Hannah Yaawusuah Adjepong

Ghanaian born grandmother, Hannah Yaawusuah Adjepong, finds that her traditional skills as a storyteller are in demand in UK schools and workplaces, where she uses stories to teach about the impact of issues such as bullying, racism and body image.
Born and brought up in Ghana, West Africa, Hannah has spent the last thirty years living and working in the UK, and now lives with her husband near Telford. 
Her life almost took a very different course when her mother was forced to take her out of middle school, aged 15, as she could no longer afford the necessary uniform and school books. It was only due to a chance meeting with an anonymous stranger that her mother was persuaded to do all she could to keep Hannah in school. Hannah went on to complete school and worked as a pupil teacher before qualifying as a nurse. She has since gone on to be a published poet and author having first grown to love poetry whilst at school.

Hannah now uses her skills as a traditional African storyteller that have been passed down through the generations to teach, educate and inspire in the same way that has been practiced for centuries. Storytelling, often accompanied by music and dance, is used in many African countries to pass on knowledge and wisdom, and Hannah has now brought this tradition to Shropshire.
She uses the vehicle of storytelling in a powerful way to teach profound truths and values like courage, honesty and generosity. Panda's Song, which was published in March 2013, about a panda who compares her appearance unfavourably to the other animals, teaches children to love and accept themselves as they are, and the importance of not judging others just because they appear different.