From Selling Body Splash to Best Female Nursing Graduate: Hamdia Issahaku’s Journey at UDS
FNA NEWS, 9th Of September, 2026
A Ghanaian nursing graduate has overcome financial hardship to become the Best Female Graduating Student at the University for Development Studies, highlighting the importance of scholarship support in nursing education.
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Hamdia Issahaku’s journey to academic excellence at the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Ghana began with a difficult choice: how to finance her nursing education while meeting her basic needs.
To stay in school, she started selling body splash to students, moving between university hostels to earn money. The business helped her cover some expenses, but balancing it with her studies became increasingly difficult.
She sometimes missed lectures because of the demands of the business. However, financial support through the MTN Bright Scholarship later eased the burden and allowed her to concentrate more fully on her education.
Issahaku has since graduated as the Best Female Graduating Student at the UDS School of Nursing and Midwifery. She is now undertaking her national service at Tema General Hospital, where she is gaining practical experience as she begins her nursing career.
Her story, highlights the financial pressures some students face while pursuing professional healthcare qualifications.
Financial hardship threatened her nursing education
Issahaku grew up in Gambaga in Ghana’s North East Region. She lost her mother at a young age, while her father retired around the time she was preparing to enter senior high school.
The family’s financial difficulties deepened after her brother was involved in a serious accident that required a craniotomy, a surgical procedure involving the skull to access the brain.
The cost of his treatment consumed a significant portion of her father’s savings, leaving fewer resources for household needs and education.
When Issahaku gained admission to UDS to study for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, the cost of tuition, accommodation, books and daily expenses became a major concern.
Determined to continue her education, she began selling body splash between university hostels.
“I had to sell body splash from one hostel to the other just to cater for some of my needs. As a result, I started facing academic setbacks, sometimes missing lectures,” she told GNA.
Her experience illustrates a challenge faced by students who must combine academic commitments with efforts to meet their basic needs. In nursing education, where classroom learning must be balanced with practical and clinical training, financial pressure can make an already demanding programme more difficult.
How a scholarship changed her circumstances
Issahaku initially applied for the Tisungtaba Scholarship, but the assistance she received did not cover all her educational needs.
Her circumstances began to change after Dr Umar Haruna, then Vice Dean of Students at UDS, encouraged her to apply for the MTN Bright Scholarship.
She was selected for the programme, which covered her tuition and accommodation and provided a laptop and a stipend for books and other study materials.
The support reduced the financial pressure that had forced her to divide her time between studying and selling body splash.
Recalling the moment she received the scholarship, Issahaku described it as a turning point in her life.
“I had tears of joy because finally I had gotten the support I really needed, a fully funded scholarship. It still remains one of the happiest days of my life,” she said.
The selection process also helped her develop greater confidence, particularly in public speaking and presenting herself before others.
With essential educational expenses covered, she was able to devote more attention to her studies.
Her experience demonstrates why financial assistance for students can be most effective when it addresses more than tuition fees. Accommodation, learning materials and other essential expenses can also determine whether students are able to continue their education without constant financial strain.
From university hostels to professional nursing practice
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Issahaku eventually completed her nursing degree and graduated as the Best Female Graduating Student at the UDS School of Nursing and Midwifery.
She is currently undertaking her national service at Tema General Hospital, gaining practical experience as she begins her professional journey.
Her achievements extend beyond the classroom. She has also started a small beverage business producing and selling Sobolo and Zomkom, popular drinks in Ghana.
Her continued interest in entrepreneurship reflects another aspect of her journey: the determination to pursue opportunities beyond the challenges she faced during university.
For now, she is focused on gaining professional experience and preparing for the next stage of her career.
Looking back, she credited the MTN Ghana Foundation with helping her concentrate on her education when her family was struggling financially.
“MTN Ghana Foundation has made it clear that you just have to take the first step, and there will be someone to support you throughout the journey,” she said.
MTN Bright Scholarship: The wider impact
The MTN Bright Scholarship was launched in 2017 to mark MTN Ghana’s 20th anniversary.
The programme has supported 1,220 students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds in completing tertiary education. It provides tuition, accommodation, a laptop and a stipend for books and study materials.
The programme has reached students across 18 tertiary institutions in Ghana, including the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the University of Cape Coast, as well as colleges of education and health training institutions
Reports states that 17 beneficiaries have graduated as valedictorians or best students at their universities, while 299 have earned first-class honours.
r These figures provide a broader picture of the programme’s reported outcomes. Issahaku’s experience offers a personal example of how financial support can help a student move from struggling to meet educational expenses to achieving academic recognition.
A reminder of what opportunity can make possible
Hamdia Issahaku’s journey from selling body splash between university hostels to becoming the best female graduating student at her nursing school is an account of perseverance, but it is also a story about access to opportunity.
Her determination kept her pursuing her degree, while scholarship support helped reduce the financial barriers that affected her studies.
As she gains experience at Tema General Hospital, her achievement serves as a reminder that nursing talent needs more than ambition. Students also need the resources and support required to complete their training.
For institutions committed to developing the next generation of nurses, helping students overcome financial barriers is an investment in education, professional development and the future healthcare workforce.
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Fellow Nurses Africa is the independent voice of African nursing, we educate, inform and support nurses across Africa.
Durowoju Abisola is a registered nurse, nurse writer and On-Air Correspondent at Fellow Nurses Africa (FNA), passionate about nursing leadership, health education and advocacy.
Through journalism, storytelling and content creation, she amplifies important conversations around nursing, healthcare and the experiences of nurses in Nigeria. She is committed to using her voice and professional knowledge to educate the public, challenge misconceptions and inspire the next generation of nurses.
