Sunday 17 January 2016

HELP ABOARD 1

USING WHAT WE HAVE

There was never a day my father would not enquire from me how my day was at school and even now, at work. He would teach me especially mathematics and science (though I had a personal tutor for that). He made studying fun and fascinating such that I always recalled his teaching spectacles even during examinations. 

My mother equally contributed to my academic development by establishing the basics of mathematics through simple addition, subtraction and multiplication exercises with the use of “counters” (crown corks of soft drinks we gathered) plus who would possibly forget about the “times” (multiplication) table?. She taught my brother and me how to combine letters of the English alphabet to form simple words and then gradually to more advanced words. I remember how proud I was when I was able to pronounce “bicycle” on my own without mama’s help. I guess I was about five or six years of age.  She also organized reading and essay writing competitions often between my brother and me. That is how we earned our first bicycles and video game.

Mama made sure that at least I knew how to cook and do laundry. I must say that laundry was my specialty at a very young age. I was even enrolled into music school at eight years old. I used to play soccer and do some athletics in basic and high schools respectively. Though I have never had a keen interest in politics, I have had some experience in leadership. 

I cast my mind back at all these and thank God for the opportunities I have had. With these I am equally thankful for all my teachers, friends and even the people who came into and left my life at some point. I, however, have an incessant deafening inner cry in the silence of my thoughts of how much opportunities most girls in our society may not have had thrown their way for their holistic development. It gets worse when I see these street porters (popularly known as “kayayos) who do what they do with all resilience in the bid to make ends meet. I look especially at the younger ones and see great potentials in every single one of them. Then I ask myself if the society or individuals perceive what I see in them and if they do, have they considered ways of helping to make them better?

 I am particularly concerned about the development of girls from all walks of life i.e their developmental journey and their future destinations. Thoughts and visions do not have any meaning if the steps are not taken, one at a time, to make them a reality. I am certain that a lot of them have visions in life but the means to make them real. My parents have been a great source of motivation to me and like them various means can be adopted in helping the less privileged ones develop. Holistic development comes in various forms, from the acquisition of domestic skills to academic attainment. It definitely involves maximizing their potentials for the best. If for instance, one perceives lack of courtesy in some girls or group of younger ones, steps can be taken to teach them what courtesy is; so can they be encouraged to legitimately pursue their passions in life through good guidance. It all starts from somewhere. Let us not depend on government. Individuals could come together to tackle such issues at the community level then probably to the district and then gradually to the national levels. I believe in helping others in our own ways, we will contribute immensely to the betterment of the human resource and the development of Ghana as a nation. It lies in our hands. Let us therefore help them aboard with what we have for the sake of the future.

Audrey Anim-Ankumah
Biomedical Scientist


2 comments:

  1. Indeed, let's help them aboard with what we have for the sake of the future.
    Anytime I read this, I am reminded that we can do better as a nation.
    Kudos Miss Anim-Ankumah

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  2. Great piece Ms. Ankumah!!!! We can all help better this nation........

    ReplyDelete