“Accra stay by plan,” they say. If you want to make it in this city, you need to bring your A-game. Living in Accra is no walk in the park. You’ve got to be tough, resilient. It’s a blend of fun and hustle, a relentless cycle of ambition and hard work.
While on one of BigFamily TV’s usual explorations, we encountered Miss Belinda, a young mother whose story instantly resonated with me. At just 22, she’s already demonstrated a level of strength and selflessness rarely seen, especially among Accra’s youth. After losing her baby’s father, she gave up everything to care for her then 9-month-old child. While many teenagers in Accra chase fleeting pleasures, often blind to the crumbling world around them, Belinda made a conscious choice to sacrifice her youthful indulgences, to get her hands dirty in the real world, trusting that one day, she could reclaim those joys and build a brighter future.
It was a sweltering Monday morning when we spotted Belinda, her black skin radiating a natural beauty that even the harsh Accra sun couldn’t diminish. Yet, it was evident that life had taken its toll, stealing some of her youthful glow. As she walked by, carrying her burden I couldn’t help but wonder, “What is such a beauty doing under this burning cruel sun?” As she shared her story with BigFamily News, Belinda revealed that she chose to drop out of school with a clear vision – to become a successful businesswoman. “For school, I quitted school myself. Even before I completed Junior High School, I learnt a trade. I learnt how to braid and bead making. And I was able to complete the learning of the trade.”
Solomon Beko, presenter at BigFamily News, couldn’t help but press her further, asking about her motive for abandoning her education. “Nothing, I just felt I don’t like school. I think I liked work better. I thought work would help me. Because even when I’m done with school, I will still be coming back to work. So I felt if I quit school for work, it would be better than for me to waste my time at school. So that’s why I forced myself to complete Junior High School. But I did not continue after that.”
Her words struck me like a lightning bolt. I paused, grappling with the enormity of her decision. “Are there really people who would just feel like quitting school in this world today? When almost everything is about school.” Yes, I know, success stories abound of those who thrived without formal education – names like Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Mark Zuckerberg. But these are individuals who sparked great revolutions. Could Belinda, this young woman with her humble ice kenkey, possess that same spark? The thought swirled in my head. “Or does she have a bigger plan than the mere ice-kenkey bowl I am seeing on her head?” Remember, “Accra Stay By Plan”.
Belinda is just 22 years old, a single mother fiercely devoted to her son. “The only one I know in my family is my mother,” she confessed, “She is the only one who has always been there for me.” In Ghana, and I must emphasize this, a young unmarried woman with a child often faces societal judgment. She’s often labeled as “Ak)la B)ne” (a “bad child”). Belinda acknowledges this stigma, but it doesn’t define her.
She loved her son. She lived happily with her mum and her baby daddy until the unfortunate happened – the demise of her baby daddy. And since after then, she had to take on all the responsibility. Reflecting on the life she had before everything changed, she shared the pivotal decision to sell her iPhone XR to fund her entrepreneurial journey. “When I finished learning my trade, I wanted to make a shop. And I am a mother with one child. I can’t just get up and put a container down. So I had to start from somewhere. I sold my phone for GHC2100, which I deposited part and I used 500 cedis for the ice kenkey. And yes, I am benefiting from it. So I believe little by little, I will be able to fix the container and I will start work.”
As she spoke, her arms instinctively crossed, a brief, almost imperceptible movement that unveiled a small tattoo etched onto her left hand. It was a subtle flash, but enough to hint at a past life, a world she once inhabited – a life some might label as “street girl,” a term often used, and often misunderstood, in Ghanaian communities.
It was a stark reminder that in Accra, the city of dreams and struggles, anything is possible. Life throws you curveballs, and you have to adapt. When the path gets hard, you get hard too. When it gets soft, be ready to get soft too. Accra, in its chaotic glory, truly has everything.
As our conversation deepened, Belinda’s unwavering resolve to realize her entrepreneurial dreams shone through. She spoke of life’s many faces, the highs and the lows she’d already experienced, and her determination to give it her all, even if it meant sacrificing relationships and relying solely on herself.
Belinda dreams of expanding her ice kenkey business and is openly seeking support from anyone who can help her achieve that goal. “Yes, I need help,” she admitted. “Because I am a single mother as well. And I want to do everything to make my son comfortable. He attends school as well. And I am the only one. Aside the ice kenkey, there is nothing else I do in addition. So if I can get that support, I will be happy.” Throughout our time together, her smile never faltered, leaving me in awe of her resilience and strength.
Before we concluded, Belinda had a message for other young women. “I am the only child between my late dad and my mother. I will advice young girls like me out there to work and not depend on men for money,” she urged. “Working is fun because you get to afford what you want, other than waiting for someone to give it to you. I will tell my ladies to work, at least, do something for yourself. The man you are depending on cannot take care of you till forever, he will even start seeing you to be useless at a point, so do something for yourself. Prostitution is no work.”
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IS true any lady need to do something for herself but not to depend on her guy at last will disgrace u to his friends