HOMELESS NOT HOPELESS

Featured article: Authored by Eyokro Sie Bediako Isaiah (TTAG-ASHBA Sector President)

As dusk was falling, his grandmother was thinking of how to feed Kofi her beloved. Kofi had become a burden on her since he lost his parents on a fatal accident off the Techiman-Kintampo road in the late 90’s. She could not stop fighting with other parents as their children beat Kofi everyday due to his frail nature which was the order of the day in Loora, a village near Nyire in the Banda District in the Bono Region of Ghana.

Five years of good mother care, she left him suddenly and painfully to the join her ancestors. “Why my comforter, why my guardian, why my god? You’re too wicked;oh! Death”, he said in purr. He’s now a ‘street boy’ after being driven from the house by his uncle who disliked her mother before her death. Gallivanting could be his way, I guess. With hardwork and determination, he stopped schooling for two years as he was employed as herdsman.

In our first meeting, he liked me. I had just come for holidays and surprisingly, he decided to follow me to Wenchi the next term to continue his education. Asking him why? His answer was “I want to become a great person in future”. How? I asked again. “I’m homeless not hopeless”,said Kofi. I could not utter a word after hearing this, even though my friends laughed at him. His selfless, obedience and hardwork could lead him to his ambition, I said to myself. He had a great sense of love and caring from everyone in the house he lived at Wenchi. This motivated him greatly to emerge as the overall best student of both BECE and WASSCE at L/A Model 2’C JHS and Wenchi Methodist Senior High School respectively. A scholarship was awarded to him to study at Martyrs of Uganda University, Uganda. One of the renowned universities in Africa.

In his second visit to Ghana, after his admission into the university, he was invited to the 5th Anniversary grand durbar of the Banda-Nyire Youth for Development as the guest speaker. As the President of this noble association, I was perplexed even though I knew what he could do, he was super fantastic that day. He said a lot but much emphasis was laid on this. ” Yes I come from a village and so what? The only difference between they and I as a village boy is the fact that they have opportunities and I have experience so why should I allow my geographical location to define my weaknesses and inabilities.

The time has come for us to come out of our shells since the inspirational and motivational message by Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Minister of Education has heated us as he said “The child who will develop Ghana does not live in Accra”.

Be inspired with this and work harder towards your goal and you shall surely define your destiny. We’re homeless not hopeless.

Thank you.

Eyokro Sie Bediako Isaiah
TTAG-ASHBA Sector
President

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