"Sankofa" - The wisdom of learning from the past to build for the future.

My Parents hail from Ghana. Ghana is a country endowed with mineral resources but the political terrain had rendered the state of the economy in a deplorable state. My parents came from a poor but humble family. My father's family could not afford some of the basic needs. After high school, my father got a scholarship to further his education in Germany. When my father was leaving to Germany, his dad gave him a wooden carved "adinkra" symbol the 'Sankofa' and told him to remember that he comes from a poor family and that he should strive and excel in his studies so he can return to take care of the family. 

The picture tag is Adinkra symbol called "Sankofa", which is a word in the Twi language of Ghana meaning “Go Back and Fetch' - we must look back to the past so that we may understand how we became what we are, and pursue a better future." It is related to my family belief that, where ever you go you must remember your past and continue to move forward to get a better life and also sow a good seed for the future generation to come after us. After my father achieved his goals he returned to Ghana to help his people. 

When I got the chance to travel to the United State on a Diplomatic Visa to obtain training, I decided to stay in the states to pursue what I had always dreamt of becoming, I am determine after my degree in sociology or social work, I would also  go back to Ghana-Africa as our family belief “Sankofa” the wisdom of learning from the past to build for the future, and advocate for children. 

– Catherine

Relationship:  Im/migrant Im/migrant