Humble beginnings: Keta MP shares experience of life without electricity, water and shoes

Member of Parliament for Keta, Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, has shared a heartwarming narrative of a time when he exhibited resilience and determination as he recounted his challenging journey to education during his formative years.

The Keta MP revealed that, due to a lack of resources as a child, he had to walk three miles barefoot to school daily for over three years.

Recalling his humble beginnings, in an interview with GhanaWeb's Nimatu Yakubu Atouyese, he revealed that he walked a gruelling three miles to school daily, facing the scorching heat under his bare feet, owing to the lack of sandals and vehicles in his rural community.

"Those days there was no electricity, no pipe-borne water, and you have to walk about three miles to school. Walking three hours, no vehicles, you have to walk barefooted, and on your way going, sometimes you have to get water in a bottle, so that when the sun is burning from the heat, you pour small, stand on it for some time, and continue the journey," shared Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey.

The inspiring journey to attain education was not without its challenges, but his determination to learn and better his life kept him going. In an effort to ease the discomfort caused by the scorching ground, he carried water along, wetting his feet on the arduous walk to school.

The Keta MP's early struggles did not deter him from striving for success. In addition to pursuing his education, he ventured into petty trading, taking up the responsibility of transporting crabs from Anloga Market to Afram Plains to sell.

His mother, a teacher, played a vital role in shaping his character, instilling the values of hard work and enterprise.

"I was going into even petty trading where I have to take crabs from Anloga Market all the way to Afram Plains in the 90s where my mom; though a teacher, would go into such trades, and I would follow her. And we would have to go to such places as Nkawkaw, Afram Plains, Kwesi Fante, Maame Krobo, those days... it was a good business," shared the Keta MP.

Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey's inspiring journey from walking barefoot to school as a pupil to becoming a Member of Parliament is a testament to the power of determination, hard work, and resilience.

He is the Member of Parliament for the Keta constituency in the Volta Region of Ghana.

He joined parliament in 2021 has been reelected to represent the party ahead of the 2024 elections.

Watch the full interview below



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