The subtle art of embracing cultural influences.
Bio for Agnes Yaa Serwaa Somuah
Agnes Yaa Serwaa Somuah is the Program Manager of the Sinkunia Community Development Organization in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The Sinkunia organization designs and delivers integrated programs for new immigrant children and youth from African countries and of African heritage backgrounds.
Originally from Ghana, where she was a teacher, Agnes holds both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in education. She came to Canada in the spring of 2008 and now works at Sinkunia, engaging children and youth in fun-filled activities to help them build confidence, be proud of their cultures, build friendships, and learn about Canadian culture. Agnes is a published author of 13 books, including nine children’s stories called “Akan Children’s Stories,” two stories about her personal life, and four plays written in her local language of Akan. Last year, she received the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum Medal for community service.
In her spare time, Agnes enjoys spending time with her children, who range in age from 8 to 25 years, and her husband. She loves gardening and cooking.
Episode highlight
Agnes is the perfect example of the saying, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” Having grown up in Ghana and later moved to Canada, she had to navigate and embrace the diverse cultures of both countries. Agnes had much to unlearn and relearn.
In this episode, Agnes shares her story of growing up in a household with children from three mothers, having no time to play as a child, and moving to Canada to turn her life around.
Links
- Agnes’ Children Books: https://pagemasterpublishing.ca/by/yaa-serwaa-somuah/
- Agnes’ HIV Survivor Story: https://www.amazon.ca/Celebrating-God-Story-AIDS-Survivor/
Quotes
- “Every day, I get a chance to just make a child smile, like all the smiles I missed when I was a child.”
- “So many things happen to us when we are growing up, but it depends on you as an individual what you choose to do with it.”
Takeaways
Childhood Incidents
Agnes grew up in a household where her father had many wives. She remembers seeing three wives in the compound. As a child, she loved being at school more than at home because at home, there was no room for play. Everyone had responsibilities ranging from working on the farm and in their father’s stores to counting money from the store. Agnes vividly recalls organizing award shows for children in her neighborhood using chocolates from her father’s store. One day, while visiting her aunt in Accra, she continued her award shows, and her aunt told her she would make a great teacher, though Agnes wanted to be a journalist.
Unlike many African families, Agnes’ dad always encouraged her to go to school and do her best to excel. Due to the family constraints, Agnes never got close to her mother, a second wife always in rivalry with the other wives. One thing Agnes learned from her mother was cooking, and believes her mother could cook a whole cow in 50 different ways.
Influential Groups
One of the things Agnes learned from her father was communal living. Despite having siblings from different mothers, their dad always united them as one family and taught them the value of giving and building relationships. When Agnes moved to Canada, she got a big house because she wanted to live with other people.
Cultural and Leadership Influences
When Agnes first moved to Canada, she worked as a nanny. The family she worked for was supportive, encouraging her to pursue her dreams. A year after arriving in Canada, Agnes published her two books with the support of her employers. The Canadian family dynamics surprised her when she realized the man of the house was comfortably taking care of the baby. Mr. Perry, the father, was also the first to ask her what had happened to her and listen to her side of the story after an incident.
Personality and Temperament
Agnes believes she has an inside and outside personality. She recalls when she first rented out some rooms in her house; one tenant told her he wanted to live with her because of how she performed on stage. But at home, Agnes was quiet and hardly talked. At one point, the tenant thought he had offended her, but it was due to public and private personalities. Agnes’ husband is equally quiet, but their youngest child gets them to talk. Since Agnes’ children joined her in Canada, she has tried living with them like Canadians, including taking vacations, participating in activities, and eating together at meal times.
Cultural Epiphanies
In Ghana, people who smoked were viewed negatively. Agnes was shocked to find people smoking everywhere in Canada, including those who were highly regarded back home.
What Brings Out the Best in Agnes?
Being with people and feeling respected motivate Agnes to show up to work even on tired days. She also loves working with children, giving them the smiles she missed as a child.
Extro
Agnes Yaa Serwaa Somuah is an outstanding teacher and storyteller now living her dream career by creating environments where African immigrant children can enjoy safety, friendship, play, and development in ways she never experienced herself as a child. Just as she used to gather village children under the mango trees to hold competitions and award prizes, Agnes now gathers children from African families to help them build a sense of ownership and pride in their new country of Canada.
I loved my interview with Agnes and only discovered while searching for links to her books that she has overcome many daunting obstacles, including coming to Canada originally as a nanny while her children waited for her to send for them. When I asked Agnes to be a guest on the podcast, it was after admiring her work designing and delivering educational programs for hundreds of children and youth.
I have watched Agnes coordinate volunteers and interns from colleges and universities in Edmonton, and train staff to run award-winning programs. The Sinkunia Organization for Community Development, where she works, has received many accolades and funding, testifying to her work in building safe spaces for children.
