A (2:22)

Yes.

B (2:23)

You know, I've been planning this conversation for a while and it's finally happened. So thank you for coming.

A (2:27)

Thank you for having me. You're welcome.

B (2:30)

I want you to teach my audience the best way to move back into the country. The cultural shocks, what's really happening in the country around people moving back. You know, December time, a lot of people come into the country. For most people, that's the introduction into Ghana.

A (2:45)

Yes, Right.

B (2:46)

And they see a different type of Ghana and after that, it's a whole different type of Ghana as well. But for you, what was the moment that made you think you want to move back to Ghana?

A (2:57)

So initially, when I came in 2011, it was really that I wasn't really planning to stay. It was supposed to be a getaway. And then I ended up staying a couple of years. So when I had left in 2013, so I came 2011, stayed two years. When I came back in 2016, that was when I decided that I was moving. So it was a combination of me believing in Ghana as a potential place to build a life and build a career and seeing that it was an opportunity for me as a person who wants to do media work, to be able to do that. Because during the time of 2011 to 2013, I was hosting a TV show, Maternal Health Channel TV series, and got that taste of what it's like to be telling stories in Ghana. So when I came back in 2016, that was my intention, was to be doing media stuff again. So it was a combination of that and I had actually met someone that I was dating and that also was part of the influence. But that wasn't the major reason for me.

B (3:58)

Are you sure that wasn't the major?

A (4:00)

He said, are you sure that wasn't the major? I would say that it was probably 50%, but the other 50% is what I really believed in about Ghana, because that relationship didn't end up continuing. But I still stayed because I could have. Because if it was the only reason, I would have gone back. Because there are some people who move here for relationships and then when the relationship doesn't work, they actually go back because that was the foundation of why they came.

B (4:25)

Well, think about it, Ivy. You were born in Ghana.

A (4:27)

Yes.

B (4:28)

Right. And then you went to abroad when you were two years, isn't it?

A (4:31)

Yes.

B (4:32)

So what reason did you have in terms of cultural and community? Would you have said that you want, because of that reason, you want to come back here?

A (4:40)

So I know that for Ghanaians, they had a hard time understanding me wanting to come because many Ghanaians talk about wanting to leave. And when you talk about building community. For me, I've always been a person that I'm okay doing stuff by myself if I have to. So when I say that, what I mean is. For instance, when I was 11, there was a movie I wanted to go see. I think I was 11 or 12. And I went on my own. Like me, myself, got on a bus and went to the movie theater, watched the movie by myself, went home. And that moment I realized that if I want to do something, I don't have to wait for other people to do it. And I think here what I found was I had ease in moving around by myself and being able to network and meet people, because that's how you build your community, by going places, networking, meeting people, staying in communication with them, and that's how you build your network. So for me, building a sense of community, making new friends wasn't something that I found to be scary or difficult because I know some people feel a sense of scariness of going somewhere by yourself, especially women. A lot of women like going places by themselves. They want to bring their friends. They're always like, they don't want to go somewhere unless their friends come along with them. But I'm a person that if I want to go somewhere, I just go. I don't wait and say, oh, oh, she's not coming with me. Then I. Then I'm not going. I'm like, if I want to go, I'm going regardless if somebody's coming with me or not. So I was able to. I had a list of things I wanted to do, where I want to go. I was always looking online to see what's happening. When I found out about events, I just go.

B (6:22)

Did you used to visit Ghana often?

A (6:24)

No, I didn't visit often. So I came. I had visited Ghana before, but it wasn't frequent. Coming from Canada, it wasn't something that we did frequently. I find that people coming from the UK come frequently because it's a shorter trip, it's less expensive than coming from Canada. So it's not something that I did a lot. Like, I came after I was six or seven years old. We came as a family. Then I came again when I was 25 on my own and stayed for a couple of months. And I really believe that that trip when I was 25 planted a seed in me that I didn't realize at the time because I had a really great time. Then I came again when I was in my early 30s, and then I didn't come again until when I came in 2011. And so it wasn't like I was coming all the time, every year or every two years. It was. It was a few times that I had been. But I really, truly believe that that time that I came when I was 25 and stay for two months, I think that that planted a seed in me subconsciously, without me realizing it, because Ghana was not my dream.

B (7:25)

I see.

A (7:26)

New York was a fright. New York was a dream. I had a dream of going to New York, being a successful fashion model or design. That was a dream, not Ghana. So I think that that time planted a seed in me without me realizing that years later I would end up coming.

B (7:42)

Right. So how long have you been in Ghana now?

A (7:44)

Now it's nine years. Great. Since 2016.

B (7:47)

During the nine years, what are some of the things you've seen and for that reason you decided to preach about? People should consider Africa as a. As a whole.

A (7:56)

It's got the potential that you see in other countries. That would have been like 100 years ago. So, for example, for someone coming from the U.S. you know, in 1925, 1930, maybe when your grandparents were born or something, that's a time when it was the early days of cars being manufactured, TVs, like different types of technologies and businesses, insurance companies that were being started 100 years ago. And that was the beginnings. And then slowly it grew. It grew, it grew. And these people passed this business down generation to generation, and they have become these huge companies like Coca Cola or in Europe, Louis Vuitton. Louis Vuitton, I think, is over 150 years old and was started from a homeless guy who started making suitcases. And then, you know, family member took over, then another one, and it's like passed down generation to generation. This is a place that you can build a legacy. You may not see it to fruition, but if you are a person who's a legacy thinker, you can build something that you can pass on to family, and then they can pass it on to family and so on and so on. Or just building your own business is easier here, if you're willing to go through it, than somewhere else. Because there are simple things that you can make big business out of in this environment that may be challenging for you in another environment, because it may be saturated already in another environment. You know, like, there's somebody I know who has started a cashew business here, and would he have started the cashew business in, in. In America? Would it have been easy for him to do there? It might be easier for him doing it here. You Know, you can start a business of dried fruits, you know, because it's all about branding, too. Come to Ghana, you can find mango, you can find, you know, different things that are growing here. And you can decide, I'm going to make a mango type drink, or I'm going to make this. I'm going to like whatever it is that we have. Pineapples. You can decide you're going to do something with it. The reality is there are things here that you can use as a business. I know somebody who has a huge business selling waste beads.

B (10:04)

Okay.

A (10:05)

You know, a few people actually who have successful businesses selling waste beads, they come from Canada and the U.S. they buy waste beads in bulk. They even work with the people who make the waist beads to create something unique. Because we see the same style, they get different beads, put it together to make their own unique flavor, take it back. And now they're selling waist beads and making a huge income from waste beads. Something so simple but yet can be genius in you making money selling it abroad. So I saw how this is an environment that there's things that people don't appreciate here that somebody appreciates that they can sell elsewhere. So they can export if they want to export. You know, you can build business here or you can, you can start a farm. You can start a farm here if you want to go into farming. I know somebody who moved here and started a farm and is doing well with it.

B (10:57)

So, Ivy, is it a thing that the Ghanaians in Ghana don't see the opportunity or they don't find it as easy?

A (11:03)

Easy.

B (11:03)

And you know, the diaspora, either Ghanaians from the diaspora or African Americans, when they come to Ghana, they see it as an easy route or they recognize opportunities faster.

A (11:13)

I think that whenever you go into an environment that is a new environment, you see things that the people there don't see. So. And that can be anywhere. Somebody can decide to leave their country and go to Canada and they might see something there that is a business opportunity that somebody who's been in Canada their whole life didn't see. So when you move to another environment, you see the opportunity differently than the people who. It's no big deal to them. Does that make sense?

B (11:44)

It makes sense. But having said that, how many people, how many Ghanaians go to Canada and think of business in Canada?

A (11:50)

They usually go there and just go and work for someone.

B (11:52)

There you go.

A (11:52)

Yes, they usually go there and work for someone. That is right. That's correct. But I was just using that as an example of the human mind when it sees something out of their own environment, recognizes something that the people who are there don't see. Like, if somebody who lives in Tamale their whole life comes to Accra, they're going to see things in Accra that to them is like, wow. But someone in Accra is going to be like, what is this? Is this is nothing.

B (12:19)

Yeah, but what does Ghana really do to the people that when they come in, Most of them, about 80% of people, they think of business when they.

A (12:25)

Come to Ghana because they see the opportunity to start a business easier than somewhere else without as much red tape as somewhere else. Like, I think because there's a lot of relationship here, there's a lot of informalities here that make it easier for someone to just say, I'm just gonna start doing something, if that makes sense.

B (12:50)

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know what? But yeah, because look, back in the uk, there was a lady that was making wache in her house and people used to come and buy from her. At some point, the council came in to close it up because she can't do it. Regulations and all of that. When we come back home, it's slightly easier.

A (13:08)

Because of the informalities.

B (13:09)

Because of the informalities. I think I understand what you're saying.

A (13:12)

Yeah.

B (13:13)

Let's talk about this. You worked a bit close to the whole Year of Return agenda. Beyond the return. You know, you were there. You were one of the.

A (13:21)

I was a social media manager. That's it. I was working in their secretariat office. So, yes, I worked directly for Ghana Tourism Authority. The Year of return and the beyond the Return Secretariat were underneath Ghana Tourism Authority. So we reported to Ghana Tourism Authority.

B (13:40)

Awesome. Now, from your view, how do you think the entire model would have been structured? Better to keep people. Give people more information on their return.

A (13:50)

Connected Minds podcast.