Kyeiwaa
Veteran Kumawood actress Kyeiwaa has opened up about the financial struggles behind her move abroad, explaining that acting did not pay enough for her to live on in Ghana despite her popularity on TV and in films. The actress, whose real name is Rose Mensah, said she decided to take up any job she could find rather than sit idle and stay broke, according to GhanaWeb.
Quick Facts
- Kyeiwaa, real name Rose Mensah, is a veteran Ghanaian Kumawood actress.
- She says her earnings from acting could not cover her living costs in Ghana.
- She recalled passengers questioning why an actress was travelling by trotro while her films were still showing.
- She moved to the United States, where she has taken jobs including carrying salt and washing chicken coops.
- Her remarks were reported by GhanaWeb on Tuesday, November 10, 2026.
Kyeiwaa Explains Why She Left Acting Behind
In her latest comments, which were shared on social media and picked up by GhanaWeb, Kyeiwaa said being well known on screen did not translate into a comfortable life.
She said she reached a point where she knew she had to act if she wanted to avoid hardship. “I realised that if I don’t find something to do or somewhere to be, I will just be miserable,” she said.
The actress added that she has always been willing to work wherever an opportunity shows up. “Wherever there is work, I always go in for it because I know I don’t like being stranded,” she explained.
The Trotro Moment That Stayed With Her
One experience that stood out for Kyeiwaa happened while her movies were still being shown on television. She said she boarded a trotro, and fellow passengers who recognised her were surprised to see her there.
“When everybody saw me, they were asking how an actress could be taking trotro and fighting for space in a public vehicle,” she recalled.
For her, the encounter showed the gap between how the public sees actors and what many of them actually earn.
Life Abroad: Salt, Chicken Coops and Online Mockery
Kyeiwaa eventually travelled to the United States in search of a better income. Videos of her doing different kinds of work abroad, including carrying salt and washing chicken coops, have circulated online over time.
According to the actress, many people mocked her because she was once a familiar face in Ghanaian movies. She said that reaction is what pushed her to explain her decision publicly.
“I thought that even if I had to carry salt or do any other work, I would do it because I needed to survive,” she said.
She stressed that the jobs paid her, even if critics only saw the videos. “At the end of the week, I was getting something from the work I was doing, but people didn’t see that side,” Kyeiwaa added.
‘I Wouldn’t Have Been Doing All Those Things Abroad’
The actress made it clear that her choices abroad were driven by need. “If I were in Ghana working and making enough money for myself, I wouldn’t have been doing all those things abroad,” she said.
She also urged Ghanaians not to look down on people who take on any kind of honest work to earn a living, noting that fame does not guarantee financial security.
Not the First Time Kyeiwaa Has Spoken About Her Struggles
This is not the first time the actress has spoken about money troubles in the movie industry. In March 2022, MyJoyOnline reported that Kyeiwaa said in an Instagram video that she had been blacklisted from the film industry before leaving for the US, after rumours spread that she had insulted producers. She described the rumours as false at the time.
In that same video, she said she found work at a Ghanaian eatery in the US cooking banku, and that some people from the movie industry who visited mocked her on their return home. She also said the job rescued her from the financial hardship she faced in Ghana.
Kyeiwaa’s Story and the Welfare of Ghanaian Actors
Kyeiwaa’s comments add to a long-running conversation about the welfare of Ghanaian actors, especially those who were household names in the Kumawood era. In recent weeks, colleagues have stepped in to support veterans, including when Maame Gold gifted Adwoa Smart a fully furnished apartment after floods destroyed her home.
The issue was also raised at the funeral of legendary actress Grace Nortey, where the Actors Guild called for veteran actors to be cared for while they are still alive. You can read more on Grace Nortey’s burial at the State House.
Earlier, Maame Gold had also surprised Christiana Awuni with a brand-new Toyota Sienta, a gesture many fans saw as recognition for a veteran who gave years to Ghanaian cinema.
For Kyeiwaa, the message is simple: there is no shame in honest work. Her story is a reminder that screen fame and financial stability do not always go together, and that many of the faces Ghanaians grew up watching have had to find other ways to survive.
Also Read on Halmblog
- ‘This Is Beyond My Imagination’ – Adwoa Smart Weeps as Maame Gold Gifts Her Fully Furnished Apartment After Floods Destroyed Her Home
- Grace Nortey Laid to Rest: John Dumelo, Maame Dokono Join Hundreds at State House to Bid Farewell to Legendary Actress
- ‘The Most Shocking Gift Ever’ – Maame Gold Surprises Christiana Awuni With Brand-New Toyota Sienta
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