic achievement.
For Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, Director General of the Ghana Education Service, partnerships of this nature are critical because talent does not grow in isolation. It requires supportive systems, committed mentors and institutions willing to invest in young people long before success becomes visible.
As Ghana looks to build its next generation of professionals, innovators and leaders, initiatives that focus on early discovery in classrooms, on football fields and through inclusive national programmes are offering an important reminder. Talent is widespread, but it only flourishes when it is noticed, supported and given the space to grow.
In that steady and deliberate work of nurturing young potential, the foundations of Ghana’s future are already being laid.
