Tj is a Ghanaian phone repairer currently based in Canada, where he has lived for the past two years.
Back in Ghana, he worked as a phone repairer at Tema Community 1 while living in Nungua. He specialized in decoding phones, and that business helped him pay for accommodation. One day, while on a bus, a preacher told him he would one day travel abroad. Tj wondered how, since he didn’t have money at the time.
Two weeks later, a friend from the U.S. encouraged him to consider traveling. When the friend visited Ghana, he asked if Tj had GHC 10,000, but Tj didn’t. Later, another friend told him about a Canada connection that required GHC 6,000 to start. Tj sent the money, and after three months, he was invited to an orientation. Eventually, he was asked to submit his passport, and he even introduced another friend to the process.
He was later informed that once the visa was ready, he would have to pay between $50,000 and $60,000. Fortunately, when his visa came out, the agent helped him through the airport processes.
Upon arriving in Canada during winter, Tj faced his first major challenge. The person he contacted for accommodation refused to host him and instead directed him to look for a hotel. With nowhere to go, he reported to airport immigration, who placed him in a shelter.
According to him, “The Canada you see while in Ghana is different from the Canada you experience when you arrive.” He admitted that life abroad hasn’t been easy, but he is determined not to return to Ghana anytime soon, since he might face struggles back home as well.
Tj explained that he still lives in shelters as he organizes himself, although some Ghanaians are fortunate to rent apartments right from the start. He currently repairs phones in Canada, earning small income, and believes skilled workers such as barbers and hairdressers can also make good money. However, he noted that many jobs have been taken over by Indians, so networking is key to finding opportunities.
His advice to others is simple: “If you make money abroad, invest it in projects back home.”
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