Maame, a Ghanaian based in Canada, has shared her honest experience about living abroad and why she is considering returning home.
She revealed that she moved to Canada in 2023 and sought asylum, hoping for better opportunities. However, according to her, the reality has been far from what she expected. Speaking on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide show with DJ Nyaami, Maame explained that life on asylum support is extremely difficult. “The money you receive is not enough—it’s like robbing Peter to pay Paul,” she said.
Maame works as a caregiver, taking care of elderly people—a job she admits she never imagined doing back in Ghana. “If I were in Ghana, I wouldn’t be doing this kind of work, caring for someone’s mother and handling such personal duties, by removing their diapers and faeces, she noted.
She also shared the story of a friend who worked for a year, managed to save some money, but eventually lost the job and had to use all the savings to settle bills. According to her, this reflects how difficult it is to make real financial progress abroad.
Maame said she had to convince her husband before traveling, and after explaining the realities—including earnings and expenses—he began to understand her decision. She added that when converted to Ghana cedis, the money earned abroad may seem substantial, but the cost of living cancels out any real benefit.
She warned Ghanaians against selling their properties to travel abroad, stressing that “there’s no easy life here.” According to her, many people abroad are struggling silently. “People look fine on the outside, but most are lonely and going through a lot. You can’t even talk to people easily,” she explained.
Maame also touched on how life abroad can affect relationships and marriages. She disclosed that she has been away from her husband since 2023 and believes that the stress and loneliness abroad can lead to broken relationships and infidelity. She cited cases where marriages have been destroyed due to long-distance struggles and pressure.
She further revealed that some people go to extreme lengths to secure residency, including making false claims, just to obtain legal documents (nkrataa). However, she has decided not to pursue that path and is instead planning to return to Ghana.
“I don’t regret coming, but I’ve seen the reality. Money has no geographical location,” she emphasized, adding that peace of mind and dignity are more important than struggling endlessly abroad.
Maame concluded by saying she is preparing to return to Ghana and start afresh, despite the challenges, because she believes a better and more fulfilling life can be built back home.
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