Sodom and Gomorrah is a popular residence in Accra
for young men and women who are believed to have migrated mostly from the three
northern regions of Ghana seek employment and improve their
standard of living.
However, the rampant negative reports about
residents living in Sodom and Gomorrah has truly affected those positive people
who are working tirelessly to raise money to cater for themselves and their
families back home.
Regarded as the largest slum in Ghana, Sodom and
Gomorrah is highly significant for its wealth of filth and garbage. The slum is
also well-known as a den for armed robbers, prostitutes, drug dealers,
adultery, fornication, gay acts as well as child prostitution, child
trafficking and child labour.
A recent study carried by Motivate Ghana has
indicated that, not all residents living in Sodom and Gomorrah are into such unscrupulous
practices, there are some who despite all the negative reports had stayed
positive and are taking giant strides to improve their lives .
Rahinatu Abdul Raziz, like many Kayayies, at age 17
came from Janga in the Northern part of Ghana to Accra specifically Old Fadama
community, popularly called Sodom and Gomorrah to seek for a job that could
earn her money to look after her parents and 6 siblings back in the village.
“Life in my village was very tough, and the work of
my parents wasn’t lucrative enough to cater for us. So as the first child who
wanted a better living and also gain money to cater for my family, I had no
other option than to come to Accra to search for a job since I couldn’t find
one in my village”
The first place of accommodation Rahinatu could
think of was to live with some friends who had already familiarized with the
system of living on the streets of Sodom and Gomorrah.
With no form of educational background, finding a
lucrative job in Accra became very challenging for the vulnerable young girl so
she joined the usual form of occupation ‘Kayayo’ pursued almost by the majority
of young girls who migrate to Accra.
Living on the streets of Sodom and Gomorrah – the
largest slum in Accra, are these young men and women mostly Kayayies who have
migrated from various villages in the Northern part of Ghana.
To be a Kayayo in Ghana does not require any form of
formal education, skills nor money. All that one needs to start is the strength
and a head pan. Their work is to carry heavy loads of food and household goods
on their head for little money.
“I was in the kayayo business for a very long time
and slept in a wooden structure with some friends. Our lives were exposed to
danger. At night, we sometimes get attacked by armed robbers when we are asleep
and some of my friends were even raped and molested. To most of us, due to the
unfavourable living condition in Sodom and Gomorrah, we never thought of saving
some of the little money we had. I preferred to spend all the profits I gained
in a day than to take it home for armed robbers to attack me at night”
According to Rahinatu, for over ten years on the
streets of Agbogbloshie in Accra, she couldn’t even boast of a pesewa as savings
money, she spent all the profits she had in a day with the hope of going back
to the street as a Kayayo the next day to gain another money due to the numerous
armed robbery attacks at night.
But she claimed that, with the help of an NGO and
authorities of the National Association of Kayayies in Accra, the importance of
saving was introduced to them ‘Kayayies’ and she took advantage of that.
During that time, Rahinatu had gotten a permanent
shop where she was employed as the shop kayayo. So she goes to the shop early
in the morning to carry heavy loads for customers who came to purchase from the
shop.
“After the introduction of the susu (saving small
amounts of money over a period of time to build a lump sum that may be used
when needs arise in the future), I started to save more of my profit and spend
less. And that has truly see me to this far”
Pregnant with her first child, Rahinatu decided to
change job since the kayayo business was very stressful as a pregnant woman.
She started to sell basic items which were purchased in front of her kiosk with
her savings.
“Business started booming, and everyone in the area
came to my shop to buy. I didn’t have some of the items they asked for and that
was very disturbing. I later spoke to heads of the National Association of
Kayayies where I did my susu and they agreed to lend me some money. My husband
also helped with some of the money and I started from there. As time went on I
realized people came to me to ask for foodstuff to buy which I didn’t have, so I
brought them in”
Rahinatu today, has settled her debt with the National
Association of Kayayies and her shop is now considered as the biggest provision
shop in Sodom and Gomorrah. She sells almost everything one would needs for a
daily purposes. She is also now the breadwinner in her family – she pays for
her siblings’ school fees and has enrolled some into apprenticeship.
Currently, Rahinatu is married with five children of
which the first child is in his second year at Tamale Senior High School.
Her prayer has always been to get enough money to
relocate from the slum area which is also believed to be a den for criminals
even though there are some genuine hardworking residents over there. She lamented that the recent demolishing
exercise in Sodom and Gomorrah has really affected her market and has planned
to move to a convenient location anytime soon.
Rahinatu however advised all Kayayies to learn how
to save the little money that comes to their hands and also make good use of their
time.
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To be continue...
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