Akua Appiah, a Ghanaian who lived in Canada for many years, returned to Ghana in July 2024 to start a new chapter. She previously lived in Toronto, Brampton, after moving from the USA to Canada in 2001. She had first left Ghana in 1997 to join her uncle in the United States, where her father later settled. After completing school in Canada, Akua pursued higher education at York University in Toronto, majoring in Criminology. She later worked as a probation officer.
A mother of three, including twins, Akua explains that living abroad, though glamorous from the outside, often feels restricting, especially for Black people. “You can make money and live comfortably, but you are constantly reminded that you are Black,” she said. The thought of returning to Ghana had always been on her mind, and she had made several visits over the years, including in 2013 when her grandmother passed away, and in 2018 when she got married in her father’s house in Ghana.
In 2024, inspired by Obeng Darko’s message on SVTV Africa, Akua and her husband decided to move back permanently. With a passion for farming and animals, they started with two plots of land and ventured into poultry, piggery, and livestock farming. “We began with 400 birds. I didn’t want to start with 10,000 because if they died, it would feel like going back into slavery. Now, every day I see money from the eggs we sell. Poultry is fun, and the demand for eggs in Ghana is high,” she explained.
Akua emphasized that while many Africans abroad wish they could return home, fear often holds them back. She added that lack of business knowledge is a major reason people fail, stressing that information and data are key to success. For her family, farming has already proven fruitful—they even sold their goats and sheep to reinvest in the business.
She also reflected on differences in education, noting that when her four-year-old child came to Ghana, they quickly caught up with peers who were already writing, something that wasn’t happening abroad.
Akua concluded by saying that while life abroad can provide opportunities, it isn’t always the best place for Black people. “Abrokyire is not good for Blacks,” she remarked, affirming her decision to return home.
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