AFRICA | A remarkable young woman, Lydia Abayia Acqua, has defied all odds to graduate with a Master’s Degree in Business Technology Management (MBTM) from the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa, Ghana — earning a distinction despite being deaf.
Her achievement is a moving story of resilience, courage, and academic brilliance, and it has now opened doors for her to pursue another Master’s degree in Linguistics at Gallaudet University, a prestigious institution for the deaf and hard of hearing in the United States.
Lydia's Story and How She Did It
Born hearing, Lydia became deaf at the age of 10, after a sudden illness. By then, she had already learned to speak, a skill that would later help her communicate in limited ways even after losing her hearing.
But her sudden transition into being deaf came with a wave of pain, social isolation, and stigma.
She recalls how drastically life changed: “I was selling with my mother before becoming deaf. When I went out to sell and didn’t hear people calling me, they would mock me, saying, ‘Have you sold your ears too?’”
Still, Lydia refused to let her deafness define her. Through primary and secondary school, she fought to stay ahead in class even without hearing her teachers.
She often pretended to understand instructions, relying on observation and lip reading. Eventually, her teachers discovered her hearing loss, but Lydia’s academic excellence kept her moving forward.
She gained admission into Tarkwa Senior High School (TARSCO) to study Business, but new challenges arose.
Whenever teachers dictated notes, Lydia could only guess their words by watching their lips. But with the help of a classmate who helped her write her notes, she was able to persevere.
After completing secondary school, Lydia attended the Akuapem Mampong Secondary Technical School for the Deaf, where she learned sign language, a major turning point that reconnected her to communication.
She later gained admission into the University of Ghana, where she studied Business Administration (Human Resource Management).
At the university, Lydia was the only deaf student in her class, attending lectures with a sign language interpreter.
She stated that the stares from others initially made her uncomfortable. “I didn’t want people looking at me,” she admitted.
Eventually, her discomfort led her to skip classes, which affected her performance. It took the intervention of a compassionate lecturer, who understood the challenges of deaf students, to help her get back on track and complete her studies successfully.
Thirteen years after earning her first degree, Lydia decided to continue her academic journey, this time, at UMaT. Her goal was to specialize in Management Information Systems (MIS) under the MBTM programme.
The university admitted her without initially knowing she was deaf. When the administration found out, they quickly worked to provide her with the necessary support, including sign language interpreters and academic assistance, to help her fully participate in classes and research.
Despite the academic intensity and communication barriers, Lydia persevered. She graduated with a Cumulative Weighted Average (CWA) of 76.80%, earning Distinction and admiration from her professors
On her graduation day, as Lydia walked across the stage to receive her degree, the hall erupted in applause. Her family and friends beamed with pride, knowing the depth of her struggle and triumph. “I felt a kind of joy I had never felt before,” she said, reflecting on that moment.
Now, Lydia’s dream has taken a global turn. She has gained admission into Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., a premier U.S. institution dedicated to educating the deaf and hard of hearing.
There, she will pursue a Master’s degree in Linguistics to equip herself with the skills needed to promote language development for the deaf community in Ghana.
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