A week before the launch of my debut book, I was confused and did not know what specific speech I was going to give. I made calls to a few friends to help my situation and the answer was “Dzifah just be real, speak from your heart”
I kept pondering on all the advice given and penned down these few words. I captioned it my book launch speech. Have a read.
“Good evening to you all. I am so much overwhelmed by your presence here this evening. Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to witness this occasion. Your presence here means so much to me and I don’t take it for granted at all Thank you for standing with me and other care leavers worldwide
For a long time now, donors have always been focusing on children whiles they are in the Orphanages. That is a very good thing to do because inside the orphanage has its own peculiar challenges.
But a greater challenge awaits these young children when they exit from the orphanages
Children are defined by age. And so when a child clocks 18yeara he or she is no longer a child…he is an adult. The point is when a child gets to 18 years, automatically they tend to outgrow the orphanage setting and must find their way out into the world to live for themselves. Most Orphanages founder’s kick these young children out after JHS…so in a way, these young children become adults by force.
And because they are not prepared for that premature adulthood, they tend to suffer a lot So I wrote this book Beyond The Orphanage…to create awareness, to let the people know that the very kids you always donate food items and items of clothing at the orphanage, not all of them grow up to become the great men and women you think they become.
This is because the support system ends once they leave the orphanage. And I don’t blame the founder’s of the orphanage because donors always come to donate to the kids and not old students of orphanages
And as I speak right now…I can remember like it’s today the many wonderful dreams we shared while growing up at the orphanage but not many could fulfill those dreams. I was fortunate to have met many wonderful people who pushed me to where I am today.
And I want to say God bless all of them. Rev Victor Ofori Amoah took care of me at the orphanage, it’s his Orphanage I grew up in and he has been doing this work since 1996…He sacrificed everything he had to make sure we are three times a day. We collapsed his poultry farm. Because he couldn’t stand when we eat without fish. God bless you, Daddy.
And oh Prophet Bernard El Bernard Nelson Eshun. This man single-handedly sponsored my tertiary education… I met him after Rev Victor had taken me to meet some prominent people in the country for help but to no avail. I remember the first time I met him in 2012 like it is today…after going through my results he said I have given you a scholarship, his next question was do you have a phone? and the rest has been one encounter upon the other. He will call me to come for my school fees even before school reopens. Daddy God bless you so much. I can’t forget the support of Rev Dr. Edward Ebo Onumah and Professor Daniel Bruce Sarpong. God bless you Sirs for making my stay on campus stress-free. To Dr. Frimpong Manso, Dr charity Osei Amponsa, Dr. Freda Asem, Prophet Vincent, God bless you for always being there. And To everyone who played a role in making my life colorful, I say God bless you richly. The list is very long…I couldn’t have survived beyond the orphanage alone. I promise to make you all proud with God being my helper
So you see young children leaving the various Orphanages, young children on the street and other vulnerable children in our nation can live their dream life when society supports them I have spoken far too long and it’s time to let Beyond The Orphanage: A Journey Of Hope And Aspirations speak for itself.
Thank you
Beyond The Orphanage: A Journey Of Hope And Aspirations
