Tamale Scholarship and Aid Fund

The Fund was launched in 1999 with initial donations from the Zo-Simli-Naa and Alhaji Aliu Mahama. In 2000-2001 donations were received from Wyatt MacGaffey, Bruce and Cara Herlin, Jean Herlin, EconVillage Group (Nat Green and Elias Zwede), and Laura Shiflett. In 2001, the Fund received a $ 5,000 grant from the Trull Foundation of Texas. U.S. donations through 2001 total more than $ 15,000. In addition, the Tamale Municipal Assembly donated 28,000,000 cedis (about $ 4,000) in the Fall of 2001. This is sufficient for current needs, however, when the full compliment of 60 students (20 in each class of senior secondary school) is enrolled by the Fall of 2004, it is estimated that the scholarship fund will need to raise at least $ 9,000 per year to keep the program going. In the long run, it is hoped that interested donors can raise the $ 200,000 necessary to enable scholarship students to be supported from interest money alone.

The Zo-Simli-Naa scholarship program provides support for twenty promising new students each year (at least half of them girls). Candidates are nominated by their middle school headmasters then carefully screened by members of the Scholarship Committee of Sister Cities in Tamale before they are given this life-changing opportunity. 

The first class of Zo-Simli-Naa scholars graduated in 2002; 25 percent qualified for tertiary institutions.  In 2005 more than 75 percent received university admission. To meet the challenge of this fantastic success we must pay for successful graduates to take national qualifying exams and pay university application and admissions fess for them. These new expenses, coupled with generally rising education costs have send the scholarships's annual budget soaring from $9,000 to almost $20,000 (this does not include support for tertiary level students beyond their initial admission fees).

The Sister Cities organizations in Louisville and Tamale are both committed to continue support of this scholarship through fund raising and by continuing to provide the volunteer administration and mentoring necessary to make it work in Ghana. The members of Sister Cities in Tamale have agreed to tax themselves to support this work. The Tamale Municipal Assembly has also pledged financial support. Fortunately, Ghanaian corporations, led by Barclays Bank of Ghana, have recently become partners, but we must continue to count on U.S. supporters for the bulk of funding.

To Make a Contribution:

The following are ways contributions may be used to support students:

$1000 - to support one hard-working, successful high school graduate for one year at university

$800 - to support one brillant but needy student through three years of high school

$300 - to support one student for one year of high school

$100 - to pay exam fees for two students

$50 - to pay school fees for one student for one year

$25 - to pay for exercise books and a calculator for one student for one year.

For a contribution of $300 interested individuals and groups can 'adopt' a student whom they support for his or her entire high school career.

Checks should be made payable to Sister Cities of Louisville, Inc. with the notation on the memo line "For Tamale Scholarship and Aid Fund." Sister Cities of Louisville is a 501c3 organization.  Contribution are tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. 100% of contributed funds are sent to the designated program. For further information on how you can make a contribution or get involve, please Contact Us.