Reaction : Barefoot While Others Drive

Even though my bro was a straight A student, he got stuck what concerns his final and outside exams, never getting the desired results. His common entrance exams weren't a piece of cake for him - he was placed at his second-choice school because of his entrance test marks. To make matters worse, he did not clear his O-Levels and joined the summer school along with the rest of his classmates.

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When the time came for my brother to enroll in the sixth form, my mom, being a teacher, asked a favor from a friend who was the principal of a boys' secondary school. After a series of talks, the headmaster finally agreed to the admission of my brother.

Back then, three years for a degree was the norm, but my brother broke that limit by taking six years, during which he repeated two years and finally graduated with a third class.

The moment he got through with his national service, my sister was the one who got him a one-year contract job. However, when the contract expired and was not renewed, he found himself back home, pondering over the prospect of traveling abroad.

Numerous hustlers kept accessing my father's resources in their quest for this dream, but none of the plans worked out. Finally, he made up his mind to go to the UK for ACCA studies. The money was not enough, so my parents were his financial backers from Ghana, even making rent payments for him.

He started off with his studies little by little, and with time, the bulk of his friends had already done their master’s and returned to Ghana, which made him think of his own master's. On one occasion, having come back from class, he found that the thief had taken his money and laptop, but there was no sign of a break-in. He was so sad that he just sat on the floor and kept asking, “Kwesi, what was I put on this earth to do?”

He graduated with a master's degree and had only three months remaining on his visa. He wished to live and work in the UK, but my mom was the one who advised him to go back home. So he came back to Ghana carrying only a suitcase, his diplomas, and lots of dreams.

His job hunt took him to many places, but the market was tight. Later on, through the intervention of my brother-in-law, he was able to land a government job that paid just 300 cedis, while everyone else in his group was earning 1000 cedis. Still, he did not give up but rather put in extra effort.

At one point, he needed to visit my mom asking for her prayers ahead of an interview in Accra. As the fervent prayer warrior she was, she prayed diligently. Interviewing for the position, he then got a second chance after the first one. At the final interview stage, they inquired about the respective candidates’ salaries. The other candidate gave a higher figure, while my brother honestly stated his salary to be 300 cedis.

The company asked for their payslips and, at the end, the one who told the truth won. My brother was the one hired.

It was an oil company, and soon enough, his life got a major upgrade. His monthly salary increased from 300 cedis to 3,000 cedis. Even though this was more than 20 years ago, one can only guess how much he is earning now. He is the one who supports the family financially.

When I was getting ready to go to the USA, he gave me some money saying, “Use this for the visa costs of one of your children.” He is no longer a stranger to foreign travel as he enjoys all-expenses-paid first-class tickets that go through Accra, just as if he was going to Tema. Once, he even told a story about a flight to the US where he was the President’s seatmate  President Akuffo Addo.

My personal story reflects resilience. I was, at one point, unable to get enough to eat, but now, my situation is completely different. I have plenty of food, and I can even ride in a 2025 car.

I want to share with Kweku that this is God's miracle. I understand it’s hard; however, I still urge you not to lose hope. Stay strong; wonderful things are coming!

—Nina

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