Ghanaian students experience a sense of belonging thanks to GCU Ghana Society
Students from Ghana have the opportunity to feel a sense of home and community thanks to passionate GCU Ghana Society members.
The GCU Ghana Society, which has been newly reformed after becoming inactive, was created to give Ghanaian students a safe space to integrate and feel a sense of community.
PhD student Atuahene Barimah arrived in Glasgow to study a Masters programme in 2019, where he has since been active in the GCU Ghana Society to ensure that students are supported when they start their new chapter in Scotland.
“When I came to GCU in 2019, I didn’t know that there was a Ghana Society to join. There was one at the time, but it wasn’t very active.” Atuahene explained.
“When you arrive in a new country for the first time, you might experience a bit of a cultural shock! The Ghana Society acts as a platform where students can ask any questions that they might have, all in a safe space where they can relate to students who may face the same challenges as them.
I started my PhD after I completed my Masters degree, and that’s when I decided to become involved and get the society up and running again to help create that sense of community for Ghanaian students.”
As well as the community aspect, the society creates multiple benefits for Ghanaian students. Atuahene said: “There are so many benefits of joining a society where there are familiar ties to people with the same background; it’s very easy to get help and to integrate. The idea of the society is to create a safe space for students from Ghana.
When a student joins the university from a different country, in our case Ghana, the university is able to support them on one level but the society is there to provide personal support from a community level. We can really help with the integration aspect.”
He added: “The motivation behind the society is to also help students develop leadership skills. Once you’re a member, there are opportunities to take on some more responsibility and with that comes pride as well.”
The society, as well as being a great support system, is designed to give students the confidence to get involved in other societies.
“Once they’re able to settle, it’ll give them the confidence to branch out and perhaps find another society that involves one of their hobbies or interests. We almost act like a first point of contact for new Ghanaian students and help to break that initial barrier.” Atuahene explained.
The GCU Ghana Society works collaboratively with others universities in Glasgow, bringing Ghanaian students together from across Glasgow and the West. Atuahene said: “We work in collaboration with different universities to host events involving Ghanaian students, including the University of Glasgow, Strathclyde University and the University of the West of Scotland.
In terms of events, we rotate which university is hosting the events. This year, Strathclyde University is hosting our International Independence Day event and next year it will be someone else’s turn. It gives us all thee chance to celebrate with other Ghanaian students from different universities.”
Having now proved how much a positive impact the society can have, Atuahene wants to make sure that the success can continue once he ends his time at GCU. He said: “I hope that as cohorts move on, future cohorts of students are able to continue the success of the Ghana Society so that future students can continue to feel supported.”
Find out more about the GCU Ghana Society on the GCU Student’s Association website
By Rachael McAlonan
Got a SCEBE or GSBS story? Email me at Rachael.McAlonan@gcu.ac.uk or connect with me on social media