Louisa Enyonam Ansah, a woman who was brought into the world without arms, shared her story of challenges and triumphs she experienced growing up as a special child.
In an interview with Berla Mundi on the Day Show, she revealed her difficult childhood experience.
Narrating her ordeal, Enyonam recounted how she was abandoned by her father, and the rejection was triggered by the fact that she was the first child of her family born with a deformity.
“Yes, I was born like this. I was born armless and during our time, it wasn’t common for people to be born like this. Actually, I was told my father left my mother because of my deformity. It is through a lot of benevolent people who have made me who I am today,” she said.
She also talked about receiving harsh treatment from her community, where many perceived her to be a ‘fish’.
Enyonam disclosed that at one point, she was taken to a river to transform into the fish or any type of animal they believed she originated from.
An invitation was sent to residents in the community to witness the rituals, but an American woman intervened and explained to them that she was human and people like her existed in her hometown.
“I learned that the community at that time wanted to get rid of me by beating a gong-gong for everybody to come around and send me to a riverside since they claim I am a fish or something that came from a river. So, they took me to the river, so I transformed into the animal I changed into to become a human being.
“A man from one of the towns in our village married an American woman. She was heading home around the time they were calling people to the riverside to witness me turn into the fish or animal. Out of curiosity, she passed by to know what exactly was going on. She got to know why the gong-gong was being beaten, and she quickly went to explain to the people that people like me existed in America, so I wasn’t an animal. I learned my immediate family also disowned me, so she had to look for somebody to take care of me. An old lady accepted me and named me Enyonam,” she added.
Despite all the challenges faced, Mrs. Ansah emerged strong and has made significant strides.
She is currently a trained teacher and heads a disability group.
Mrs. Enyonam Ansah, who also multitasks as a teacher, has trained her feet to perform tasks typically done with the hands.
Watch the interview below:
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