News
Meet Julia – The 13-year-old whose affection for animals knows no bounds
• Julia and her pet are company
She’s known for her absolute love and care for wounded animals. Her name is Julia, a 13-year-old Ghanaian German girl who lives in Krefeld-Germany and currently trending on social media for an encounter with her mum on Facebook live.
Julia is a compassionate girl and is now beloved online due to her love for animals, witty ways with words and always ready to defend her actions.
On December 6 she arrived home from school with a raven in hand. She found the wounded raven on her way back from school and decided to help it. Her mother, who was at home, caught everything and broadcast it live on Facebook.
The video was then copied by a Tik Toker with username ‘justice_six.’ As he posted it on Tiktok the video blew up. It has now been viewed over a million times and liked over 200,000 times. The encounter shows the contrast between how she sees the world and how her mom sees the world.
Julia, born Julia Nana Ama Serwaa Johannes in Accra on September 26, 2009, to a Ghanaian mother and a German father moved with her family to a small German city called Heilbronn when she was five years old.
Heilbronn is in the wine production region of Baden-Wurttemberg. It is about 60 kilometres from Stuttgart, home of the famous Mercedes-Benz.
Julia had always had a love for animals. In Ghana she had dogs and birds as pets, however she was never allowed outside the gate of her home to play and roam in her free time because her parents always told her it was dangerous.
Life in this village was idyllic and safe. It was a world so different from her life in Accra, here the inhabitants did not lock their doors. Wide open space of woodland and vineyards.
Free from the world of burglar-proof windows, heavy security door, wire mesh on walls etc, Julia began to explore the beauty of the world around her.
One day while playing in her backyard, she found a wounded bird. Knowing that her mum had a fear of animal she sneaked the bird to her bedroom and kept it in a box.
She then stole food from her mum’s kitchen and nested the bird back to health in about a week.
Her mum however found the bird and told her to let it go. It broke her heart and she cried but she knew it was the right thing to do.
So, she did, but that did not stop her from leaving her heart open to all other creatures she found in the wide-open space of the vineyards regions of Heilbronn. She has since rescued squirrels, hedgehog, and several birds.
A very bright future in veterinary
She is currently looking forward to attending a Veterinary Summer Camp at the university of Maryland in the summer of 2023.
This camp is opened to children between the age of 13-17 who have an interest in pursuing a career in veterinary medicine. A go-fund me account has been set up to help her finance this venture.
The Minority Caucus on Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee has called for urgent and decisive action following recent xenophobic attacks on Ghanaians living in South Africa.
In a statement issued in Accra on April 29, the caucus expressed concern about what it described as a growing pattern of violence against foreign nationals, including Ghanaians, in areas such as KwaZulu-Natal, Durban and Gauteng.
The group noted that Ghanaian-owned businesses have been attacked, while some individuals have been harassed and assaulted. It added that, in certain cases, victims have also been denied access to essential services.
According to the statement, claims that foreign nationals are responsible for crime and economic hardship are unfounded and should be rejected.
The caucus referred to the widely circulated assault of a Ghanaian, Emmanuel Asamoah, as an example of the severity of the situation. It also raised concern about reports that some incidents occurred in the presence of law enforcement officers without effective intervention.
The Minority acknowledged steps taken by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, including his engagement with South African authorities and efforts to provide consular support to affected Ghanaians.
It noted the public condemnation of the attacks by President Cyril Ramaphosa, describing these as necessary but not sufficient.
The caucus called on the South African government to ensure the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible and to hold security agencies accountable where they fail to act.
It urged authorities to take practical steps to protect foreign nationals across the country.
On the part of Ghana, the Minority urged the government to adopt a stronger and more structured response.
It called for direct engagement between President John Dramani Mahama and President Ramaphosa to secure firm commitments on the safety of Ghanaians.
The statement further recommended increased consular support for citizens in affected areas and called for the issue to be escalated to the African Union for an urgent inquiry into recurring xenophobic attacks.
It urged the government to work with regional partners within ECOWAS to present a unified response.
The Minority suggested that Ghana should seek assurances from South Africa, including confirmed arrests, clear prosecution processes and a plan to protect foreign nationals.
It added that compensation should be considered for victims who have suffered losses.
The statement, signed by the Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Samuel Abu Jinapor, urged Ghanaians in South Africa to remain cautious and maintain contact with the Ghana High Commission.
It stressed that Ghana must act firmly to protect its citizens and uphold the principles of cooperation and solidarity among African countries.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
Climate Change and Sustainability Ministry backs WiSA International Festival to promote women-led climate action
The Office of the Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability has expressed support for the Women in Sustainability Africa (WiSA) International Festival, aimed at promoting inclusive climate action and sustainable development across the continent.
In a statement, the Office said it recognises WiSA as an important platform that brings together governments, development partners, the private sector and civil society to drive climate solutions and economic transformation.
The Festival is scheduled to take place on May 1, 2026, at the Cedi Conference Centre from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
This year’s event under the theme: Empowering Women For The Economic Sustainability of Africa, will feature, Liu Yaw Nana, Acting Secretary of Ghana-Chinese Business Chamber of Commerce, Issifu Seidu, Minister of State for Climate Change and Sustainability, Dr.Agness Naa Momo Lartey, Minister for Gender Children and Social Protection, Bishop E.O Ansah, General Overseer, Eternal Life Church, President, Women’s Development Association, Turkey, Nilgün Zaimoğlu and Chief of Government Relations and Africa UN Global Compact.
Additionally, it will host, Dr.Charity Binka, Chairperson, Chairperson, African Women Leaders Network , Pearl Opoku, Trader and GUTA National Organiser, Lydia Abbey, Makola Market Queen, actress Juliet Ibrahim, CEO of FZ Global Legacy, Francesca Zoppi, The Revival Founder, Yayra Agbofah and many others.
According to the statement, WiSA’s vision, led by Nana Yaa Serwaa Sarpong, aligns with national and continental goals on climate resilience, green growth and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Office noted that WiSA’s focus on empowering women as key drivers of sustainability and economic productivity is a practical approach to addressing climate challenges and development gaps.
It highlighted WiSA’s track record of engaging global institutions and organising multi-stakeholder events as evidence of its ability to mobilise partnerships and deliver results.
The Ministry said the 2026 Festival presents an opportunity to promote climate-smart investments, green innovation and scalable solutions in areas such as renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and the circular economy.
It added that the event will also support public-private partnerships and strengthen Africa-led solutions in global sustainability discussions.
As part of its commitment, the Office said it will support policy coordination, facilitate engagement with relevant government agencies, and promote an enabling environment for climate finance and green investments.
It also pledged to contribute to knowledge sharing, technical support and stakeholder mobilisation.
The statement emphasised that investing in initiatives like WiSA is key to driving inclusive economic growth, building resilience and achieving long-term development goals.
It further stressed that empowering women remains central to delivering sustainable and equitable outcomes.
The Office called on organisations to partner with WiSA to support climate action and sustainable development efforts across Africa.
By: Jacob Aggrey
