AU Econ PhD Student Creates Foundation to Support Ghanaian Students
Nana Boakye Yiadom and the first cohort of students at Stand Together Ghana
As a young child growing up in Ghana, American University economics doctoral student Felix “Nana” Boakye Yiadom was widely recognized as a gifted student, destined for great things. But after his mother died suddenly, Nana’s life was upended, and his dreams were put on hold.
At first, Nana’s older brother dropped out of school to pay the bills, including the cost of Nana’s education, but soon the cost of schoolbooks and other necessities became overwhelming. Nana was also forced to leave school. He helped support his family by cobbling together jobs, like selling movies and music cassettes on the streets of Adum-Kumasi, the second largest city in Ghana.
Nana worked through much of his teen years, and his earnings put his two younger siblings through high school and community college—his younger brother became a pharmacist, and his sister a data analyst. Around this time, Nana started dreaming about helping other people to realize their potential. “When I was taking care of my kid brother and sister, I made up my mind that if I ever get somewhere in life, I will help underprivileged kids who have a passion for learning,” he says.
And now this dream has come true. In January 2023, Nana founded Stand Together Ghana, a nonprofit that provides need-based scholarships to students in the community where he grew up, the Oforikrom municipality of Kumasi. Its mission is to empower students across Ghana to attend school, build self-reliance and resilience, and, ultimately, to unleash their potential and make a difference in the world.
First cohort students with books
In its first year, Stand Together paid tuition for 11 students, along with their related education expenses including uniforms, books, bags, food stipends for each school day, and even health services. Nine of the students are currently in primary school, and two are university students. Nana is actively fundraising to expand the nonprofit’s work to support as many as 50 students for the next school year. The need is great—in Kumasi, around 70 percent of children will need outside financial support to attend school, and Nana’s foundation has 120 applications for the upcoming school year.
The Long Road to AU
Nana, speaking at the foundation
Even during his most difficult days after he was forced to drop out of school, Nana says he could not shake off his belief that he could achieve more in life than selling cassettes. He managed to save enough money to attend a local public university, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, where he pursued a degree in economics. “I believed that studying economics would provide me with the knowledge, skills, and tools necessary to play a pivotal role in ending poverty through education and removing the barriers that impede people's lives,” he says.
Nana excelled academically, which kept opening new doors for him, and he was offered a generous aid package to pursue a master’s degree in economics in the United States at the University of Colorado, Denver.
When Nana began looking at PhD programs, he says he didn’t know much about east coast schools, including American University. He set aside $400 to apply to various PhD programs, and one of the initial schools on his list waived his application fees. Nana was left with the opportunity to use that money to apply to one extra school. He started researching, discovered American University, and chose to apply. That was three years ago, and now Nana is an AU adjunct faculty member in his third year as a doctoral student in the Department of Economics. His primary areas of focus revolve around monetary economics, international finance, and macroeconomic policy, with a particular interest in taxation and its implications for inequality.
“Coming to American University was like a miracle to me,” says Nana. “It has challenged me and opened my mind.”
Kara Reynolds, economics professor and department chair, says that Nana has been a wonderful addition to the Department of Economics and the AU community. “He is a valuable colleague to his fellow classmates and professors, a mentor to his students, and has exhibited tremendous dedication and focus towards achieving his goal of earning his PhD.”
Determination, Hard Work, Proper Support
Ms. Victoria and daughters
Nana’s savings and earnings made Stand Together Ghana a reality. “Establishing and operating Stand Together Ghana is a labor of love for me,” he says. “Our foundation is dedicated to the vision that every individual, regardless of their background, should have the opportunity to access and benefit from a high-quality education.”
Stand Together Ghana currently has five advisory board members and five operation team members, including Nana. Last December and January, during American University’s winter break, Nana flew home to Ghana to meet with government and health officials. In partnership with local health officials, he organized a deworming campaign to fight against parasitic infections in children, and more than 600 students and townspeople showed up to participate. He hopes to make this an annual event.
Students at a healthcare event sponsored by Stand Together Ghana
Nana has worked to establish a holistic personal development program for students as part of the organization’s activities, which includes lessons in history, culture, hygiene, and social manners. “Strong societies need citizens who are educated, cultured, well-mannered, and self-confident,” he says. “These are people who will represent us in the future. If we want to alleviate poverty, we need to train our young people to be ethical leaders with a world view.” Nana says his dream is not only to fulfill his commitment to supporting the education of the first 11 students, or the first 50 students. “My vision is to go to all parts of Ghana and beyond,” he says. “Making healthcare and education accessible makes a good society; if you want to build a good society, you must focus on providing education and healthcare for all.”
For More Information
To learn more about Stand Together Ghana and find out how you can help, visit the organization’s website.