Een verhaal van 1 van de jongens uit Nsuta die we goed hebben leren kennen. Een aardige intelligente jongen van 27 die graag op onze blog wil schrijven wat hem bezighoudt. Kortom een kijkje in het leven en in de gedachten van een Ghanese jongeman.
"My Dutch Experience
27 years of my life has past and all that I could boost off was my age and things friends gave to me and borrowed items, not that I had no vision, I did but the way and manner to release it was the problem all attempt prove fatal. As provident will have it a year later I met this wonderful man I call my father in my own words then I knew my dream will definitely came true.
Neil Owusu Odame, well known in Nsuta the small mining community where I born as Brother a name my mother says means everything to her.
Born on the 5 day of May 1980 on a Monday to Mr. Kenneth Odame and Mrs. Deborah Doku in a family of been the only male child, and as Ghanaian custom demands I should be called Kojo, family name included I will be called Nana meaning a chief and Owusu my soul name simply put Nana Kojo Owusu. Because my mother is a Ga, a tribe in the greater Accra region I should called Nii Ayree, anyway I am single.
I started my elementary school at Dadwen and later completed my junior high school in Accra with excellent results. I proceeded to senior high school at Aggrey Memorial Zion School in the central region well known for education and its massive tourist attraction such as the longest man made canopy walk in sub Saharan Africa at the Kakum national park, forts and castle used in slave trade by the Dutch, Portuguese and the British and finally but not the last nice beaches and hotel to complement for a humble stay and rest.
I completed the senior high with bad results in 1999 so I had no option than to find a job so as to better my results along the way, I got myself a private security job but after a year things turn sour with few problems here and there so I had to stop.
Between 2002 and 2006 thing got really rough and though, life became bitter like bile and though as a conveyer belt if you know what I mean, I struggle with life trying to find a job and putting my education on track.
I later got a par- time job with a mineral laboratory firm where I was able to improve upon my results and believe me you it wasn’t easy, there is a Ghanaian saying that, ‘nothing good comes easily’ so it served as an encouraging factor, You can be sack at any time, call back at any time and the salary forget it below the minimum wage in the country.
I had no option than to stay with friends and mother at my age in Ghanaian society is abnormal, I totally lost my dignity among my peers and family even with my youngest sister because I could not buy or wear anything fashionable. I quite remember she once asked a friend to stop visiting me when I was admitted at a hospital, that she was wasting money and time on me, how I wish the hospital was in it present state at least to console me.
With my education I improved upon it from time to time, with much effort I was able to rewrite those papers that I fail and was ready to enter the university but there was no funds to enable me access it.
Hey love can not be missing in this; my agony became worse when a friend snatched my lovely girlfriend from me, for the reason that I have no steady work and she sees nothing good at the end of the tunnel.
In 2006 I was one of the fortunate guys to be employed by the GeoActive exploration company during that years GMC project, before everything could go I faced one of the most terrible moments of my life .I never thought that my own country man could discriminate against me but as I always say fear the man in black. I total stranger from another country resisted my sack and I was retained and actually trained me from a laborer to a GPS handler automatically a team leader.
It was at this time that it occurred to me that there could be several others with similar problem regarding job issues so I took upon myself to talk to some few guys about how to solve the on going problem, we approach management of GMC by the help of one gentle man, we had a fruitful meeting one evening and it was here that I meet the greatest man I have ever meet MR Dennis De Vries.
In my own way I will describe him as frank, conscious, generous, very focus and straight forward if I may say.
From there things have been great and believe me you, we have been able to make so many headways, it was not easy though I must confess because a year after exploration I went back to the lab and at the same time managing the information centre established by management of GMC to help solve the employment issues, I personal learnt a lot from that position especially time management because I came to release that there is only one time in the world.
Can you imagine that I was appointed to co-ordinate a training program? This ended up usefully.
Relationship with Mr. De Vries grew stronger and stronger although I earned no direct benefit I enjoyed working with them. Also I earned a lot of respect among my peers and in the community as well.
Exactly a year after I got employed into one of the important office of GMC, I promised myself not to impress anybody but rather make an impact, reach higher heights and also to achieve my goal of becoming a lawyer in eight years to come.
I was later introduced to the game of golf by Mr. De Vries another turning point in my life; I am sometimes given free lessons from him if the coach is very busy with other players. It was on the golf course that I personal encountered Mrs. De Vries the woman who has done a lot for Nsuta in the areas of health and education.
The hospital in the community although was in use, it was in poor condition some of the facilities there has been there for more than twenty years.
She furnished the hospital with beds, wheel chairs, paintings in the children’s ward and a lot of things the hospital needed most or were lacking, so at least the sick can be comfortable and psychologically recover as next to God is cleanness.
As for the education I am thrilled for her to think of helping the young ones use their time judiciously, she had no better way of going about it, all the best she could was to establish libraries each at both club houses, is really touching to see young ones join bus to go and read and make better use of their spare time, the kids are with joy when ever is library time and not only that there was a Christmas party for them too, what a way to enjoy Christmas, I sometimes wish I got this during my time, I would have been far head today and one other thing that makes me more happier is that kids in our community are assured of a very bright feature. The best gift you can ever give to a child is education.
Hey less I forget I cannot go on if I do not make mention of the pal who has been keeping this wonderful couple company Oscar is the name you all love to see this white Chinese chiwawa.
Our relationship has also present me with a great opportunity to learning the Dutch culture and also in return share with them mine culture and traditions, in fact my encounter with them has broaden my scope of understanding, thinking and one that I will always cherish. Their way of life is incomparable, no discrimination, honest, understanding and most of all generous.
The relationship has created sort of unfriendly attitude between me some colleagues and superiors at work which in actual fact does do not take a thing from me only I have to be extra careful.
Sometimes I wonder if it is was the same Dutchmen who inflicted pain, hunger anguish and all manner of inhuman act during the era of the slave trade or change the constant thing in life has taken it toll because the Dutch’s I have encountered are God sent.
To be installed as a developmental chief in Ghana takes a lot, let alone a Dutch been give that honor, it has happened here in Nsuta we now have a Dutch as developmental chief, because of his massive contribution.
The kind of contributions these couples together with other Dutch are making in mine community is laudable one such as setup of the two libraries at both club houses in order to facilitate learning in the community and renovation of the hospital giving hope to the sick and the depressed by Mrs. De Vries. Imagine if each expatriate makes such a contribution, Oh what a great community Nsuta will be?
I know and do believe that what is about to happen is more than what the eyes have already seen and witness.
The bible say blessed are those that eat from the fruit of their labor giving job to the jobless in order to earn some money and fulfill our dream by Mr. De Vries.
I am starting my degree program at the cape coast university in the central region fall this year hopefully a lawyer in some years to come.
God richly bless them and grant their wishes."
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AUTHOR Neil Owusu Odame