Karim, a Ghanaian currently based in the United States, has lived in several states including Illinois, Missouri, and now Washington.
Sharing his story on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide Show with DJ Nyaami, Karim recalled how his dream of studying and working abroad began back home in Ghana.
According to him, after completing his national service in Kumasi, he secured a job but the salary was not enough to sustain him, even though it was manageable. “I had always wanted to travel, do my master’s, work, and eventually return to Ghana to start something meaningful,” he said.
Karim’s close friend in Dubai connected him with an agent who claimed he could help him travel to America. The agent charged him GHC 70,000, but agreed to take GHC 15,000 upfront. The agent promised to secure university admission for him and later take him to Ivory Coast for the visa process.
However, after several delays, Karim lost interest in the deal and requested a refund. “They refunded GHC 12,000 out of the GHC 15,000 I paid,” he said.
Fortunately, one of his colleagues helped him apply directly to a school in the U.S. “I got all the information from him, applied, and received my admission letter,” he explained. Karim later applied for an emergency interview and was granted a U.S. visa.
Before leaving Ghana, Karim was a student at Cape Coast Technical University and owned a car, which he sold after securing his visa. He traveled with $2,500 and, as a student in the U.S., was allowed to work 20 hours a week on campus.
“I applied for several jobs but didn’t get any immediately,” he said. Eventually, he bought a car from a Ghanaian, but unfortunately got into a serious accident that left him paralyzed for some time.
“The car was completely destroyed, and the university got to know about my accident because I couldn’t walk,” Karim recounted. “I stayed home for almost a year recovering, but by God’s grace, I’m now healthy again.”
He expressed gratitude to the Ghanaian community in the U.S., who supported him throughout his difficult recovery.
“Ghanaians here are really good people. They helped me when I couldn’t move or do anything for myself,” he added with appreciation.