Agbobloshie is arguably home to many head porters popularly known as kayayei in Ghana. Although it is business that puts daily bread on the tables of many young ladies seeking greener pastures, there are endless challenges venturing into this line of work.

In the latest episode of Joy Prime’s 'Just Turned 18' show, Lois Shola Adeyemi engaged some first-time voters who are kayayei on the bread and butter issues driving young folks like them down south and some of the pertinent issues that will influence their decision to cast their ballot in the December 7 general election.

Most of the young kayayei revealed that hope to get any form of financial freedom is the main reason for their move to the south. However, upon their arrival they were hit with harsh reality after realizing that there were little to no job opportunities in the city they hoped to find respite. 

After many unsuccessful months of trying to get decent paying jobs, the head porter business became their best bet.

This business that puts little to no money in their pockets, has shown its many cruel and challenging phases to these young ladies. 

Farida, one of the kayayei revealed that sometimes, after a full day of moving round in the market carrying people’s goods in her pan, she is unable to get enough money to rent a room to lay her head for the night.

With no other option, she sought to sleeping in front of shops and under tables. This she explains exposes her to men who try to take advantage of vulnerable girls lying on the street. She explained that men who get their way with kayayei often end up leaving them with sexually transmitted diseases and in worst cases, pregnant.

“When we sleep outside, the truck boys try raping us. They get us pregnant and run away. Most of the time, they leave us with diseases and because we don’t have money to seek medical attention we end up suffering and finding ways to cure them on our own,” she revealed.

Arama, also a kayayo, recounted the many times she fought with men who tried raping her in the middle of the night any time she slept on the street. This has forced her to move into a single room with twelve other kayayei.

“I didn’t have money to pay for a room so I slept outside. The boys tried raping me but I got scared and sped off so they don’t get me. Now I live with a few of my kayayo sisters in a room,” she recounted.

Some of these kayayei have struggled with men beating them over their refusal to give them access to their bodies. This leaves them with bruises and because of poor finances, they are unable to seek medical attention.

They further stated that Ghana’s current economy is making it difficult to afford basic amenities needed to make their lives easy. Most of them explained how they share single rooms with over fifteen kayayo due to the constant increment of house rents by landlords. These young ladies pay weekly rent with the little money they make from their jobs hindering them from taking care of their families up North.

“The rent we pay is too expensive.”

“I pay 150 cedis every week to sleep in a single room with other kayayei. We sleep on mats in our room.”

“I also sleep in a wooden structure with 12 other kayayei. I always lay my cloth on the floor before I sleep.”

“Nowadays everything is expensive. We have separately pay to use public toilets and washrooms else, we will move around with dirt all over our bodies,” they said.

Just like any youth in Ghana, these young ladies have dreams they are yearning to achieve. However, the current economic conditions in the country coupled with the harsh reality of life, hinders them from attaining their main goals in life.

They hope that as the various political parties put their manifestos and plans for the country and its citizens together, they will put their cries, fear and struggles and ways to support them into consideration. 

They believe the youth really have what it takes to make the country great again but until they are given proper avenues to flourish, their abilities will continue to be undermined.