Ghanaian Officer Cadet Thelma Gbewonyo has been honoured with the prestigious Sandhurst Medal following her successful completion of the Commissioning Course at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS) in the United Kingdom — one of the world’s most revered military training institutions.
She was presented with the medal by Major General Nick Cowley during a formal parade at Sandhurst, marking the end of months of intense physical, academic, and leadership training designed to prepare future officers for service in armed forces around the world.
The Sandhurst Medal is awarded to international cadets in recognition of their resilience, commitment, and successful completion of the course, which is regarded as among the most challenging in military education. For Officer Cadet Gbewonyo, it is the culmination of a journey that began years earlier in Ghana.
Born and raised in Ghana, Thelma Gbewonyo is an alumna of Achimota School in Accra — one of the country’s most historic and prestigious secondary institutions. While at Achimota, she was an active and committed member of the school’s Cadet Corps, a platform that nurtured her early interest in military leadership and discipline.
Teachers and mentors recall her as disciplined, focused, and a natural leader — qualities that would later define her time at Sandhurst. “She was always the first to arrive and the last to leave,” one former instructor said. “Even back then, it was clear she was destined for something greater.”
Gbewonyo joins a growing list of Ghanaian officers who have trained at Sandhurst, continuing a legacy that dates back decades. The Royal Military Academy has long served as a training ground for future leaders from across the Commonwealth and beyond, with Ghana maintaining strong military ties to the UK since independence.
Her achievement is particularly significant at a time when there is growing national focus on youth leadership, women in security, and Ghana’s evolving role in regional peacekeeping operations.
News of her achievement has been met with pride back home. The Ghana Armed Forces have extended formal congratulations, while social media has seen an outpouring of support from across the country.
Her success is already being cited as an inspiration to young people, particularly girls, interested in careers in service, discipline, and leadership.
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