Scholarship / Build a career in business, humanitarian work, activism and diplomacy; why those chosen courses [2]

Outline why you have selected your chosen university courses and explain how this relates to your previous academic or professional experience and your future plans for the future.

chevening scholarship - selected courses

I grew up loving and giving freely because I was surrounded by people who were doing same. Living in a house of over twenty people who loved and did their best to support each other as if they were blood related awakened me to caring about the under privileged. I was not born with a silver spoon in my mouth but I always thought of how to help the world and make it a better place to live in, not only for my relations but for the world at large. I have a passion and the passion is to help people in any way possible. I was therefore not surprised when my cousin and I formed a small Non-Governmental Agency which visited some of the orphanages in my country to help better their lives. I have done a number of humanitarian activities which includes volunteer works as well.

I studied business during my undergraduate because I had dreams of building a Human Resource and Consulting firm that will give employment opportunities to the unemployed by liaising with other companies. However upon graduating from the university and after a deep introspection, I realized I was more interested in activism and humanitarian works and that was how my love for the study of International relations developed. I researched on it more, read auto biography of people who are also doing humanitarian works especially people in the United Nations and other known Non-governmental agencies and also spoke to a couple of people. After a thorough analysis from what I had gathered I knew I was on the right path and studying International Relations would be a great start for me. Moreover I believe passion without education is shallow and baseless. That is why International Relations runs through all the three Universities I have chosen. Nevertheless the dream of building the Human Resource and Consulting firm will be worked on alongside my humanitarian work because it all boils down to helping people. I believe studying International Relations will equip me with skills to be able to conduct interdisciplinary research and also understand and analyse how policies are implemented and their outcomes in diverse institutional, economic and political contexts pertaining mostly to developing countries. It will also enlighten me more about human rights and politics, diplomatic law and practice, war, memory and popular culture, approaches to dialogue and how to work hand in hand with the authorities in helping sustain lives not forgetting equality, discrimination and minorities.

I am an enthusiastic person and very passionate at anything I find myself doing. I easily adapt to changes and also able to grasp new concepts quickly. Hence graduating with a degree in International relations will enable me use my expertise to build a career in business, humanitarian work, activism and diplomacy. It will also help me achieve my aim of working with the Department for International Development (DFID) in my country and my future goal of working with the United Nations.

Scholarship / Clear post-study Career Plan Both Short and Long Term upon Returning Home - (Chevening Scholarship) [5]

Chevening is looking for individuals who have a clear post-study plan. Please outline your immediate plans upon returning home and your longer term career goals.

my dream is to help people survive

We all have dreams and aspirations. I have a dream; and my dream is to help people survive. Poverty is just a state of mind. People need redirection and rediscovery of who they are and what they can do. We've all been gifted with talents; talents that can put food on our tables for the rest of our lives. We only need to unearth that talent and make good use of it. We need to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery and redeem who we really are.

The first time my cousin and I visited the orphanage and donated a few items to them, I loved it and found an inner joy within me. I loved the fact that I was able to put smiles on the faces of the kids. Thereafter I knew that was something I would love to do over and over and over again. I want to make a difference in the world and I believe the best way to do that is making a difference in the lives of people. I want to give and give generously just as the chevening awards program is doing. I want to volunteer in helping the underprivileged societies, not just in my country Ghana but on the international front. I believe volunteering will help me acquire the needed skills and knowledge about how to build my future goals and also understand how the system works. Volunteering will help me to network on a silver platter because these are networks I would take years to build if not difficulty in building. I would want to be a leader and a positive influence. I would like people to believe my dreams and buy into it.

My short term goals is to keep volunteering in different parts of the world so far as it will make huge impacts in the lives of others and communities. I would also keep visiting the under privileged societies in my country to support them in any way possible as my cousin and I have already started. Just as I would have benefited from the chevening awards program I believe it is just right for my country and the world at large to also benefit from me. Education is also important to me and that is one aspect I would like to tackle. I would want to motivate the kids to take their education seriously and also share with them my experiences. I would enroll one kid a year and take care of all his educational materials just as I have already started.

My future goal is to work with the United Nations. I believe that will give me a bigger platform for advocacy.