Our Story
About I AM HERe
A scholarship born from the belief that every brilliant young woman deserves a chance to reach her full potential, regardless of circumstance.
Our Foundation
Born from Purpose, Built for Impact
The I AM HERe Scholarship was founded by Claudia C. Pinder, a seasoned finance executive with more than 25 years of global experience who recognised a critical gap: brilliant young women from low-income families in Ghana’s Volta Region were being denied the opportunity to pursue academic excellence, not for lack of ability, but for lack of resources.
What began as a personal conviction grew into a structured initiative targeting students at Keta Senior High Technical School, one of the Volta Region’s most prominent schools, providing not just financial aid, but holistic support: mentorship, career planning, personal development, and a lifelong community of peers and leaders.
What Drives Us
Club Activities
Equity & Inclusion
We believe that financial circumstance should never determine the ceiling of a young woman's ambition. Our selection prioritises brilliance from underserved backgrounds.
Gender Equality
We actively work to close the gender gap in STEM, Business, and the Arts, because diverse representation in every field makes Ghana, and the world, stronger.
Academic Excellence
We hold our scholars to the highest standards, and equip them with every resource they need to meet those standards. Excellence is both expected and supported.
Transparency & Integrity
Our selection process is fully independent of school faculty, ensuring every decision is fair, merit-based, and beyond reproach.
Community & Continuity
Through the Sankofa Club, scholars become mentors. Every recipient carries forward a responsibility to uplift others, creating a living chain of impact.
Holistic Development
Beyond books and fees, we nurture the whole person, providing hygiene support, personal development workshops, and a Personal Life Plan for every scholar.
Our Journey
How We Got Here
The Beginning; A Vision Takes Shape
Claudia C. Pinder, drawing on decades of global experience in finance and witnessing the systemic barriers facing young African women, conceives the I AM HERe Scholarship as a structured, sustainable response.
Foundation; Partnership with Keta SHTS
The foundation establishes a formal relationship with Keta Senior High Technical School, appointing a school liaison officer to embed the scholarship within the institution's fabric.
Structure; The Sankofa Club is Born
Recognising that financial support alone is insufficient, the foundation creates the Sankofa Club, a mentorship and peer community that transforms recipients into future leaders and role models.
Today & Beyond; Growing the Legacy
With scholars selected per cohort across Science, Business, and General Arts, the foundation continues to grow its network of mentors, donors, and board members committed to educational equity in Ghana and beyond.