Personal information
Name: Amara Musa
Date of Birth: 05-01-1989
Country: Sierra Leone
Study: Medicine and Surgery
Study information
Study: Medicine and Surgery
University: Njala University
Location: Bo City, Sierra Leone
Start Date: September 2026
Expected graduation: 2034-2035
Cost per year for iSTEPup: €500 (NLE 12,400)
Amara graduated in February 2025 with a degree in Clinical Medicine, also supported by an iSTEPup scholarship
Why I need the iSTEPup Foundation
I was born in Bunumbu Town, located in Kailahun District eastern part of Sierra Leone. I received my education in Bo, in the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. My family currently resides in Bo, Sierra Leone.
Medicine is more than a career for me — it’s a calling. My journey in healthcare began over a decade ago when I trained and graduated as a Registered Nurse in 2014. Working directly with patients showed me both the power and the gaps in our health system here in Sierra Leone. I wanted to do more than treat symptoms; I wanted to understand disease at its root and lead care teams as a doctor.
To build on that foundation, I completed a Higher Diploma in Clinical Medicine and worked for 1.5 years in clinical practice. That experience only deepened my commitment. I saw too many
women and children facing complications that could have been prevented with better-trained doctors and stronger maternal health services.
That is why I have now enrolled at Njala University, Bo Campus, to pursue an Bachelor of medicine, Bachelor in surgery (MBBS). My long-term goal is to specialize as an obstetrician and Gynecologist. Sierra Leone has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the world, and I am determined to be part of changing that story. I want to provide safe, skilled, and compassionate care to mothers, train other health workers, and advocate for better women’s
health policies.
The path to becoming a doctor is long — 7 to 8 years of rigorous study — and financially demanding. Coming from a modest background, I do not have the resources to cover tuition, clinical materials, and living costs on my own.
This is why I am turning to iSTEPUP Foundation. Your support would not just be funding my education; it would be investing in a future doctor who plans to return her skills to Sierra Leone and save lives, especially the lives of women and newborns.
I am hardworking, disciplined, and fully committed to completing this program and serving my country. I would be deeply grateful for the opportunity to partner iSTEPUP Foundation to make this dream a reality. Thank you for believing in my potential and for your consideration
Buddy
Ryan Proos, MD Global Health & Tropical Medicine
My name is Ryan Proos, and I’m a medical doctor working at Kamakwie Wesleyan Hospital in Sierra Leone. I first met Amara when completing my training as a medical doctor global health in Yele, Sierra Leone. There we worked as colleagues on the different wards. Amara was by then already a well-trained Community Health Officer. I was impressed by his dedication and positive energy, even more when I learned the ongoing education he had pursued to get there. I remember well the afternoon when he walked up to me with a big smile that he was accepted for med school: the next step in his tireless effort to provide quality care for Sierra Leonians. I am honoured to walk at Amara’s side during his medicine study, and grateful for the support from iSTEPup and Welbodi Foundation.
Study results [Medicine, from 2026]
Coming soon
Study results [Clinical Officer, 2022-2025]
News and updates [Medicine, from 2026]
Coming soon
News and updates [Clinical Officer 2022-2025]
Update Amara Musa – Appreciation [August 2022]
Update Amara Musa [March 2024]
Gallery
