Joseph Mensah: Physically Challenged Shoemaker Runs His Own Business
- Joseph Mensah is an inspiration as the founder of Joe Mens and the Hope for Disabled Foundation
- Joe Mens is a footwear brand that produces amazing quality leather shoes and even stunning sandals
- Despite living with a disability, Joseph has defeated the odds and is running a successful shoemaking venture
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Ghanaian entrepreneur and shoe designer Joseph Mensah is the founder of Joe Mens, a shoemaking company that produces quality leather dress shoes and footwear.
At age five, Joseph Mensah developed a disability after he was infected with measles and was rendered disabled after receiving an injection to help with the symptoms.
Mensah had a turbulent childhood owing to the disability, which affected his education. He had to to drop out of school in Grade 5 as a result.
Source: UGC
In later years, his parents sent him to the Accra Rehabilitation Centre, where he learned the skill of shoemaking. Despite coming from an economically disadvantaged home, Mensah defeated the odds, including rounds of challenges, to start his business.
The native of Teshie in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana begun his shoemaking business on a table as a cobbler by the roadside.
In 1996, Mensah joined a charity organisation called Hope for Life Handicap Brothers and Sisters Association, where he secured a loan of around R500 to expand his business.
In an exclusive interview with Briefly News' sister publication Yen.com.gh, Joseph Mensah shared his heartwarming journey and the lesson-ridden impediments that he surmounted to become a now-established shoe designer with a successful business.
The founder of Hope for Disabled Foundation pleaded with the public to stop giving money to disabled beggars on the street but rather encourage them to work hard to earn a living.
Briefly News recently conducted an exclusive interview with Jan Chepape, the brains behind an innovative and helpful YouTube channel dedicated to helping the youth of South Africa cope by speaking openly about their feelings and challenges on a public platform.
1. Where did the idea behind the channel come from?
"The idea to turn our helpful social media pages into a YouTube channel was proposed by our fans because we used to only make videos and post them on Facebook and WhatsApp but never thought of YouTube."
2. What troubles have you experienced while trying to start the initiative?
"Content and resources been the major setback because so many people will say that they're going to help you but they only say it and not implement anything."
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Source: Briefly News
Kelly Lippke (Senior Editor) Kelly Lippke is a copy editor/proofreader who started her career at the Northern-Natal Courier with a BA in Communication Science/Psychology (Unisa, 2007). Kelly has worked for several Caxton publications, including the Highway Mail and Northglen News. Kelly’s unique editing perspective stems from an additional major in Linguistics. Kelly joined Briefly News in 2018 and she has 14 years of experience. Kelly has also passed a set of trainings by Google News Initiative. You can reach her at kelly.lippke@briefly.co.za.
Reeshni Chetty Reeshni Chetty is a senior current affairs reporter. The Damelin journalism and media studies graduate was top of her class with 16 distinctions and she boasts experience in radio, print and digital media. When Reeshni is not rushing to bring you the most important and breaking news in current affairs, she's raising awareness around mental health. Reeshni has a passion for breaking the stigma surrounding mental health issues.
