My name is Francisca Appiah and I am a nurse. I was born in a small village in the Asante region of Ghana called Nkwankwaa, surrounded by vast fields and the sound of crickets at night.
The main occupation of the population is agriculture. Growing up in a close-knit family, I learned the values of hard work and the importance of personal relationships. My parents, despite not being rich, made sure we had everything we needed, often sacrificing their own comfort. I have vivid memories of my mother teaching me how to prepare food in our outdoor kitchen, while my father worked long hours as a miner in Tarkwa.
As a child, I often helped my family by selling vegetables, fish and other products from home. I was aware of their difficulties, so I was happy to contribute, especially knowing how hard my parents worked to raise me and my four siblings.
As I entered adolescence, I had to face internal struggles, often torn between the desire to fit in and the desire to maintain my authenticity. My awkwardness and shyness made it difficult for me to make friends, resulting in a lot of loneliness, despite the presence of classmates and family. However, during this time, I learned to persevere and found solace in studying and activities such as reading and drawing.
I remained determined to pursue my dreams. When I finished junior secondary school in 2015, I had the opportunity to live with my teacher in Kumasi. She believed in my potential. Moving from a quiet village to a bustling city was both exciting and overwhelming in terms of navigating the new environment. Soon after, I was transferred to the Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi to study Home Science for three years.
Overcoming the challenges of my new environment, I discovered my passion for helping others, which led me to pursue a diploma in nursing at St Patrick’s School of Nursing and Midwifery Training in Offinso-Maase.
However, after completing my training and mandatory national service in February 2023, I hit a stumbling block: the government has still to give the green light to award my promotion, a process that can take three to four years. To support myself during this time, I became a mobile money agent (MoMo) and work long hours to cover my basic needs.
Although the business has its challenges, especially in terms of security, my resilience and the knowledge I gained during my training as a nurse have helped me build a successful business. Now, many girls in Nkwankwaa and my neighborhood in Sunyani look to me for inspiration and advice.
Reflecting on my journey, I realize that resilience, adaptability and staying true to myself have been my greatest strengths. I look forward to being deployed as a registered nurse and continuing my training to contribute effectively to Ghana’s healthcare system. I also dream of reaching out to young girls, especially in rural areas, to help and motivate them to deal with the complexities of life. In doing so, I will take advantage of what I have learned along the way. (Illustration: Francis Marín)