Youths Mentoring Abilities Professionally

Want to join me in making a difference? I am raising money to benefit Youths Mentoring Abilities Professionally (Youthsmap), and Octagon Foundation in loving memory of Nana Abena Osei. Any donation will help make an impact. Thanks in advance for your contribution to this cause, it means so much and will help many.

In December 2022 my family and I journeyed to Ghana to honor the memory of our sister, wife, mother, auntie and friend Nana Abena Osei. My family and I decided to take a different approach to the season with Nana and her approach to life in mind…giving, helping and emboldening. Little did we know this was going to be such an impact on the youth and lead us into a village called Kenyase in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

On the second day in Ghana on our trip, we conducted community service cleaning the grounds of Achimota Police Station and Hospital. We used the opportunity to also celebrate the accomplishments of YouthsMAP, especially our graduates and encouraged the youth to get involved in their communities as they aspire to reach their academic excellence. We were the happiest learning of one of Nana Abena’s Mentees who she vigorously advocated for and sponsored passing all his board exams and is now a certified chartered accountant.

We were invited to serve on Christmas Day by Octagon Foundation’s founder Francis Donkor-Baa. Our journey on Christmas Eve to Kenyase was no joke. A 4-hour journey turned into a 14-hour Mecca nightmare. Though I was in big denial that our van to Kenyase was a trotro, truth be told we will call a spade a spade and leave it at that. The traffic in Kumasi, getting lost, those bumpy roads and dust were making me silently regret my decision for Christmas 2022. I know everyone in my bougie trotro was thinking what I was thinking…WHY? Getting to the Octagon Foundation lodge and hearing the Christmas music and mood going, 4 am into the morning was like a bad dream.

We woke up to the beautiful sound of “krookokoo”, a sweet childhood memory of the cock. crowing (cock-a-doodle-doo). We stepped out into the beautiful lodge environment and setup. With my tired and less enthused self, I wondered, what was going on? Long story short, my mood changed after seeing and participating in the communal eating of one of my favorite foods, kenkey, fresh pepper and fish. I suddenly remembered why we were there and my sister Nana Abena Osei-- how she would have been the lead and life of the party, bringing in the celebration and party mood.

We got handed t-shirts and our marching orders. We were going to the prisons and feeding the village orphans and widows. Okay, I thought. Little did I know that we were to welcome and serve over 1000 orphans and widows in addition to 250 prisoners. I must say Christmas of 2022, was one of the most humbling and wonderful experiences I’ve ever had. Seeing the children flood in with their "bronya" (Christmas) attire and mood. Seeing the smiles and models in their best attire awaiting to receive their goodies, was such a pleasant sight. The moon bounce, and the giggling and happy shouts of excited children still ring in my ear. The faces of the prisoners and widows after hearing the encouraging words from Nana Nkosuohene aka Mr. Francis Donkor-Baa continue to stay with me. The expressions of gratefulness witnessed in their eyes, Nana Abena’s imaginable smile and nod of encouragement became something I see every day since that wonderful Christmas Day. That is why I have been asking myself the question, do you remember Nana Abena Osei? If yes, how? I remember Nana Abena Osei as one who left her door never locked in case someone needed a place to stay. One who invited all to the party because she never wanted to leave anyone out. One who never hesitated to give or help anyone in need and whose heart was as big as the unimaginable heaven where she currently resides.

If you knew Nana Abena Osei personally or knew of her, I would like you to pause for a minute and ask yourself, how do I remember Nana Abena Osei? I encourage you to join me to honor her memory. In honor of Nana Abena Osei, join YouthsMAP and Octagon Foundation to stock up on girls' and boys' socks, girls' underwear, boys' boxers, and books for the Kenyase orphans and continue her sponsorship of tertiary education for underprivileged, but brilliant youths.

Please consider donating one or two of your splurging money (for coffee, ice cream, SHOES—yes she loved SHOES, etc.) for the Nana Abena Osei’s Remembrance Project. Thank you in advance for sharing this blog and donating.

Click here for more pictures and videos from Christmas Day 2022 at Octagon Foundation and YouthsMAP Day.