My mother was a single parent who worked tirelessly to give my brother and me a good life – MC Kabutey

Many children have grown up with single mothers who have had to shoulder the responsibility of raising, nurturing and providing for their families, often making sacrifices to give them a better future. MC Kabutey was one of such children.

Growing up with his younger brother and their mother at the Airport Residential Area in Accra, he witnessed firsthand the lengths she went to give them a good education and a comfortable upbringing.

Sharing his story on The Career Trail Season 4 on Joy Learning TV and Joy News, the event host recalled how his mother, a civil servant with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, took on several extra jobs to support the family.

“My mom did everything, you know, all kinds of extra jobs. She was a master's degree holder, but for her, there was nothing like a menial job. My mom had a farm. We did both animals. We did crops. She had fruit trees. My mom used to sell gari. She would travel to the Eastern Region, Adeiso, Asamankese, buy gari in sacks, drive them to Accra over the weekend, and then we'd repackage them in Olonka, half Olonka and quarter Olonka. And we'd be selling,” he recounted.

Her entrepreneurial efforts also saw her turn their living room into a restaurant, serving workers from the former Ghana Airways head office, which was located along their street.

“Myself, my brother and my aunties would start the initial preparations, then when she was on her lunch break, she would dash home. People would come in to eat ampesi, yam, rice and banku. Within an hour, she would return to work, and we would continue,” he recalled.

Through these efforts, she was able to finance the education of her two sons, who attended Englebert Preparatory School in the Airport Residential Area.

Beyond providing for their material needs, Kabutey said his mother also placed great importance on their spiritual upbringing, ensuring that faith and a personal relationship with God remained central to their lives.

“Church was an important part of our upbringing too. There was a strong emphasis on a direct connection and a direct relationship with God and building yourself in full recognition that you're created in the image and in the likeness of God. And therefore, everything is really within your range and within your space,” he highlighted.

Although his mother has since passed on, Kabutey said he remains grateful for the sacrifices she made and the foundation she laid for him and his brother.

“She’s watching from heaven. She's passed on. But she paid her dues in full,” he said.