Meet Blessing.
A mother, a farmer, a very kind human.
Meet Blessing. On her back? Her sweet daughter, Perry. Blessing lived just down the road from me in Koforidua, near where the old phone booth used to be. I met her at her fruit stand, where she sold different delicious Ghanaian delicacies every day. I saw Blessing almost every day when I lived in Kof, and I would like to tell you a little bit about her.
Blessing is the epitome of kind and hard working. When I asked her if she knew of any farms around the town that we–my volunteers and I–could visit, and see any type of planting or harvesting, she was quick to volunteer her own. She farms on her uncle's land, and soon we were there.
Blessing took us around each part of the farm to explain the different crops being grown. From cocoa, to pawpaw, she explained how to plant, care for, and harvest each one–all while carrying Perry on her back. thankfully, Perry warmed up to us, and we were able to share the weight of carrying her through the farm.
Blessing knew we were eager to learn as much as we could, so she gave us experience propagating cassava, while teaching us about the different varieties and their benefits. She was a wealth of knowledge about Ghanaian tropical agriculture–and I cannot help but reflect on how ignorant I was to her expertise prior to our trip to the farm. I had met and spoke with Blessing for weeks, but never truly enquired more about what she did for a living.
I am so thankful for Blessings' time that day, and although I made sure to compensate her for her time as an agricultural trainer for our group–it was not nearly what she deserved for her spontaneous generosity. I was glad to keep Blessing as a friend throughout the rest of my year in Ghana. I think of her often, and hope to go back to visit her soon.
In Blessing's resilience, kindness, and entrepreneurial spirit, I find a shining example of the power of perseverance and the boundless potential that lies within each individual, no matter the obstacles they face. I know Blessing is a busy woman–as is the life of any single mother–but her constant hard work for her daughter and herself, coupled with the selflessness shown toward us, is the epitome of grit and heart.
