The Omanhene of the Offinso Traditional Area, Nana Wiafe Akenten III, has sponsored three kayayei girls (head-porters) to receive quality education and live meaningful lives as the grow to become adults.
Nana Akenten’s decision to sponsor the girls is part of the Ambassador Bridgewater distance adoption program to encourage well meaning and responsible Ghanaians to adopt and provide quality education to the disadvantaged kayayeis, who are engaged in menial jobs.
The renowned traditional ruler did not hesitate to join the campaign to sponsor the girls when he was approached by officials of the Pamela Bridgewter Project for him to join the campaign to offer opportunity to the girls.
Speaking in an interview the Omanhene, who is also the CEO of Offinso Timbers and Construction company said the plight of what he called our precious northern girls is beyond any political party and he called on all political groups to be united in giving future and welfare to kayayeis.
The Project Director of the Pamela Bridgewater, Mr Yahaya Alhassan, explained that the distance adoption program is to offer philanthropists the opportunity to adopt kayayeis. However the girls would stay with their original families in the north, where they would be enrolled in schools, whiles their sponsors foot their educational bills.
“The kayayei house help is the worst form of modern slavery one can imagine and our project is determined to work with like minded persons such as Nana Akenten III to stop this slavery” he said.
He used the opportunity to invite all Ghanaians and Africa-Americans to the celebration of this year’s ‘Mmoa Ndinko’ (the animal should eat and leave) festival from November 22-29th. The festival also honours the Asantehene’s historic contribution to the land and rich forestry of Offinso.

Nana Wiafe Akenten III, Paramount Chief of Offinso Traditional Area