I stand with Girls

I stand with girls.
A girl is a girl, not a wife.
Say NO to forced early child marriage.
School is where she belongs.
Empower the girl child with education and she will change the world.

Joyce Ohenewaa Kwapong
+233(0)267968373
joycekwapong@gmail.com
Activist, Women and children
University of Ghana, Accra City Campus

Read more on
ohenewaa-kwapong.blogspot.com

Happy International Girl Child Day

I AM A GIRL

I am a girl
Not a bride
I belong to the classroom
Not the aisle

I am a girl
I have the right to my body
And not to be sexually exploited
As your hobby

I am a girl
Precious as gold
I deserve the best
And not to be treated cold like your foe
Awaken the hero in me
And don't look at me so low

I am a girl
A girl for positive exploration
To use my strength in saving my nation
Say no to my exploitation

I am a girl
I have a bright future
Embrace it
Don't degrade it

I am a girl not a mother
I am to live a life of responsibility
And not to make motherhood a liability

I am a girl
Empower me with education
And not endanger me with ejaculation

I am a girl
Feeble as I may seem
Within me lies an inner strength
The strength to take bold decisions
The strength to face and overcome life's hurdles
The mother of tomorrow
The future of my Nation
Yes, that is the girl I am

Today, 11th October 2016 I, Joyce Ohenewaa Kwapong celebrate with all girls across the world, and wish them A Happy International Girl Child Day

Joyce Ohenewaa Kwapong
+233(0)267968373
joycekwapong@gmail.com
Activist, Women and children
University of Ghana, Accra city campus

Read more..
ohenewaa-kwapong.blogspot.com

WOMAN OF VALOUR

"WOMAN OF VALOR" Inspires...

Woman, you failed once, twice and counting.

What else could you do?
You could try again.
Don't give up, Press on and Persevere.
Many of the things that seem impossible now will become realities tomorrow.
Woman, you can make what seems IMPOSSIBLE, POSSIBLE.
Keep pushing, because Victoria Ascerta!
Victory is assured!

Joyce Ohenewaa Kwapong
+233(0)267968373
joycekwapong@gmail.com
Activist, Women and children
University of Ghana, Accra city campus

Read more..
Ohenewaa-kwapong.blogspot.com

I have a dream, I am capable of more than I can possibly dream...

I am the story you will read some few years to come.
I am not the next Maya Angelou or Malala Yousafzai.
I am the first Joyce Ohenewaa Kwapong.
A young and promising woman who is passionate about issues concerning women and children.
I have a DREAM, I am capable of more than I can possibly dream.
I believe in being a VOICE, not NOISE to the voiceless women and children.And above all, helping such voiceless women and children find their voice.
I believe one day, God through me will raise a generation of WOMEN OF VALOUR.
Women who will no more speak with tears in their eyes, but with much respect, humility and power over themselves.
A generation of such fearless women is emerging.
The story of the woman will soon be rewritten.
Victoria Ascerta, Victory is assured!

Read more on ohenewaa-kwapong.blogspot.com
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Email: joycekwapong@gmail.com
Contact:+ 233(0)267968373

TOO MUCH TO FORGET

I didn't realize how powerful being young was

If I could turn back the hands of time

I would replay and delete all those terrible acts I did

All those I did during my formative years

But now, what can I say or do?

I made my peers lead my life

As I traced their footsteps into a shameful life

Indeed, there's too much to forget.

I didn't realize how beautiful being young was

If only I could open up the chapters of my youthful days

I wouldn't have made men mess up with my life

The bells of "IF ONLY"

The cymbals of "I WISH" keep ringing in my ears

The drums of "HAD I KNOWN" is beating

Beating so loudly that my ears ache

Indeed, there's too much to forget

I didn't realize how glamorous being young was

If only I could move back into the days gone

If only I could retrace my steps into my past

Goodness me! This time around,

I would have seen glamor

What makes a glamorous woman these days?

I lost that glamor in my prime

Indeed there's too much to forget

Family, friends, classmates alike

Heard laughter always

But those were not sounds of happiness

Those were the laughter that only a bitter youth can cry

They saw me smile daily 

But those were not smiles of joy

The smile that only a disturbed youth can frown at

They heard me sing

But my heart could hear me weep

There's so much missing as I'm old

My smile, my dignity, my worth

It took me a while to understand what youthful days are

But it will surely take me forever to forget what it was to me

When advice and correction was not heeded to

Oh yes! It will take forever

Because I learnt nothing from the school of hard knocks

Indeed there's too much to forget



Poem written by:
Joyce Ohenewaa Kwapong
+233(0)267968373
joycekwapong@gmail.com
Activist, Women and Children
University of Ghana, Accra City Campus
Read more on my blog:
ohenewaa-kwapong.blogspot.com

   *** I believe this poem will inspire you and I              to make good use of our youthful days
        Together, let us make hay whilst the sun             shines
        So that if there's too much to forget, those         memories will be positive ones.

        

        

        

        

 MY DAYS WON'T FADE

Even when my enemies unite as one front
And friends plot to destroy me
I have an only friend who will always be there
My days won't fade

Even when my presence is unnoticed
And my voice is never listened to
And my name never mentioned
One day, I will be celebrated and called before kings
My days won't fade

Even when my ribs can be numbered as a one, two, three, four and five
And there's nothing to feed on to survive
With starvation becoming a norm,
I believe! A time is coming
When there will be more to eat, share and store
My days won't fade

Even when my academics won't work for my good
And my grades keep telling me stories of failure
My brighter days are ahead of me
My days won't fade

Even when my debts are high
And my accounts go bankrupt
And my creditors deny me of my sleep
Surely! Currencies will one day be in abundance in my life
My days won't fade

Even when my tears won't cease 
And my smile suppressed so deep down my throat
And my heart so grieved with pain
As I cry myself to sleep each day
Someday, my pillow will be dry
Oh yes!
Someday,my handkerchief will no more be soaked with tears
My days won't fade

Even when my body grows cold
And my blood runs dry in my mortal remains
And my breath goes dead silent
Generations will remember me
For my love, my impact, my legacy
Men will smile and proclaim
"She emptied herself for humanity"
My name would forever remain
And my light will eternally shine
My days won't fade



Poem written by:
Joyce Ohenewaa Kwapong

+233(0)267968373

joycekwaoong@gmail.com

Activist, Women and Children
University of Ghana, Accra City Campus
Read more on my blog:
ohenewaa-kwapong.blogspot.com


*** I believe this poem will make an impact in your life and that of generations unborn.

In every circumstance you find yourself in, cheer yourself up

And always remember to inspire and motivate yourself by saying,

Whatever my lot, My days won't fade.

Their Failure, Our Failure

          THEIR FAILURE, OUR FAILURE!!!

To them, the street was home.
The leftover and decays were food.
The floor was bed and the trees were shelter.
All these secrets they won't tell.
For fear of being deprived of these
All of which they deem as privileges

At night they lie down and tremble with fear.
At sunrise,they are attracted by the sound of loud music
And flashing lights of flashy cars break the darkness of the night
They would watch and longingly imagine
The pleasure you must be having
And the luxury within which u live.

Pain wraps their souls the more
As they continue to live in misery
And it feels like playing with hot coals and thorns.
In their hearts they cry,
"All have neglected us"
They feel torn apart with trouble and pain.
They hope to see the light
But darkness overwhelmed their pitying souls.
Life is not as sweet to them as others
Thinking death would bring them gain.
They starve as food and thirst as water
Hoping to say goodbye to the saddest world in which they live.
Yet, live each day hoping for a better tomorrow

Our lives is not important except in the impact it has on other lives
In our attempt to give,
We remember the dark side of giving
Forgetting we could be such as they are
Forgetting we have been made rich to reach out.
Not remembering that we have been made who we are
So as to make these ones who they are meant to be.
Why can't we make a difference in their lives?
Doesn't it hurt to see them suffer in pain and agony?
When we have more than we need?
Doesn't it hurt to bargain so hard with them as they tread on an empty stomach all day
Carrying on their heads all sorts of items?
Tomatoes, pepper, garden eggs, onions, pear, fruits
Just to earn a living?

It is about time we think of giving not as a duty but as a privilege as rightly said by John D. Rockefeller Jr.
Matt Kahn made it right when he said,
"You give to yourself by giving of yourself"
And Mother Theresa,she made it all complete when she made the assertion;
If u can't feed a 100 people, then just feed one

Let us wake up
Ye privileged and fortunate ones
To attend to our young and needy.
To attend to the rejected and abandoned.
Let us turn to the streets
To the street corners
To every nook and cranny of society
Let us not turn a blind eye
To the deprived areas in our society.
Let us not loose sight of the helpless orphans

We need to try and be a rainbow in their clouds
A rose amongst their thorns
A lily in their valley
A moon in their night
A light in their darkness
A smile in their sad hearts
And a restoration to their lost joy

Realizing there exists a needy world
Realizing a bleeding heart needs love
And a feeble hand needs help
Knowing a sleepy and homeless head needs shelter
And a hungry mouth needs food.
We've got to challenge ourselves
Dare to stand out of the crowd
Set an example for others to rise,shine and lead
Set an example for others to love,care and share

In your formative years,
People spent time and resources to help and bring you up
Or perhaps you may have joined this world
With a silver spoon in your mouth, Probably not!
You may have lived contrary to luxury
But in a gentle and caring way,
You and I can shake the world and impact lives
Yes! You and I
We can show love to these ones
Who need more love than we ever received.

Poem written by:
Joyce Ohenewaa Kwapong
+233(0)267968373
joycekwapong@gmail.com
Activist, Women and children
University of Ghana, Accra City Campus
Read more on ohenewaa-kwapong.blogspot.com