Subinso-born Mashkuratu elected President of Ghanaian Students’ Society at Bradford

A young Ghanaian student who once feared loneliness in a new country has found purpose in service, becoming the first female President of the Ghanaian Student Society at the University of Bradford.

When Mashkuratu Alhassan Dimbala arrived at the University of Bradford, she carried a quiet worry shared by many international students: would she find her people, and would a new country feel like home?

She did not join the Ghanaian Student Society to be seen. She joined because she wanted to belong — to find a community that understood the language, food, faith, laughter, resilience, and education-driven dreams she had carried from Ghana. Today, that search for community has become a story of service and history.

Mashkuratu is now the first female President of the Ghanaian Student Society at the University of Bradford.

Her journey began in Subinso, a village in Ghana’s Bono Region, formerly part of the Brong Ahafo Region, where she grew up with a deep hunger for education. At the age of seven, her late father, Mr. Dimbala Alhassan, moved her and her siblings to Accra in search of better schooling — a decision that changed the direction of her life.

From Victory International, where she completed primary school in 2010, to Tamale Girls Senior High School in 2013, and then to Sunyani Polytechnic (now Sunyani Technical University), where she graduated with First Class Honours in 2017, Mashkuratu kept moving forward. Still driven by learning, she later pursued a two-year degree top-up at GIMPA before continuing her academic journey in the United Kingdom.

Behind every step has been family. The Dimbala family remains her strongest support system, especially her mother, Hajia Fatimata, whose prayers, strength, and encouragement have kept her grounded.

In Bradford, Mashkuratu quickly found more than a society — she found people who made a new country feel less unfamiliar. She speaks warmly of James, whom she met on her first day in Bradford and who helped her settle by taking her around the city’s shops. She also acknowledges members of the Ghanaian Society who stood by her from the very beginning.

Her rise in the society was not forced; it was earned through consistency. She showed up, served, and accepted responsibilities even when she doubted herself. With outgoing President Desmond Bilson’s encouragement, she took on roles that stretched her confidence, including serving as MC at the Ghana@69 celebration on 6 March 2026.

She has also helped project Ghanaian culture on campus, including during the University of Bradford Culture Fest, where the Ghanaian Student Society won Best Costume by proudly showcasing Ghanaian heritage and traditional attire.

That quiet dedication has gained recognition. Mashkuratu was nominated for the Dr Sheillah Chimungeni Emerging Personality of the Year Award, which celebrates a student who has recently joined a society but has quickly made a remarkable impact through involvement, innovation, and dedication.

At the society’s recent Dinner and Awards Night, which also served as the handing-over ceremony to the new executive team, her leadership journey entered a new chapter. The evening was graced by respected dignitaries and supporters, including Lieutenant Manoj, Naana Owusuah Hagan, Dr. Sheillah Chimungeni, Professor Udy Archibong, and others.

For Mashkuratu, leadership is not about a title. It is about home, service, standards, and impact.

“I want the Ghanaian Student Society to be a home for students, a platform for growth, and a respected voice within the University of Bradford,” she said. “We will celebrate our culture, support one another, create opportunities, and raise the profile of Ghanaian students with excellence.”

Her administration will be guided by the theme: Unity, Visibility, and Impact. She describes herself as warm, humble, and approachable, but also as a leader who believes things must be done well.

Her story is a reminder to young girls from villages and small towns that education can open doors beyond imagination. From Subinso to Accra, from Tamale to Sunyani, from GIMPA to Bradford, Mashkuratu Alhassan Dimbala’s journey carries one message: background may shape the beginning of a story, but it does not decide the ending.

As she begins her tenure, her promise is simple: to keep the society united, make it visible, and build a legacy whose impact will remain long after this administration.