Kofi Armoo: Building a Future, One Tile at a Time
Kofi Armoo’s journey is one of resilience, courage, and transformation. Born in 1999, Kofi lost his father at just nine years old. Since then, he has lived with his mother and three siblings, facing significant financial hardship.
Without the means to afford basic school supplies—such as uniforms and textbooks—Kofi was forced to drop out of school. In an effort to support his family, he turned to small-scale mining, known locally as galam-sey – illegal small-scale gold mining; dangerous and often exploitative form of child labour.
But even in the face of adversity, Kofi held on to a dream: to become a professional tiler, someone who installs tiles on floors and walls—a skill in high demand across Ghana’s growing construction sector.
Thanks to the generous support of Aid for the Future (AFT) and its donors, Kofi’s dream began to take shape. AFT covered 90% of the costs for his apprenticeship training in Takoradi, including fees, tools, uniforms, and health insurance. His family, though limited in resources, contributed to his remaining daily and personal expenses.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic caused delays and temporarily disrupted his training, AFT’s continued support—including the gift of new tools—enabled Kofi to stay on course. With renewed focus and determination, Kofi successfully completed his apprenticeship and is now ready to begin his career as a skilled tiler.
Kofi’s story is a powerful reminder that when given the opportunity, young people can break the cycle of poverty and create a better future—not just for themselves, but for their families and communities.