Mary Yeboah

A girl vs the Pandemic

As a young girl growing up in my small Ghanaian town, Techiman, I often found myself questioning what more there were beyond the borders of my small town. From my nine-year-old imagination of seeing the big world one day to using my passion to initiate changes in underserved communities like mine, my life has been filled with action-oriented initiatives ever since moving to the states. My passion to help others consistently urges me to take action. The urge to consistently help others stem from an experience I had when I was nine years old. It all began in Techiman, Ghana on Wednesday May,11,2011. Sɛdea na me sa yaw?” or “How do I heal suffering?” were the exact native Akan words coming out of my nine year old mouth. We were at our small family house, where my grandmother or nanabasia laid on her favorite clothed Ghanaian Kente bed. In the Ghanaian tradition, when the head of the house is ill, family members gather around he or she to comfort them. On that Wednesday night, my nanabasia children, grandchildren, and great great grandchildren gathered around her like chicks surrounding their hens. The clouds were dark, filled with the cries of birds or “anumaa”. The air was thick with the heaviness placed on my chest. Questions enveloped my thoughts, wrapping uncertainty around me like a blanket. That Wednesday was the closest I’ve ever come to seeing death. My “Nanabasia” tears were non-existent but I saw the pain that crept her cheeks. Those memories captivated my heart to wanting to help people.