How Gari & Beans Saved My University Education

Education we say is the key to success to those who can afford in order to be successful.

All fingers are not equal but Afriyie Kwaku Boachie a graduate of University of Education, Winneba North campus defied the odds by managing with 80 GHC on what Ghanaians see as hustlers food ( gari and beans) for survival on campus for a whole one semester.


Afriyie K Boachie hail from Donyina , a few minutes drive from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. Out of his six siblings, two of them are JHS graduates so Afriyie deemed it highly expedient to surpass that educational level by hook or crook

Afriyie started his shoe shine business after completing JHS just to get his SHS admission fees should in case the result comes. Afriyie was fortunate and landed a space to space job and mtn credit transfer from one rich lady he polished her shoes of which he accrued some capital to start his shs at Aduman SHS at the Afigya Kwabre District.


Afriyie completed the SHS in 2012, bought five public universities forms and was called by the EMS from Adum post office to pick UEW admission letter. Later KNUST sent him a text message to pursue Akan Studies followed by UG and UCC. He chose UEW due to their excellence Educational reputation.



On 7th September 2013, Afriyie landed at Kaneshie and board a metro mass transit bus to Winneba. Simpa hall was his affiliation.


After he paid everything including lecturers handouts, the real amount meant for the pocket was 80ghc. Afriyie was studying Social Studies from 2013. Some of his lecturers were David Ayaaba, Dr Seth Frimpong, Dr Lucy Effeh Attom, Adam Mohammed, Cletus Kolog Ngaaso, Mr Obeng Ignatius, Mr Poatob Samuel, Professor Quashigah, Hon former regional minister under Kuffours regime George Hikah Benson, Dr Vincent Adjalie, Dr Lawrence Odumah and former UTAG president Dr Bekoe.


The students used to live a life full of luxuries and were feeding on pizzas, fried foods etc . Others use to ride high class cars and lived big with their girlfriends but Afriyie Kwaku Boachie was never purturbed. Whiles his room mates were cooking delicious but rich meals Afriyie was accustomed to moving to the Simpa canteen always to eat gari and beans also known as York, garbeans with close friends who were into that including John Azong Bossman, Robert Anneh Tetteh aka VC, Jonathan Baafi aka The man, Peter Ofori Amamfo aka guy Peter, Emmanuel Boampong aka Oozi, Juliet Fosuaa, Koffie John aka Apepe3 and Michael Appiah Kubi aka curtious , Blege .

Life was unbearable at the first semester since Gari and Beans was the major diet he used to feed on. Lectures was superb since the kind of knowledge, values and attitudes imbibed and imbued in them was encouraging.

Afriyie pesevered till the time he was awarded his certificate with 2nd class in Social Studies Education.

His humbleness and seriousness in education paid for him dearly especially when he managed a 4:4:2 formation on his usual and friendly garbeans for his degree

As humanbeings never allow any obstacles to impede your success despite the difficulties. Eat the little you could get, save some money and climb your academic lather on a higher notes.

Content created by Afriyie Kwaku Boachie aka Kwakus ( 2021)