A TroTro for Dennis and his family

Twenty years ago I spent some time in Ghana, West Africa. While I was there I met fifteen year old, Dennis MacCarthy. He was kind and generous and pretty much on his own, living with his grandmother in the village. At the time he could not afford school, so I committed to help him through. We have been friends ever since!

Dennis is now bringing up his three children Amy (16), Daniel (9), and Derrick (7) on his own in a two room flat. This has been difficult throughout the years and just got more so.  He recently experienced a tragedy that also put him out of lucrative work. His friend and boss owned a Trotro, a Ghanaian van used as a taxi, and Dennis was one of the drivers. Michael (the owner of the Trotro) was also a police officer and was killed in the line of duty last spring. Dennis now works selling lotto tickets which barely keeps food on the table. He and his children are in great need.

This GoFundMe is to help Dennis purchase a Trotro of his own. Trotros are the main form of public transportation in Ghana. They’re similar to a crowd regulated bus system and they are extremely valuable to the Ghanain economy. Trotro Mates get people to and from work and school and being a Trotro owner is a respectable and steady form of work.  Dennis shared with me his goal to get into the Trotro business and I fully support and trust him in the endeavor. 

Getting into the Trotro business will enable Dennis to earn enough income for he and his family to move from their two room apartment into a safer place with bedrooms, to keep food on the table, and to save for his children’s higher education, be it trade school or college.

Dennis knows of a few Trotros for sale at a reasonable price. The money raised here will go directly towards buying a used Trotro, paying the startup fees, and maintenance expenses. When he is up and running he believes he will make in a day what he now makes in a week (about 40 us$). This would change the lives of Dennis and his children immensely, and that will be directly because of your generosity. I would love for us to help him out as much as possible.

THANK YOU so much for helping me fundraise for Dennis and his children. Your donation will truly make a difference. -Robin

Derrick, Amy, and Daniel

A Trotro