Education is one of the most powerful tools for breaking the cycle of poverty—but only when students are fully supported. At Aya, we believe that paying school fees alone isn’t enough. Real impact happens when every barrier to learning is removed.
That’s why an Aya Scholarship is so unique. It’s not a single line item—it’s a comprehensive, human-centered system designed to help students thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.
Below, we break down the anatomy of an Aya Scholarship and explain what truly goes into removing all barriers to education in Ghana, for a brighter and happier future.
This, is the Aya Way.
What Is an Aya Scholarship?
An Aya Scholarship is a holistic academic support package, intentionally designed for both students and families. It addresses not only the cost of school, but also the environment required for a child to succeed—stability at home, mentorship, consistent academic support, and more.
Our mission is simple but ambitious: remove barriers to education so every child can reach their highest potential.
1. School Fees & Educational Materials
The foundation of every Aya Scholarship is direct access to school, so naturally this is where our journey begins. This is the “root” of the tree of growth, if you will. It ensures that, no matter what challenges may lay ahead, a solid foundation is there to stabilize the child.
This portion of an Aya Scholarship includes:
- Full or partial tuition coverage, including into and through Senior High School
- Required school supplies (books, uniforms, exam fees)
- Support with school enrollment and transitions
By removing financial pressure from families, students can attend school consistently and focus on learning, but the impacts doesn’t stop there.
Did you know… a monthly donation of just $10 guarantees school supplies for a single scholar, for an entire academic year!
The secondary impact of a single tuition paid goes far beyond the child going to school. A family’s financial bandwidth extends, making it possible for them to then re-invest their own funds into other needs, whether it may be supporting a sibling, creating a new source of income, or something else.
As you’ll learn, the Aya Way means a leveraging a system designed for compounding effects. School fees are just the beginning.
2. Home Tutors & Academic Mentorship
Many students fall behind not because of ability, but because they lack individual academic support. Obligations at home, larges class sizes in the public school system, and illiterate guardians are all barriers.
At Aya, we address this gap through home-based tutors. Every Aya Scholarship includes an extra 6 hours per week of dedicated study time with one of our incredible home-teachers.
This one-on-one support is often the difference between surviving school and excelling in it. Home-teachers are tasked with identifying weak areas of a student, or often diving deeper into topics introduced during their school day.
Naturally, this relationship buds into a mentorship and impacts far beyond academic support. Whether an Aya Scholar’s parents travel for work or are out in the forms, the student knows that, no matter what, their home-teacher and, by extension, Aya, are always there.
3. Household Support for Families
Education doesn’t exist in a vacuum. When families struggle to meet basic needs, children are often forced to miss school or take on work responsibilities. There’s a fundamental lack of understanding short term sacrifice as it relates to long term impact.
This doesn’t mean to say it’s an indictment on families in Ghana, rather if immediate needs aren’t met to enable that short term sacrifice then it doesn’t stand a chance.
Did you know… 33% of Ghanaians earn just $2-$4 per day?
So, what do we do? Aya Scholarships include a line-item for household support.
By stabilizing the home environment, we protect the student’s ability to stay engaged in school long-term.
In a non-profit world where financial tracking and accountability is everything, our biggest learning moment in this process has been to give people space. By honoring the belief that every situation is different and requires individualized solutions, we’ve leaned into trusting the parents and have seen the results.
Most recently, one scholar reports that her relationship with her mother has drastically improved now that she’s less stressed about providing the basic needs for her chidren.
That same scholar’s mom used the home support money to invest in a small business, selling fish to the nearby school students, earning enough income to support her other children through school.
Why is financial support of this kind included in an Aya Scholarship? To reinforce what is ultimately opening these doors for families, and that’s their Aya Scholars’ potential through education.
4. Consistent Home/School Visits & Monitoring
Aya takes a relationship-driven approach to education. Our work is centered around sustainability and ubuntu, and this can only happen when our stakeholders are involved, including families and school teachers.
Our team conducts regular home visits to ensure each scholar is supported both academically and personally. We believe that the more people involved in defining the Aya Way, the greater the success we see in each student.
These visits help us:
- Monitor attendance and academic progress
- Identify challenges early
- Strengthen trust with families and caregivers
This ongoing presence ensures that no student quietly falls through the cracks and that our team is able to address challenges head-on.
Why a Holistic Scholarship Model Matters
Traditional scholarships often assume that once tuition is paid, success will follow. Aya knows better. Welcome the the Aya Difference.
By addressing financial barriers, academic gaps, household instability, and more, we create the necessary conditions for growth, just like the name Aya symbolizes – the Adinkra symbol for fern, a resilient plant that grows in tough conditions, so too do our Aya Scholars.
This is how cycles of poverty are broken: not through one-time aid, but through sustained, human-centered investment. This, is equity in action.
Want to Support an Aya Scholar?
Every contribution helps expand access to education and deepen impact. Whether through donations, partnerships, or spreading the word, you become part of a story that changes lives—one student at a time.