My hope has been ignited.
Frank is a security guard with other business interests in delivery services and mobile money retail. The effects of COVID-19 left him reeling but CoRe re-ignited his hope in the future. He shares his story:
My name is Frank Wilson and I reside at East Legon in Accra. Prior to COVID-19, I worked tirelessly as a security guard at a health facility while doubling as a delivery man for a health and wellness products company on an on-call basis. The financial pressures I was under meant that these two businesses could not meet all my needs. I therefore had a third stream of income – a mobile money retail business.
Although business was not very brisk, I managed to stay afloat with the little I earned from each of my three income streams until March 2020 when the global COVID-19 pandemic struck in Ghana. The first setback was that with the lockdown in Ghana, the health facility I worked with experienced a 75% decline in patronage as many outpatients avoided hospital visits. As if that was not enough, the company I rendered delivery errands for also experienced a sharp decline in sales resulting in little or no dispatch work for me. I therefore ended up falling on the little saving I had made over the years.
The already bad situation was further aggravated when my mobile money business was raided by robbers who bolted with about Five Thousand Cedis (GHS 5,000) of my hard-earned money. This unfortunate occurrence made the 30th of April a dark day for me. I filed a report with the police, who are still investigating the incident.
After a while, I found myself down to a single income source; that was, the salary from my security job. Things were difficult and I felt discouraged and hopeless as I struggled to pay my regular bills and pay up my loans.
In the face of all this, my hope was re-ignited when I encountered the CoRe Programme. I chanced upon a publication on Facebook which gave me information about CoRe and what it was doing for and with young people. I followed through and I must say it has been particularly beneficial. I participated in the Digital Marketing sessions under the mentorship of Mr. Stephen Naasei Boadi.
I got introduced to a team of mentors who were zealous and prepared to help me and other mentees to get back on our feet. This was really encouraging.
I have learnt several important lessons from the CoRe Programme. I share the most significant ones below:
- Firstly, I learnt about digital marketing tools. I was enlightened about the various professions in digital marketing and how to use the right tools to my advantage.
- Secondly, I learnt about the need for savings and investment. I was made to appreciate the need to build a culture of financial discipline.
- Thirdly, I learnt problem solving skills. This was my favourite lesson because I became convinced that this model, when well applied, could solve any challenge an individual or business could encounter.
- Fourthly, I appreciated the importance of ethics. As a young person growing my business, CoRe taught me to be a law-abiding citizen and to follow regulations and live by a high moral code.
I owe a lot to the team at CoRe for their dedication and priceless contribution, particularly to me and what I do. Such selfless investment in the youth is simply admirable and commendable.
I have started creating my future with all that I have learnt and gathered through the mentoring from the CoRe Programme.