John is a harsh and domineering young man who can be extremely sweet as well. He is sweet to all that's beautiful and tender (like to the little Emmanuelle and the big Labrador dogs) and can be cruel towards those who are not so bright and popular ( street-dogs, children that are hidden and can't defend themselves). He has an exaggerated sense of responsibility and authority and often corrects kids by bullying them. So they hide from him. John likes to act as gateman at the entrance of the premises where he can channel his sense of power in a useful way. John sometimes yells at the caregivers and sometimes they too are afraid of him. At times, during anger explosions, he is difficult to control.
We all like the social John and discourage the bullying John. At the sheltered workshop, under strict discipline for limited time stretches, he learns to enjoy work and control his impulsiveness. He is often seen carrying bags and suitcases of new visitors to their guesthouses. He also accompanies visitors to the people they wish to visit. Furthermore, John helps other children in the morning when they do their exercises. And he goes to town with his wheelbarrow to collect food for the kitchen and the pigs. John sometimes pretends he is the postman. He will sit in on your conversations and afterwards he will spread this news to others. We guess that John was born between 1975 and 1977. In the beginning he lived in Osu Children Home in Accra, but because of behavioral problems he had to be transferred to the mental hospital, which is a clear degradation for these kids, who all know the threat of the 'mental hospital' when they live in the Accra orphanage. He has lived in the Hand in Hand community since 1996.