It was hard to miss 33-year-old model and writer Abena Christine Jon'el's appearance at a recent major fashion show in Ghana. Walking the runway with her prosthetic leg wrapped in a colourful African print, her appearance made a big impact. The Ghanaian-American was hoping to make a statement about the visibility of people with disabilities, building on years of work in the US and here in Ghana of speaking out on the issue. At two years old, Abena's life became defined by a challenge most adults would struggle to face. A large tumour had appeared on her right calf, the first sign of a rare, aggressive soft-tissue cancer, rhabdomyosarcoma. Doctors presented her mother with a difficult choice: radiation, which could have left her dependent on a wheelchair, or amputation. Her mother chose the latter. It was the best decision she could have made, Abena says today without hesitation, speaking to the BBC surrounded by friends and family at a restaurant in the Ghanaian capital, Accra. She now lives in Ghana, but she grew up in Chicago in the US. Even before she understood what cancer was, her early life was shaped by treatment and recovery. Movement became a way of measuring survival and rebuilding confidence. In a way, it was taking ownership of a body that had been through so much.
But when she speaks about her younger years, it is not the cliché story of the inspirational disabled child sometimes presented in glossy campaigns: a compliant person bravely but silently triumphing against adversity. She rejects that stereotype entirely. People imagine disabled kids as straight-A students who are sweet, quiet and perfect, she says. I was the opposite. I was loud, I was a little black girl running around on one leg, I did not let anyone push me around, and I was struggling through school. Her disability never softened her personality; it sharpened it.
In the US, she worked as a writer – initially as a poet – and then became a public speaker talking about her life experiences, in the hope of inspiring people. Long before she dabbled with public speaking or modelling, Abena felt a pull towards Africa, a feeling she could not articulate but could not ignore. Her journey to Ghana, triggered by a pivotal visit in 2021, led to her reclaiming her identity and re-evaluating her place in the world.
Abena's recent runway appearance at the 15th edition of Rhythms on the Runway in Accra marked a transformative moment, not just for herself but for the representation of disabled individuals in Ghana. Her advocacy continues to focus on creating visibility and challenging stereotypes, proclaiming, Disability is not a limitation. Having a disability is not what makes you disabled; lack of support, lack of accessibility, that is what disables you. With her kente-wrapped prosthetic and unyielding spirit, Abena is not just a model but a pioneer for change in the narrative surrounding disability in Ghana.
But when she speaks about her younger years, it is not the cliché story of the inspirational disabled child sometimes presented in glossy campaigns: a compliant person bravely but silently triumphing against adversity. She rejects that stereotype entirely. People imagine disabled kids as straight-A students who are sweet, quiet and perfect, she says. I was the opposite. I was loud, I was a little black girl running around on one leg, I did not let anyone push me around, and I was struggling through school. Her disability never softened her personality; it sharpened it.
In the US, she worked as a writer – initially as a poet – and then became a public speaker talking about her life experiences, in the hope of inspiring people. Long before she dabbled with public speaking or modelling, Abena felt a pull towards Africa, a feeling she could not articulate but could not ignore. Her journey to Ghana, triggered by a pivotal visit in 2021, led to her reclaiming her identity and re-evaluating her place in the world.
Abena's recent runway appearance at the 15th edition of Rhythms on the Runway in Accra marked a transformative moment, not just for herself but for the representation of disabled individuals in Ghana. Her advocacy continues to focus on creating visibility and challenging stereotypes, proclaiming, Disability is not a limitation. Having a disability is not what makes you disabled; lack of support, lack of accessibility, that is what disables you. With her kente-wrapped prosthetic and unyielding spirit, Abena is not just a model but a pioneer for change in the narrative surrounding disability in Ghana.
