Joana Adjoa Azatorwu is a former student of Kpogede Community School who hails from Mafi Adidome. She is from a family of seven and has four siblings.
Growing up, life was not easy for Joana and her family because of the financial challenges they faced. Both parents worked very hard and took on extra jobs to provide their basic needs. During this difficult period, Joana lost her mother and her father also became seriously ill, which made life even more challenging for the family.
Fortunately, she had the opportunity to be enrolled in the International Needs Child Assistance program from grade nine through to Adidome Senior High School. This support greatly reduced the financial burden on her family.
During her university education, Joana further benefited from the International Needs Students Assistance Programme. By the grace of God and through the support she received, she successfully graduated from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) with a degree in Social Work, Religion, and Human Development.
Currently, “I am undertaking my national service with International Needs Ghana as a way of giving back and expressing my sincere appreciation for all the support and opportunities I have received over the years. Whenever I have the opportunity to visit the field or speak with students in schools, I am deeply moved. I always encourage them by sharing my story and reminding them that I once sat in the very classrooms where they sit today. I tell them that with determination, hard work, and the help of God, they can achieve their dreams, reach where I am today, and even go beyond what I have accomplished.”
