A few months ago, a 23-year-old mother of triplets, Ernestina Tamakloe, had little hope for the future. She met and briefly dated the father of her two-year-olds while she was still in high school. Once she got pregnant with the triplets, he asked her to abort them. When she refused due to fear of the potential risks, he completely abandoned her.
If engaging in premarital sex during high school was a poor choice, this experience will teach her a lesson that no classroom in all of Ghana could provide, even with a diploma. Her daily struggle of being responsible for three young babies at once for the next two years will be a life lesson more profound than the poverty that led her to have a boyfriend in the first place. Today, she urges young girls to draw inspiration from her harrowing ordeal and prioritize their education.
Ernestina’s story came to the attention of the leadership of the Adukroman Foundation when they began searching for a benefactor who met the criteria for their Mentorship Program. Initially, the Foundation sought a teenage mother who had been forced to leave high school due to unexpected pregnancy and extreme hardship.
However, it was impossible to ignore Ernestina’s struggle to provide basic needs for herself and her triplets. The future of this young woman and her children appeared bleak, with no hope to guide them towards a better, brighter future. Adukroman Foundation decided to extend a helping hand.
Ernestina’s dream had been to join the Police Academy after high school. With that dream now faded, she resolved to learn a new vocation. She aspired to learn sewing with the hope of owning a fashion shop someday. Adukroman Foundation recently granted her wish.
She is currently enrolled as an apprentice with Mrs. Cynthia Siebe of Cindy’s Fashion Center in Adukrom. Adukroman Foundation, along with its generous donors, and specifically its CEO, Michael Afari, funded her tuition, provided an allowance for her transportation and meals, and purchased all her apprenticeship supplies. In addition, she will receive mentorship throughout her apprenticeship.
As Africa, and especially Ghana, becomes home to the world’s fastest-growing population, with young people comprising a significant portion by 2050, Adukroman Foundation aims to be at the forefront of this global trend. Their mission is to equip and prepare this younger generation to better serve not only their families and towns but also their country and the world. Sponsoring Ernestina Tamakloe to improve her life and contribute to her generation and posterity aligns perfectly with the Adukroman Foundation’s vision and mission.
