“I’m a Village Champion”: Dr. Hanna Bisiw-Kotei’s Emotional Story Inspires Hope and Change
The Administrator of the Mineral Development Fund (MDF), Dr. Hanna Louisa Bisiw-Kotei, has moved many Ghanaians with a heartfelt account of her difficult upbringing in a rural village — and how those experiences have shaped her life’s mission today.
Humble Beginnings in the Village
Dr. Bisiw-Kotei described a childhood marked by extreme hardship — working on farms, going without food, walking long distances, and enduring the harsh realities of rural life.
“I’ve walked barefoot. I’ve worn torn underwear. I’ve had lice and sores in my hair. I’ve fetched water from streams and gone hungry for days,” she said, speaking with raw honesty.
She proudly calls herself a “village champion,” not as a title, but as a badge of honor forged through real-life experience.
🙏 A Life Transformed by Opportunity
Dr. Bisiw-Kotei made it clear that her rise to leadership was not by chance or privilege.
“I’m here today not because of marriage or because I’m superhuman. God used someone to lift me from the gutters and clean me up,” she declared.
Her journey is a reminder of the transformative power of opportunity — and the importance of giving others the same chance.
Fighting Galamsey for the Future of Rural Children
Now at the helm of the Mineral Development Fund, Dr. Bisiw-Kotei is channeling her passion into protecting the environment and defending the rights of rural communities, particularly children endangered by illegal mining (galamsey).
“The rivers and forests around schools are being destroyed. Children walking through these dangerous areas face fear and insecurity. How can they grow and reach their God-given potential under such conditions?”
To her, the fight against galamsey is more than policy — it’s a personal mission, a “call to duty.”
👏 A Voice for the Voiceless
Dr. Bisiw-Kotei’s testimony is not just a reflection of her past — it’s a call for equity, environmental justice, and leadership rooted in lived experience.
“When I say I’m a village champion, it’s not a joke. I’ve lived every village struggle -had lice and sores, gone without food, worked on farms and fetched water from streams. But I was given a chance.God used someone to lift me from the gutters and clean me up.” – Dr. Bisiw-Kotei pic.twitter.com/Qq8cSwIkWQ
— DailyGraphic GraphicOnline (@Graphicgh) June 28, 2025
Source: https://www.ghanaweb.com/
