The Paa Kwesi Story

Imagine a world of poverty surrounding you at the tender age of 15; a world without a father or mother, or enough money to survive the next day. A world where you are instantaneously transformed into an adult who after working all night until 7am as a bus boy at a local restaurant must retreat to your home- a blanket spread out on a concrete floor in front of an internet café. This is the life struggle of a young boy. This is the story of Paa Kwesi.

At 5am on January 2, 2010, iStandAbove Officers, Pichon Duplan, Peter Yobo, and Abdul Halim Musah, met Paa Kwesi after he directed them to a safe parking spot with the promise he would take care of their car while they purchased their food. When asked what a young boy at his age was doing at his workplace at such an hour, he responded “Please sir, I am trying to make money.” Moments later, we became aware of his story of how he ended up sometimes having to move a 100lb concrete block just so a customer could get a space to park his car.

Paa Kwesi is originally from Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. His father passed away when he was a baby and his mother was left to fend for him and his four younger siblings by herself amidst the hardships. Unable to withstand the pressure of taking care of Paa Kwesi, she sends him to Accra- the major city in Ghana to seek employment and fend for himself. It was here Paa Kwesi created the dream of being an entrepreneur with the plan to jump start his future ambitions by starting a PK Chewing Gum business. After doing his research with local Gum vendors, Paa Kwesi figured out that he needs 70 US Dollars in order to pursue his dream and become the only 15 year old bus boy working at the busiest place in town at the time, while all other children his age were fast asleep. This was the only way he could make his dream come true.

Touched by the story they heard and moved by the motivation and determination of Paa Kwesi to fulfill his dreams of being an entrepreneur, the iStandAbove Officers began collecting donations from friends, family and even complete strangers to help Paa Kwesi Stand Above the obstacles that distanced him from his dream. In a matter of hours, an amount of 70 US Dollars was raised and donated to Paa Kwesi’s to pursue his dream.

Paa Kwesi is now in the PK Chewing Gum business and iSA are in constant communication with the young entrepreneur. Over the span of a few hours, Paa Kwesi was able to StandAbove. These are the kinds of stories that give each officer of iStandAbove the passion and drive to keep the momentum of the organization going. It is individuals like Paa Kwesi who make it their generation: Generation (Y)ou*. It is time it became about You*.