Imagine, Believe, Create! That is what has inspired Patience Kum, who is one of two girls who graduated from the Tullow sponsored Right to Dream (RtD) Academy in June 2017.
Her dream to study and play football which is her passion was realised at the RTD academy at New Akrade in the Eastern region.
RTD has produced players for the Senior National Team the Black Stars, the Under-20 and Under-17 teams and the vision is to ensure that the students can have the best of both worlds.
Currently the academy hosts 16 female students.
Patience hails from Takoradi in the Western region, the footprint area of Tullow Ghana’s operations. She is 15 years old and wants to be an accountant in future.
Touching on her stay at RTD, she said: “The experience was great!”
She recounted how she came to RTD in 2013 as one of the pioneers of the girl’s program. According to her, she lacked confidence and was not able to engage well. But all that has changed four years down the line.
An excited Kum spoke about how three other girls are already in the US where women’s football is very developed. She plays centre back, and is the first female academic captain (something she is very proud of).
She said being in the Academy built her confidence.
“It has impacted me a lot. My mum didn’t want me to play football. But RTD spoke to my mum and she got to be supportive and allowed me to stay here. Being here I combine (education and football) both… I wish to achieve great things in the future,” Kum noted.
