Dancing Again
Storyboard Text
- I was only ten when I first traveled to Ghana and heard Beliratu's story.
- I flew there with my mom, dad, and brother on a long flight to work with a non-profit organization my dad started.
- Are we there yet?
- Ayenyah, Ghana was a rundown village ringing with the sounds of playful laughter and running footsteps.
- Hey, that's my ball!
- Come back here, chicken!
- Mom, I'll come in a minute...
- The children paused in their games as we drove up, gathering with inquisitive faces and giggling whispers at the sight of their American visitors.
- ?
- Welcome! You can call me Mama Lisa. I'm the head of the orphanage here.
- So how was your trip? I'll show you around after you've rested for a bit...
- Who's that?
- Kids, come introduce yourselves!
- I'm Beliratu - you can call me Belira - and this is my adoptive brother.
- Sure, that sounds fun!
- Hi! My name's Francis and I'm nine years old. Do you want to play soccer with me later?
- We should go help make dinner now, but we can talk to the guests later.
- Of course, Belira.
- Belira was having a very hard time before she came to us...
- Belira grew up in a life of poverty, where she was always hungry and she had to sleep on the ground.
- She lived with her mother and father, who treated her reasonably well, but didn't care for her as they should.
- When she was just seven years old, Belira's mother and father sent her away to work in the capital city of Accra, as many parents did at that time when they couldn't afford to keep their children.
- Always obey your master, Belira, and work hard. Send the money back to us.
- It's for the best.
- She was lost and alone in this city of strangers.
- It was pretty bad up until that point, but when she was nine years old, Belira's life changed completely.
- One normal workday, Belira saw a driver waving to her from his car.
- Hey, you there! Over here!
- SCREECH
- Belira woke up in the hospital, with many injuries including one leg in a full cast, where the driver had taken her after her slavemaster had abandoned her to die in the street.
Over 30 Million Storyboards Created