For Those Who Wear The Brand
Global Aid Projects
Khadijah: The Teen Entrepreneur Defying The Odds In Kantamanto
Project Location
City:Kantamanta
State/Province/Region:
Greater Accra
Country:
Ghana
Project Coordinator
Name:Jostel O.
Country:
Ghana
Meet Khadijah.
Every morning, 16-year-old Khadijah wakes up on the streets of the Kantamanto market.
She does not attend school.
Instead, she sells second-hand clothes while sitting on the ground and works part-time as a 'Kayayo' - someone who carries shoppers' items around the market - as the income from the clothing business isn't enough for her to survive on.
The world she lives in is permeated by an acrid stench caused by polluted water bodies, dumping sites, and cow dung.
The pervasive pollution and smell makes her hustle on the street ten times worse than it would be otherwise, she says.
To make matters worse, drivers on the untarred roads kick up dust make it hard for her to breathe as it coats her clothing and plugs her nose.
And then there are the swarms of houseflies that plague her and her friends every day.
As children living on the street, Khadijah and her friends struggle to find warm, hygienic food.
Sometimes, they have to beg someone to heat their meals to avoid stomach issues (which occurs a lot). Khadijah in particular takes this very seriously because she has a very sensitive stomach and no health insurance for medical care.
Two days ago, heavy rain left her soaked as she slept in out in the open market.
Nights like these, whether rainy or cold, take a toll on her spirit.
But even with all these challenges, Khadijah dreams of one day having a decent house to shield her from the cold, and a successful business to put food on the table for her and her family back home.
"In Kantamanto, everyone is out for themselves", she says. "There is no sense of community, and you have to survive by yourself. Most of the well-to-do see those living on the street as a problem. They feel we should just go back to the north or wherever we migrated from."
But Khadijah is determined to achieve her dream, which is to train as a hairstylist and have her own salon business.
Khadijah feels that this is her rock bottom, and that it's only up from here.
To help her on her journey, we gave her a backpack with a one month supply of food, some toothpaste and a new dress that she can go to church in.
Khadijah was overwhelmed with the gift.
She says that this surprise gift affirms her hope that there are good people out there and that life can indeed change for the better in an instant.
This project was funded by proceeds generated through
CowboyCustoms.co & ForThoseWhoWearTheBrand,
as well as by donations made directly to this project.
Through their purchases, our customers are partnering with us to actively make the world a better place.
Every morning, 16-year-old Khadijah wakes up on the streets of the Kantamanto market.
She does not attend school.
Instead, she sells second-hand clothes while sitting on the ground and works part-time as a 'Kayayo' - someone who carries shoppers' items around the market - as the income from the clothing business isn't enough for her to survive on.
The world she lives in is permeated by an acrid stench caused by polluted water bodies, dumping sites, and cow dung.
The pervasive pollution and smell makes her hustle on the street ten times worse than it would be otherwise, she says.
To make matters worse, drivers on the untarred roads kick up dust make it hard for her to breathe as it coats her clothing and plugs her nose.
And then there are the swarms of houseflies that plague her and her friends every day.
As children living on the street, Khadijah and her friends struggle to find warm, hygienic food.
Sometimes, they have to beg someone to heat their meals to avoid stomach issues (which occurs a lot). Khadijah in particular takes this very seriously because she has a very sensitive stomach and no health insurance for medical care.
Two days ago, heavy rain left her soaked as she slept in out in the open market.
Nights like these, whether rainy or cold, take a toll on her spirit.
But even with all these challenges, Khadijah dreams of one day having a decent house to shield her from the cold, and a successful business to put food on the table for her and her family back home.
"In Kantamanto, everyone is out for themselves", she says. "There is no sense of community, and you have to survive by yourself. Most of the well-to-do see those living on the street as a problem. They feel we should just go back to the north or wherever we migrated from."
But Khadijah is determined to achieve her dream, which is to train as a hairstylist and have her own salon business.
Khadijah feels that this is her rock bottom, and that it's only up from here.
To help her on her journey, we gave her a backpack with a one month supply of food, some toothpaste and a new dress that she can go to church in.
Khadijah was overwhelmed with the gift.
She says that this surprise gift affirms her hope that there are good people out there and that life can indeed change for the better in an instant.
This project was funded by proceeds generated through
CowboyCustoms.co & ForThoseWhoWearTheBrand,
as well as by donations made directly to this project.
Through their purchases, our customers are partnering with us to actively make the world a better place.
© 2024 ForThoseWhoWearTheBrand.com
