It's rare to see a young Ghanaian boy balancing both education and business, especially selling in the market.

This scenario might even be considered a ‘taboo’, but not for Nana Yaw, an IPMC student, who helps his single mother sell groceries at Kaneshie Market in Accra.

Nana Yaw's education and daily life are funded through his efforts in the market, supporting his mother and paying for his schooling.

After his father abandoned the family to remarry, Nana Yaw stepped up to take over his mother's business, accompanying her to the market to sell.

In an interview on GhanaWeb TV’s Everyday People, Nana Yaw expressed his ambition to also become one of the leading IT students in Ghana and even beyond.

“I am doing this to support my mother. I have vacated and I am home so I have to help her. I am a student of IPMC and I want to become one of the best IT students. My mom is not financially stable so I have to help her. My father has remarried so I have to focus on my mom,” she told Victoria Kyei Baffour.

Describing his daily routine, Nana Yaw shared how he balances school and work.

On days when he has afternoon classes, he joins his mother in the market in the morning before heading to class.

After his classes, he returns to the market to help his mother again to pack the groceries.

Nana Yaw has been selling in the market since 2013, marking 12 years of dedication.

He believes that determination is crucial for the youth, rather than waiting for a white-collar job.

“I don’t only do this when on vacation. I do it while in school. When I have afternoon classes, I join her (mother) in the morning to sell and go for class in the afternoon and when I close, I come back to help to pack the stuff. I started doing this after I completed Junior High School in 2013 which is roughly nine years.

“It’s normal for me. When you are determined to do something, you can do it. The youth should try to help their parents out. It makes them strong,” he added.

Watch the full interview here:





VKB/AE