Our fresh breeze from the coast.

Girls from John Wesley Methodist Basic School

Our bonding with these wonderful girls began in December 2023, when they were in Basic four. They attend John Wesley Methodist Basic School which is located in the James Town community, a suburb of Accra. Four of the girls live within the James Town community and one of them commutes from Chorkor to school. Chorkor is another suburb in Accra and is quite close to James Town.

Sandra Hammond’s parents are fisherfolks. Her mother lives at Chorkor and the father lives in the James Town community. For Sandra to be punctual and be of good behaviour in school, she has to live with her grandmother and uncle at Havana which is a walking distance to the school.

Sandra is a fourteen-year-old girl with no inhibitions. She is very expressive and determined to MAKE IT to any level. Three years ago, when we started engaging Sandra, she appeared to be quiet in our sessions with her mostly because she was not eloquent in the King’s language. Now, she does not mind whether she makes mistakes or not, she says whatever comes to mind because she knows she’ll be corrected when she falters and learn from her mistakes. She has improved tremendously with her academic work and she is determined to be a better student. She is very energetic. She won two medals recently in athletics – 100 metres dash and 200 metres relay sprint. She also loves playing football. It is no wonder that she wants to join the armed forces in future. She is the self-acclaimed leader of the group and will correct or report anyone who falls foul in their dealings.

Twelve-year-old Esther Essuman wants to be a nurse in future. She lives at Palladium – a stone's throw from the school. Her father is a mason and her mother sells cooked rice and pork stew close to where they live. On Saturdays when her mother is busy, she will go to Agbogbloshie, a major market centre and buy pork for her mother to use in her trade.

Esther is active and very competitive in class. English is her favourite subject and loves reading. She enjoys any pick and act game.

Millicent Yeboah comes from Kwahu Bepong in the Eastern Region but lives at the London Market with her mother and three siblings. Her father – Daniel Yeboah - hardly stays with them because he is a long-distance cargo driver. Her mother – Martha Bamfo – sells fruits at the CMB market which is not too far from her school. Sometimes, she goes home after school at 3pm, drops her school bag, changes her clothes and quickly go to the market to help her mother.

“How do you help your mother?” I asked. “When my mother is negotiating prices with buyers, I will take care of other buyers who are waiting to be served. Sometimes, my mother would be tired so when I get there, she will sit back and watch me serve her customers as she relaxes and eats”. Isn’t that refreshing!

12-year-old Millicent is very good with her English studies and loves Mathematics. She is very calm and would love to be a nurse in future.

Agnes Whyte is twelve years old and lives at Mudor in the James Town community with her mother and three siblings. Her mother, Madam Sheila Lamptey is a cleaner and a petty trader. Sometimes she accompanies her mother on Saturdays to Agbogbloshie to sell bathing and washing soap. Her father is a tailor from Winneba in the Central Region.

Agnes loves mathematics, enjoys playing ludu and would love to be a medical doctor in future.

Christabel Antia is the eldest of six siblings. She lives at Chorkor with her parents and siblings. She helps her mother sometimes in the morning to prepare banku - a local corn dish- and fried fish. When there is not enough fried fish to sell with banku, 12-year-old Christabel’s mother will wake her up at dawn to assist her in frying the fish whilst the mother prepares the banku. She does this with relish and speed because she could not afford to be late for school. 

Chorkor is a densely populated area and the earlier she stands by the roadside to look for tro-tro (local mini bus) to commute to school, the earlier she will get to school – she cannot afford to be late. Christabel is quiet in class. She is very careful in answering questions in class because she does not want to make mistakes. She loves sports and would love to be a police officer in future.