KNUST’s SONSOL Project Empowers Students with Laptops, Bridging Digital Divide

Millandra Owusu, a first-year civil engineering student at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), expressed immense relief after receiving a new laptop through the Support One Needy Student with One Laptop (SONSOL) initiative. As an aspiring structural engineer, Millandra faced significant challenges using a basic smartphone that struggled with large files, had unreadable small fonts, and required constant deletion of lecture slides due to limited storage.

“Personally, I enjoy research and wanted to contribute more to group assignments, but I just couldn’t. Sometimes I felt left behind. When you don’t have a laptop, you’re always behind, but that period is now over,” she said, smiling broadly while holding her new laptop. She thanked the Telecel Foundation, vowing, “This investment you’ve made in me will never go wasted.”

As one of 600 beneficiaries of SONSOL in 2025, Millandra benefits from an initiative launched by Vice Chancellor Prof. Akosua Dickson to address the digital divide for financially disadvantaged students. In June 2025, Telecel Ghana Foundation donated 100 laptops to SONSOL during its annual Ashanti Month celebrations, following a 2021 contribution of 200 laptops. Augusta Andrews, Legal and External Affairs Director at Telecel Ghana, highlighted the program’s impact at the presentation ceremony, stating, “In this digital age, no student should be left behind because of financial barriers. These laptops will help bridge the digital divide and promote inclusive learning.”

Since its start in 2020, prompted by Covid-19-related educational challenges, SONSOL has provided over 3,300 laptops to students from underprivileged backgrounds. Prof. Dickson emphasized, “The future belongs to graduates who can confidently navigate the digital space. The world today has little room for digital illiteracy, and at KNUST, we take this challenge very seriously.” She acknowledged the support of partners in sustaining the initiative.

Awal Osman, a petroleum engineering student and first-generation university attendee from Bechem, also received a laptop. Previously unable to borrow library laptops long enough to meet assignment deadlines, Awal saw his grades suffer. “When I received the laptop, I was overjoyed. Now I can stay up as long as I want to learn. I am learning new programming languages and building my digital skills,” he said, adding, “Considering my background, we could never afford it. This laptop is a big blessing. Anything I gain from it, I will never forget Telecel Foundation.”

Other organizations supporting SONSOL in 2025 include Ecobank, SIC Insurance, CBG, Stanbic Bank, and OmniBSIC Bank. The initiative aligns with Telecel Ghana Foundation’s Connected Learning pillar, focused on advancing STEM education through digital tools and training to close Ghana’s digital gap.

Source: African Publicity