How Ghana changed the way 17 US students see Africa

A group of 17 students from Northeastern University in Boston, United States, have returned home after an exchange programme in Ghana that exposed them to healthcare, education, history and community service.

The programme, organised by OG World Foundation under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Edward Tetteh, took the students to schools, hospitals, orphanages and historical sites across the country.

The students said the experience challenged some of the perceptions about Africa they had grown up with and gave them new perspectives on healthcare, identity, history and community.

Ghana experience challenges stereotypes

Anna Paula Llompart said her experience in Ghana changed her perception of Africa, particularly because discussions about the continent in the United States often focus on poverty and underdevelopment.

“Even though I tried not to believe the stereotypes, coming here completely changed my perspective,” she said.

She said she was impressed by efforts to improve healthcare and education despite the challenges facing the country.

“It was inspiring to see how committed people are to improving their healthcare system and educating their children. Everyone we met was welcoming and determined to make things better,” she added.

Students learn about healthcare challenges

For biomedical engineering student Tahmir Murphy, visits to the University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) highlighted some of the challenges facing healthcare delivery in Ghana.

He said the lack of local technical support from some international medical equipment manufacturers could affect hospitals' ability to use sophisticated equipment.

“Something as simple as not having company representation on the continent can stop hospitals from using certain technologies,” Murphy said.

He said the experience would influence how he approaches biomedical engineering in the future.

Community service leaves lasting impression

The students also visited schools, health facilities and orphanages as part of the programme.

Murphy said he initially expected the trip to be mainly about volunteering but developed a deeper connection with the communities they visited.

“I thought I was coming here simply to volunteer. I didn't expect to feel so connected to the people,” he said.

He said the visits exposed the students to communities working to educate children and support vulnerable families despite limited resources.

Visits to castles make history personal

Visits to the Cape Coast and Elmina castles were among the experiences that had the greatest impact on the students.

Murphy, whose family is from Jamaica, said visiting the slave dungeons gave him a more personal understanding of the history of the transatlantic slave trade.

“It made me realise my ancestors didn't simply appear in the Caribbean,” he said. “They had lives, cultures and communities here before they were taken.”

Tatiana Pierre-Rene, a Haitian-American pre-medical student, also described the experience as significant.

“Thousands of my ancestors are buried on this continent,” she said.

She said the experience strengthened her connection to Ghana and Africa.

“It felt like coming home,” she added.

Ghana's sense of community impresses students

Pierre-Rene said Ghana's strong sense of community was another major lesson from the trip.

She said travelling across different regions showed her how people from different ethnic and linguistic backgrounds interacted and supported one another.

She was particularly moved by a visit to Potter's Village orphanage, where caregivers encouraged the children and referred to them as “royalty.”

“Here, the community seemed determined to build every child,” she said.

Programme seeks to shape future healthcare professionals

Associate Professor of Applied Psychology Dr Vanessa Dianna Johnson, who led the students, said the programme was designed to expose future healthcare professionals to realities that may not be fully understood in the classroom.

She said culture, economic conditions and community circumstances could influence how people access and respond to healthcare.

“The goal is for them to understand that healthcare is not just about medicine,” she said.

“When they become doctors, nurses or healthcare professionals, they will remember that inability to follow treatment isn't always because people don't care. Sometimes there are structural barriers.”

Dr Johnson said she hoped the experience would encourage the students to view healthcare as a service to communities.

“They are not just practitioners,” she said. “They are service providers.”

Programme strengthens Ghana-US connections

Dr Johnson said the exchange also seeks to strengthen connections between African and African-American communities.

She cited the Kindred Spirits Book Club, which connects Ghanaian students with students in the United States through reading and discussions on shared history and experiences.

“We're planting seeds,” she said.

“Seeds that help young people understand that our histories are connected, that our futures are connected, and that we have a responsibility to support one another.”

For the students, the Ghana exchange provided lessons beyond the classroom, giving them new perspectives on Africa, healthcare, history and community that they are expected to carry back to the United States.