The Member of Parliament for Abuakwa South Constituency, Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, has called for stronger education diplomacy as a key driver for Ghana’s development.
He made this appeal at the launch of a landmark partnership between his office and Tennessee-based charity, Journey to Destiny Ministries, in the United States.
The initiative offers over 2.4 million African American students, particularly from nearly 100 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) a unique opportunity to reconnect with their Ghanaian heritage through internships and cultural exchanges.
The exchange program is structured into 10-, 14-, or 30-day sessions, each offering specialized tracks in education, science, and general volunteerism.
Interns will participate through a highly subsidized fee that covers accommodations, transportation, and tourism experiences throughout their stay in Ghana.
Launched under the theme “Building Bridges: Education, Compassion & Global Impact,” the initiative aims to create a platform for African American and Ghanaian students to engage in cross-cultural learning.
The launch event held at Southaven in Mississippi, brought together African American students, Ghanaian students across the U.S., and heads of HBCUs. Founder and President of Journey to Destiny Ministries, Felicia Foster explained the partnership’s objectives.
“We’re targeting our HBCU students because, many times, our African American students lack the resources or opportunities. We plan to bring in nursing practitioners and midwifery students to Ghana to provide training in best practices, so that students in Ghana can learn from our students here in the U.S. This will be a true partnership, as we also want students from Ghana to come to America.”
Abuakwa South MP Dr. Kingsley Agyemang, who received a rousing welcome at Memphis Airport from tens of Ghanaian students for his immense contribution to education echoed the importance of Education Tourism as a catalyst for Ghana’s accelerated development:
“We have an opportunity to engage the diaspora and allow everyone to contribute to this cause. Through this partnership, destiny is set to be achieved! The euphoria and excitement you witness as you travel across the Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the U.S. clearly demonstrate that this initiative is being met with great passion.”
He added that the partnership provides Ghanaian universities with a chance to showcase themselves globally, with the first cohort expected to be hosted by the Kibi Presbyterian College of Education:
“Ghana is ready. The pilot program will start in the Abuakwa South Constituency at the Kibi Presbyterian College of Education. Many more will follow, and we will expand beyond the constituency to bring other colleges and universities on board.”
He emphasized, “Culture and education are the way to go! Let’s use education diplomacy as a strong catalyst for development.”
The initiative has already generated excitement among African / American students eager to visit Ghana, while Ghanaian students in Memphis universities welcomed the program as a way to correct misconceptions about their home country.
A 19-year-old LeMoyne-Owen College student said, “I am so excited about this experience, I have never been out of the country before and I am planning on going.”
Another female student from the University of Tennessee remarked, “The hands-on experience that we have been looking for is here now!”
Meanwhile, a Ghanaian Masters student at the University of Memphis, Ellen Agyei Breffour, also expressed enthusiasm,
“American students traveling to Abuakwa South Constituency for internships gives them the opportunity to see what is truly out there. Their whole impression of us will change when they realize that we have developed communities, strong educational systems, and even good funding opportunities.”
President of LeMoyne-Owen College in Memphis, Dr. Christopher Davis highlighted the program’s significance.
“When we look at this exchange program with Ghana, it is a rare opportunity for us to go to a place, a space where we truly feel at home, because we are!”
Principal of Kibi Presbyterian College of Education, Rev. Dr. Charles Fosu Ayarkwah,
who will host the first cohort of interns, expressed optimism for a mutually beneficial partnership.
“It is also a huge advantage for us because we have the chance to learn from their best practices. In the future, our students will also have the opportunity to come here and participate in these practices.”
The program’s website, (www.journeytodestinyministries.org/copy-of-journey-centers) is already buzzing with activity as both Ghanaian and American students explore the available internship packages.
Journey To Destiny Ministries (JTDM) is a global, faith-driven nonprofit committed to restoring dignity, hope, and purpose to vulnerable children, women, and families. Board members Sherita and Anna expressed excitement about the partnership and urged Ghanaian universities to fully embrace the initiative.
University authorities in the US and Ghana and across the world have been encouraged to take advantage of this initiative to give their students global perspectives to enrich their experiences to take up global opportunities.
