Erica from Ghana

I was born in Africa, in a small village in Ghana called Hwidiem. Until I was eight, my mother and I stayed in the house of my grandmother. We earned money by farming. Every day during the dry months I had to walk up a hill to the land where our crops were planted. On my head I carried water. On my back was a baby, my cousin. We grew plantain, corn, sugar cane, bananas and cocoa, cassava, and yam. At the top of the hill, I would set down the bucket and pour the water into a small container. I had to be very careful, as it was not free and my grandmother would be angry if I spilled. We did not own a well, and paid five cedis each time we drew water.

Other days in Hwidiem I would take a cutlass and clear grass, or pull weeds and help with the harvest. There was always something that needed to be done, which would prevent me from attending the school. There was always work, work, work. Cooking, cleaning, minding the baby and sometimes, good times, I went to school.