Enoch Addo is a Ghanaian based in Maryland, USA. He has lived in America for the past 29 years, after migrating with his wife in 1996 through the U.S. Diversity Visa Lottery.
Before moving abroad, Enoch lived in Madina, Accra, where he worked as an accountant for six years. Life as a salary worker was not easy — every weekend, he traveled to his hometown to farm and feed his family with food from his own harvest. Rent and utility bills were a struggle, but they managed through hard work and perseverance.
“I was 40 years old when I came to America,” he recalled. “I got married in 1981, and my wife and I have been together for 44 years. We didn’t know anyone in America when we arrived. We left our children in Ghana with my mother, thinking the visa covered them, but later discovered we had to apply for them separately. It took us six years before they could join us.”
Enoch and his wife started with cleaning jobs, even though he had been an accountant back home.
“My certificates didn’t work here,” he said. “So my wife and I decided to learn something new — we both became registered nurses. That decision changed our lives.”
Now approaching retirement at 69, Enoch says his wife has already retired, but he’s extending his own pension to earn a bit more before he stops working. Together, they have raised three children — two girls and one boy — all of whom have completed their master’s degrees in the U.S.. Each of them now owns a house and has started families of their own, blessing Enoch and his wife with six grandchildren.
They have also built their dream home at Oyarifa, Accra, and often visit Ghana. “We’ve built not only for ourselves but also helped our families. I even helped my brother complete university back home,” he said.
However, Enoch warns that life abroad is not as easy as it looks.
“Abrokyire is hard,” he emphasized. “If you get the chance to travel, come — it’s better than Ghana — but don’t think it’s all comfort. Without proper documents, life can be very difficult.”
He also shared his frustration about high import duties when bringing cars to Ghana. “I once bought a car at $12,200, and the duty was ₵124,000. Later, I brought another car for $17,000, and they charged ₵176,500 plus an extra ₵30,000. We are still paying COVID duties even though the pandemic is over,” he lamented.
Despite the challenges, Enoch remains thankful:
“I came to America with nothing, but through hard work, faith, and family unity, we’ve built a good life. Wherever you find yourself, if you work hard and stay focused, you can make it.”
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