Visually Impaired African man who Defied Odds to Graduate with Master's Pursuing PhD at Manchester in UK

• Gerald Arhin is a visually impaired Ghanaian pursuing his doctoral degree at Manchester in the UK
• The University of Cambridge alumnus triumphed over challenges to glean his MPhil in African Studies
• Arhin is hoping that his work as a PhD student at Manchester will influence policymaking and make the world a better place

Despite his visual impairment, Ghanaian Gerald Arhin has not allowed his circumstance to deter or hold him from pursuing and achieving his academic goals.

The University of Cambridge alumnus defied the odds to graduate with his MPhil in African Studies at the university.

Arhin told Trinity Hall Cambridge that the university and the Centre for African Studies provided the needed support to ensure his disability was not a barrier to his academic pursuits.

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Pursuing his PhD

Now studying for a doctoral degree at Manchester, Arhin spoke about the challenges as a visually impaired person, studying for his PhD, among others.

I am just beginning the third year of my PhD, and I am in the writing process, having recently returned from fieldwork.

It is going well, and I am very hopeful that my findings, beyond the theory, will make a meaningful impact on policy, which is the aspect that will be useful to the marginalised, he said.

Influencing policy with his work

When asked how education and his work will help serve others in the world, he said he is hoping that it will influence policymaking.

My work is focused on natural resource governance. Extractive resources are usually found in areas where the poor life, but little is done to translate those resources to benefit them. I am hoping that my work will influence policymaking in a way that will tilt the governance of extractive resources to benefit the vulnerable and the subalterns.

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"Onwards and Upwards": Young Lady Graduates in Style, Mzansi Loves It

In other news, Briefly News reported that South African youth are slowly but surely grabbing education by the horns and becoming graduates. A young lady has just jumped on the bandwagon and joined the rest of Mzansi's graduates.

Taking to Twitter, @Mcloopz_ shared an inspirational post about becoming a graduate. Her heartwarming post included some snaps of herself in her cap and gown and even one of her folks standing beside her looking as proud as ever.

"Umsebenzi wethu," she captioned the heartwarming Twitter post.

Source: YEN.com.gh