On a Quest....

On a Quest ...

It has been 3 years since I came to Canada. Though, I enjoy living in Canada, I still carry with me 18 years of unforgettable memories about Ghana. The place I first called home, formed my first friendships and experienced my first struggles. I miss the cock-crow, the annoyingly incessant chirping of the morning birds, whilst sweeping my grandmother’s large compound, littered with leaves from two gigantic mango trees. Like any other girl, living behind this world I had come to know and learn about was fearful. Moving to a different country, a place with a vast array of opportunities was however one of the many times I had experienced change and it was bittersweet. Indeed this move would mark a journey of new growth in my life. I needed to arm myself with discipline, courage and openness.

In University, I became familiar with words like racism, gender, equality, female empowerment, and the additional blessings of a working internet at home filled me with joy and sparked an interest about these concepts. Here, my identity as a racial minority became evident and open. I became aware of my “less significant” role as a woman. As idealistic as it may seem, I began to also nurture my vision of a world where everyone was treated equally regardless of sex, race and gender. The education I am receiving in Canada commissions me to position myself as an ambassador who will serve others . I consider my decision to join Voices of the Future a courageous one and as part of my journey to find answers and find perfect opportunities to gain experience working with other women who share a commitment to integrating scholarly inquiry, critical problem-solving methods and practical strategies for intervention in real life situations affecting the well-being of women locally and globally.

Vivid memories of women and children experiencing poverty, abuse and hunger not only in Ghana but everywhere frame my mind, they pass, yet their power engulfs the silhouette of my body to stillness. My mind cannot fathom and my tongue rolls without pause between sequential Ws. Who? When? Why? What? Nevertheless, my story does not end with just a feeling but a heart bleed and a very curious attitude to find a solution to the problems that plague women in this world. So I am confident that whether it was volunteering at my church for the girls’ fellowship, or attending “Take Back the Night” rally to end violence against women or attending the 2011 Women’s Worlds Conference, I have gotten closer to my destination. Having both of these worlds humble me to believe in the possibilities of change, the need to look beyond myself as a person and “to give when I get and teach when I learn” as summed up inspiringly by Maya Angelou