30th Anniversary Celebration
30th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION
7th November 2020
“30 Years of Excellence is no mean feat …” These were the remarks of one of the hundreds of alumni who tuned in to the live transmission of the SOS-HGIC 30th Anniversary Celebrations on 7th November 2020.
A significantly scaled-down event due to the COVID-19 pandemic was nonetheless impactful as alumni, former and current staff, students, and even parents, tuned in to celebrate and congratulate the school that had impacted so many. The founding Principal and Board Chair, Dr. Mrs. Margaret Nkrumah, was able to join the celebrations, succinctly recapping the 30-year history of the school.
In her speech accompanied by images of the college, Mrs. Nkrumah highlighted the single-story building that was the foundation for the state-of-the-art college campus that many aspiring students marvel at when they had the opportunity to tour. Indeed, this great oak grew from a very humble beginning!
Those who were present to nurture the school from its humble beginnings were at hand to share their experiences via pre-recorded interviews with the hosts Ms. Ruth Botsio (Ghana, Class of 2005) and Mr. Veliano Tembo (Malawi, Class of 2009). Mr. Michael Djan and Ms. Emefa Ntem, our longest-serving academic staff members recalled the escapades of the initial batch of students and the sense of camaraderie that has been the defining trait of the SOS HGIC community.
It was a veritable trip down memory lane for staff and alumni as they reached out to one another virtually, sharing wonderful experiences of SOS-HGIC and life thereafter. Gebre Gebregiorghis (Ethiopia, Class of 2004) and Ruth Nduta (Kenya, Class of 2004) both shared memories of how the international exposure and academic rigor of SOS-HGIC prepared them for successful careers in the United States of America.
On her part, the 3-time mother of SOS Alumni, Madam Gladys Chibaya, shared how she had witnessed SOS-HGIC shape the future of her 3 children from Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Madam Chibaya could not have been prouder as she congratulated the school and her children and wished them all the best!
To close the event, current Vice Principal, Mrs. Adzo Ashie, also a member of the foundation class of 1995, highlighted the 5-year development plan of the school and called on all to join arms to bring into fruition the Principal’s vision, “to create a learning community where all are focused on intellectual curiosity, academic excellence and impactful research; where success breeds success and international mindedness, Pan Africanism and community service underpins the education.”
Article by Ruth Botsio