‘I’m a village champion, I’ve gone without food and worked on farms before’ – Dr Hanna Bisiw-Kotei

Sharing her personal story, she explained that she fully understands the realities of village life, including hardships such as walking long distances, fetching water from streams, and enduring hunger.

“I’ve always told people that when I say I’m a village champion, it’s not a joke. I grew up in a village. There’s no aspect of village life that I haven’t experienced as a village child. I’ve walked barefoot, I’ve worn torn underwear, I’ve had lice and nits stuck in my hair. I’ve walked long distances and gone without food before,” she recounted.

“I’ve fetched water from streams, and I was given an opportunity. That’s why I’m here today. It’s not because of marriage or because I’m a superhuman being. No. It’s because God used someone to pick me up from the gutters and clean me up. That’s why I’m here today,” Dr Bisiw-Kotei said in comments shared by Daily Graphic on X.

She also emphasised that her fight against illegal mining is a personal mission to protect the environment and ensure that rural communities, especially children, are not deprived of a healthy future.

“A river has been destroyed. The forest has been destroyed, all around the school. The fear and insecurity these children and teachers face while passing through such areas will affect their concentration. How do you expect such a child to grow up and fulfill their God-given potential? So, for me, this is a call to duty,” she added.

Watch Dr Hanna Bisiw’s comment below: