Tourism
‘Our Children Feel Seen Here’: Why More African-American Families Are Planting New Roots in Ghana
When Dr. Ashley Milton moved from Los Angeles to Accra, she expected the cultural adjustments, the weather, the bureaucratic hurdles. What she didn’t expect was how quickly her 11-year-old son would find a sense of belonging that had felt elusive back in the United States.
“He came home from school one day and said, ‘Mom, this is the first time I’ve ever felt normal,’” Milton recalls. “For a parent, that’s everything.”
Her family is one of more than 1,500 African-Americans who have resettled in Ghana since the government launched the Year of Return in 2019 — an invitation for members of the African diaspora to reconnect with the land their ancestors were taken from centuries ago. The campaign has since grown into a decade-long initiative known as Beyond the Return, focusing not only on tourism but on permanent relocation, investment, and cultural integration.
While the movement has been widely reported, much less is known about how children — the real test of whether a family can build a future somewhere — are experiencing life in Ghana.
‘They’re not the only Black kid in the room anymore’
Several parents interviewed in the BBC World Service documentary The Return say their children’s transformation has been the most powerful part of the relocation.
Morris Beers, who moved from California in 2020, describes his teenage daughter’s shift in confidence as “night and day.”
“In the U.S., she always felt like she had to shrink herself,” he said. “Here, she walks tall. She doesn’t feel like someone’s stereotype — she just feels like a kid.”
Parents consistently point to simple, everyday interactions that feel radically different from what their children were used to. School halls where Black students are the majority, classrooms where their hair, names, and skin aren’t topics of debate, and playgrounds where they aren’t racially profiled.
“One mom told me her son couldn’t believe that people here compliment his dreadlocks instead of policing them,” Milton said. “He said, ‘Mom, they think my hair is cool!’”
Healing history — and facing it
For many families, the decision to move wasn’t only about escaping racism abroad; it was about reclaiming a severed history.
At Cape Coast Castle — where millions of enslaved Africans were forced through the “Door of No Return” — African-American parents often say their children experience a powerful moment of clarity.
Milton remembers her son standing silently inside the slave dungeon during their visit.
“He said he felt the ancestors ‘searing’ into him,” she said. “He didn’t have the words for it, but he felt the weight and the connection.”
For families making the move, this history is not abstract. It informs everything from why they teach their children humility to why they insist they learn local languages.
Challenges — yes. Regrets — no.
Relocating to Ghana has not been without stress. Parents frequently mention inconsistent utilities, cultural gaps, and the need for patience.
But most say the benefits outweigh the hurdles.
“Every country has its issues,” one parent told the BBC. “But here, my children don’t walk around feeling targeted. They feel wanted.”
That sentiment echoes why many came in the first place. As Beers put it in the documentary:
“A man once told me, ‘If you love Africa so much, go live there.’ And I thought — maybe I should.”
A new generation of returnees
What began as a tourism campaign is quietly becoming a demographic shift, one shaped not only by adults seeking reconnection but by children who are discovering a new sense of identity — and in some cases, the freedom to just be themselves.
“They’re not weighed down by the noise,” Milton said. “For the first time, they’re just kids. And that’s why we stay.”
Compact, filling and made from one of West Africa’s most treasured grains, Kapala shows how Ghanaian food traditions turn simple ingredients into practical nourishment for everyday life.
Known as millet balls, Kapala is prepared by cooking millet and moulding it into firm, round shapes.
The result is a humble food with a pleasantly grainy texture and a mild, earthy flavour that allows it to pair beautifully with a variety of accompaniments.
A Taste of Ghanaian Food Heritage
Kapala’s appeal lies in its versatility. It can be served alongside soup, where the millet balls provide a satisfying base for a hearty meal, or enjoyed with milk for a simpler combination.
For those who prefer a savoury kick, a spicy groundnut-based sauce offers a delicious contrast, bringing creamy nuttiness and heat to the grain’s gentle flavour.
Millet has long been valued in parts of Ghana and across West Africa, particularly in communities where traditional grains remain important to everyday cooking.
Kapala reflects a practical approach to food: preparing a staple that can be carried easily and eaten when needed.
For farmers heading to their fields, its compact shape makes it convenient to transport and consume during a demanding working day. It is a reminder that traditional food can be both culturally meaningful and adapted to the realities of rural life.
Nourishment in Every Bite
Millet provides carbohydrates for energy, along with dietary fibre, minerals and other nutrients.
Its fibre content can support digestive health, while its carbohydrates help fuel physical activity. The overall nutritional value of Kapala depends on how it is prepared and what accompanies it.
For international visitors exploring Ghanaian cuisine, Kapala offers an opportunity to appreciate the ingenuity behind everyday local foods. Its simplicity is part of its charm: a familiar grain transformed into a portable, nourishing staple.
In every rounded ball is a story of resourcefulness, agricultural heritage and the enduring connection between Ghanaian food and daily life.
A child searching for their first picture book, a university student hunting for a prescribed textbook or a reader hoping to find their next favourite novel can all begin their search at the same place: EPP BookShop at Legon City Mall.
Located at 7 Lagoon Street, off Giffard Road, the Legon branch brings together books for different ages, interests and stages of learning.
Its appeal lies in the range of titles available, making it a useful stop for families preparing children for school, students pursuing higher education and readers looking beyond the classroom.
From a Small Accra Shop to a Growing Book Business
EPP Books began in 1991 as a modest bookshop in Accra, occupying a space of no more than 20 square metres.
Over the years, it grew into a chain with branches across the West African sub-region, expanding its reach beyond its original location.
That journey reflects the continuing need for accessible books in homes, schools and educational institutions.
For many learners, textbooks and supplementary readers are essential tools, while novels and self-help books offer opportunities for entertainment, personal growth and discovery.
Books for Different Stages of Life
At the Legon branch, the selection spans preschool materials, children’s readers, school curriculum books, secondary-school textbooks and university-level titles. Customers can also browse bestselling novels and books on personal development.
EPP BookShop serves both retail and wholesale customers, giving individual readers and organisations options for purchasing books. If a particular title is unavailable on the shelves, the shop can also arrange to order it.
For residents, students and visitors in the Legon area, the branch offers more than a place to buy reading materials. It provides a practical starting point for the search for knowledge, whether that begins with a child’s first schoolbook or a reader’s next literary adventure.
From a steaming bowl of fufu and soup to the irresistible aroma of kelewele fresh from the frying pan, Ghanaian food offers more than comfort and flavour.
When balanced well, it can also provide many of the nutrients the body needs to thrive.
Traditional Ghanaian cuisine draws heavily on natural ingredients, including yam, plantain, beans, fish, groundnuts and leafy vegetables.
These foods supply energy, protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals. Kontomire stew, okro soup and garden eggs bring colour and nutrients to the table, while fish and legumes offer protein.
Spices and seasonings give dishes their distinctive character, making everyday meals deeply satisfying.
Waakye, the much-loved combination of rice and beans, illustrates this potential. Paired with vegetables, fish or eggs, it can provide a satisfying mix of carbohydrates, protein and fibre.
Yet the nutritional value depends on portion sizes and the amount of oil, salt and rich accompaniments added.
When Tradition Needs Balance
Palm oil gives dishes such as red red their familiar colour and taste. It also contains vitamin E and carotenoids, which the body can convert into vitamin A. However, it is high in saturated fat, so using moderate amounts and avoiding repeated overheating are sensible choices.
Portion sizes matter, too. Meals dominated by large servings of fufu, banku, rice or yam, with little vegetables or protein, may make it harder to maintain a balanced diet over time.
Meanwhile, instant noodles, sugary drinks and heavily processed snacks are increasingly competing with home-cooked meals. Frequent consumption can contribute to excessive sugar, salt and calorie intake.
Keeping Ghanaian Food Healthy
The answer is not to abandon beloved local dishes, but to prepare and serve them thoughtfully.
Enjoy reasonable portions of starchy staples, add generous vegetables, include beans, fish or other protein sources, and use oil and salt sparingly.
Ghanaian food can be both delicious and nourishing. The secret lies in balance, variety and preserving the best of local cooking while making choices that support long-term health.
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