“I’ve always loved America, but America stopped loving me and my children”. Why this US attorney moved her family to Ghana 18 yrs ago and never looked back

Melissa Mensah is a successful US and Ghanaian licensed attorney based in Accra. The Howard University graduate, who speaks multiple languages including Hebrew, Spanish, and English left the United States to practice law in Ghana 18 years ago and has not looked back since.

In an interview with Face2face Africa for The Returnee Project, a new show that captures the intriguing stories of Diasporans who have moved back to Africa, Mensah shares how her desire to protect her children inspired her to make the move:

“As a Black mother, I love America, I have always loved America. But at some point, America stopped loving me and stopped loving my children and I could see it in the policies and activities that were happening, so I moved myself away from whatever perceived conveniences there are in America to protect us from the very obvious ills.“

Recalling her own challenges when she first relocated, Melissa said it was a struggle to settle in, but the challenges she faced taught her to develop new skills to survive in an environment that doesn’t have some of the safety nets that she had while in the United States.

“My absolute favorite thing about living in Ghana is feeling at home, feeling free,” she said. “The freedom that I feel as a Ghanaian woman, the protection under the law, the sense of familial connection that I have with Ghanaians across the board, irrespective of language or actual family ties. I feel much more connected to the people with whom I move about on the street daily.”

Now, Melissa is a multiple business owner in Ghana. In her video interview, she shares tips and lessons for anyone looking to relocate to Ghana and how to thrive once you make the move. Check it out below: