Marc is a French-speaking technician from Côte d’Ivoire, living and working in Accra, Ghana.
One weekend, he developed a severe toothache. The pain was sharp and constant, and by
Monday morning, he knew he needed a dentist urgently.
Marc visited several dental clinics in Accra, but there was a problem: he didn’t speak English
well, and none of the clinics had French-speaking staff. He tried to explain his symptoms in
broken English and with hand gestures, but the receptionists and doctors misunderstood
him. He left each clinic more frustrated and in more pain.
Finally, a Togolese friend in Accra told him about a French-speaking dentist in Lomé, just
across the border in Togo. Desperate, Marc made the long journey to Lomé, where — at last
— he was able to speak freely, be understood, and treated properly.
After the ordeal, Marc couldn’t stop thinking: “Why should someone living in Ghana, right
next to so many French-speaking countries, have to travel to another country just to find
someone who understands him?”
This experience made Marc realize the urgent need for French language access in Ghana —
not just for travelers or diplomats, but for everyday people: workers, students, and patients
like him. That’s why he became a supporter of Les Passerelles Globale, a Ghana-based NGO
committed to making French language and culture accessible in English-speaking West
Africa.
For people like Marc, Les Passerelles Globale is not just about language — it’s about dignity,
health, and being heard.
BAHOULI POUWEDEOU
