Miss UN Empowers Kayayei

Rebecca Asamoah and some of the women

Miss United Nations first runner-up Rebecca Asamoah, who also doubles as Miss Ghana 2015 runner-up and Miss Africa Continent, has asked female porters (‘kayayei’) around the country to never give up on their dreams.

According to her, they shouldn’t consider their job as the end of the road to becoming successful. They should strife beyond that to become better people in life.

The beautiful queen on Friday celebrated her 26thbirthday in a unique way with some ‘kayayei’ at the Madina market in Accra, where she made the comment.

‘Kayayo’ is the local name given to the thousands of women and girls from mostly northern Ghana who travel south to find work as porters in city markets. They were at the Madina market in their numbers.

They joined Rebecca and some of her friends who accompanied her to cut her birthday cake and also popped her birthday champagne. She additionally distributed food and soft drinks to the women, and encouraged them to look beyond their current struggles.

Rebecca Asamoah and friends at the event  

“God created everyone for a purpose. You are all great people and I want to encourage you to keep pushing to be better people. Everyone started from somewhere before they got to where they are now. This could be your starting point, so don’t be broken and think that this is where it will end.

“Strife for higher heights. Pray to God too for He is the reason we are here. Take the struggling as part of life experience and keep learning something from it. Besides value yourselves and treat one another with respect. See yourselves as sisters,” Rebecca added.

She also promised the women that she would come to their aid anytime she can.

Rebecca was crowned Miss United Nations 2017 first runner-up at an international event held in Jamaica in July. She made Ghana proud at the world pageant, beating several other contestants from over 80 countries to come close to winning the ultimate crown which went to Olga Makhlevskaia from Russia.

Upon her return to Ghana, she took the crown to Madam Catherine Afeku, who applauded her efforts and hard work.

Last week, she was also in church with the crown to thank God for how far He has brought her.

The Friday birthday hangout with the porters was put together by GHedocareFoundation to put smiles on the faces of the underprivileged porters. It was under the theme: ‘operation feed the kayayo’.

The activity was in line with Miss UN organisation’s objective to help better the lives of persons around the world.

By Francis Addo (Twitter:  @fdee50   Email: fdee500@yahoo.com )