Given the somewhat invasive work of filming and photography, we thought it was important to give the children of Kissehman the opportunity to capture images that they found most compelling. Thus, we gave a number of children disposable cameras during our three week stay in Kissehman. Our only instructions were this: to take photos of things that we did not see, and of things they found most important in their daily lives. Without fail, all of the kids captured interesting and artistic photographs.
Godfred Agbonu
Godfred is sixteen years old and lives in Kissehman. He has two younger siblings. Godfred is a leader in the cultural programming of MGYN, where he excels at drumming and dancing. When he finishes schooling, Godfred hopes to run an organization like MGYN for children in Ghana.
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| Godfred Agbonu |
Helena Kudjoe
Helena is thirteen years old and is in class 6. Helena was born in Kissehman and lives with her grandmother, Josephine “Dada” Tagbor. Helena has three brothers—Matthew, Isaac, and Ishmael. Helena loves to dance with the other children in MGYN, and when she finishes schooling she hopes to become a nurse in Accra.
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| Helena Kudjoe |
Joshua Abalo
Joshua is fifteen years old and is in class 6. Joshua was born in Kissehman and lives with four siblings—Jemima, Jennifer, Joyce, and Jeremiah. Joshua has another brother, Junior, who lives with family elsewhere in Ghana. Joshua loves science and photography and hopes to become a professional dancer.
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| Joshua Abalo |
Wisdom Agbavi
Wisdom is ten years old and is in class 5. Wisdom was born in Kissehman and has one sister named Esaname. Wisdom loves to study English and hopes to be a dance instructor when he has finished schooling. Wisdom is a soccer fan and his favorite team is Manchester United.
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| Wisdom Agbavi |
Jennifer Abalo
Jennifer is fourteen years old and is in class 3. She lives in Kissehman with four siblings—Jemima, Joshua, Joyce, and Jeremiah. Jennifer has another brother, Junior, who lives with family elsewhere in Ghana. Jennifer loves math and reading and hopes to become a lawyer when she has finished schooling. She also loves dancing with the kids in Kissehman and cooking for her family.
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| Jennifer Abalo |
Selom Agbonu
Selom is fourteen years old and is in JSS 2. Selom lives in Kissehman with her brother, Godfred. Selom loves math and hopes to become a cultural dancer when she has finished schooling. Selom also loves playing soccer.
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| Selom Agbonu |
Sampson Gohoho
Sampson is sixteen years old and is in JSS 3. He lives in Kissehman and has a younger sister named Charlotte. Sampson loves to play soccer with his friends and to dance with the other kids in Kissehman. When he finishes schooling he hopes to become a professional dancer or soccer player.
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| Sampson Gohoho |
Frank Coffie
Frank is fifteen years old and lives in Kissehman. Frank will begin secondary school in the fall and will be attending St. Paul’s, a school in the Volta region. Frank loves social studies and hopes to become a newspaper journalist. Frank sees a need for improvement in education as one of the central challenges for people in Kissehman. He says, “Parents must do their part regularly by providing good food and clothing for their kids. But they also must make sure their children are educated. If not, they will all suffer.”
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| Frank Coffie |
Aaron Chorbor
Aaron is eleven years old and is in class 6. Aaron has four sisters and one brother, and he is the youngest. Aaron loves to read, particularly about historical events. He also loves to make new friends. Aaron hopes to become a lawyer in Ghana when he has finished schooling.
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| Aaron Chorbor |
Richard Ekla
Richard is nineteen years old and is in class 6. Richard lives in Christian Village and has one sister and two brothers. Richard loves math and hopes to dance internationally in the future. Richard also loves football and especially the Ghanaian national team, the Black Stars.
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| Richard Ekla |
Victoria Quarshie
Victoria is sixteen years old and is in class 4. Victoria lives in Christian Village with her aunt. She is the youngest of six girls. Victoria loves dancing and basketweaving and excels at both. When she is finished schooling, Victoria hopes to be a teacher or a dancer.
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| Victoria Quarshie |
What beautiful children. I am so happy that they are part of something as special and powerful as the Maine Ghana Youth Network. This experience will make a difference in their lives, and parts of that experience they will pass on to others, and so on and so on. It’s a great thing. It truly touches my heart.
You have helped us see the world through the eyes of Wisdom, Godfred, Helana, Victoria and all the others. Thank you. Your documentary has inspired me; these photos root that inspiration in a sense of knowing these children a little bit more … and wanting to know more still.
Hi Steve, I think it is a blessing what you are doing with the children. A friend Fritz Epke told me he works with the children…do you know him? thanks, Susan