50-year-old woman with 7 children finds 'home' in community toilet building

A widow in her early 50's and her seven children have been sleeping in a toilet building for about two years now in Sanzirigu, a community in the Tamale Metropolis of the Northern Region.

According to Mma Ayishetu Issahaku, who is a widow of the late chief of Sanzirigu, Naa Issahaku, she and her children have to be confined to the toilet building after an abandoned house they were occupying collapsed by a rainstorm.

Mma Ayishetu and her four children, Adam Issahaku 16, Sulemana Issahaku 14, Barkisu Issahaku 12 and the last born Marijan Azima Issahaku 4 sleeps in a cubicle in the toilet.

“I have three children in my earlier marriage and I had four children with the late Chief, my last born was two years before my husband died”. She indicated

She lamented that her ordeal started after the death of her husband some years ago, revealing that, things have not been the same after the demise of the late Chief.

She hinted that the husband before his demise (late Chief of Sanzirigu) allocated some plot of lands to all his children including her four children and the elder son of the late chief sold all the lands to people.

“My late husband elder’s son who was made the regent sold all the lands belonging to my children… he is not fair to us….at least he should have left us one plot of land. When my husband was alive everything was good but after his death…we are suffering… Allah is watching”. She cried

The widow said, after the death of the husband she and her children had no place to stay but to seek refuge from another community chief (the Chief of Wamali) who housed them in an abandoned building. The building couldn't stand the test of time and collapsed rendering the widow and four children more vulnerable and homeless.



She revealed that a man (name withheld) who promised to rebuild her collapsed home for them, decided to keep her and her four children in a small room in the public toilet, adding that, they were supposed to stay in the toilet temporary but have to stay there for two years.

“We been here for two years because help is not forthcoming, the man who promise to rebuild my house does not visit us anymore… so I have no choice but to stay here with my children. We have no place to go”. She sobbed

Mma Ayishetu said, she has being confronted with demons and jinns in the toilet, adding that, even at her age and precarious situation some men wants to have sex with her in the toilet.

“We don’t sleep in the night we are always been threatened by spirits and demons….and some men will not leave me alone…one night I have to chase a womanizer away…..hmmm… we need help…my children and I need help”. The disturbed widow narrated.




She further lamented that she has been rejected by his own people because she is not wealthy and also because she happens to be the only child of her parents.

“I am a royal of Dagbon and a wife of the late chief of Sanzirigu but look at how my children and I have been treated… Look at me”. She sobbed

Meanwhile, an Arabic instructor in the community known as Afa Hamshawu have been providing and fending the widow and her four children.

In another development, Smile Life Foundation Ghana, a charity organization based in the Northern Region has since accessed the widow and her children situation and making hysterical efforts to find a befitting accommodation for them.


The old house which collapsed after a torrential rainfall


According to the Project Manager of Smile Life Foundation Ghana, Miss Asita Abubakari, the plight of the woman is very disheartening especially her four orphans who at a tender age have to go through such trauma.

She revealed that the organization will raise funds through individuals to support them.

She lamented that the plight of Mma Ayishetu is not different from many widows and orphans in the Ghanaian society who have to struggle very hard to fend for themselves and their orphan children.

“Many of them goes through a lot just to have something to feed their children, some go to the extreme to sell their bodies to men to survived… the society is not more caring for the widows and orphans. It is very sad”, She said sadly.