IB Woman
Issue No. 10 - April/May 2003
I Won’t Tolerate Negativity
The reception area of Afiatta Recruitment overflows with thank you cards from delighted candidates and various newspaper cuttings of owner Afia Wills. Given her oppressive childhood in an appalling British boarding school, Afia’s story is distinctly one of cream rising to the top.
One of five children born to Ghanaian parents who struggled to care for their brood in London, Afia and her twin brother, Henry, were placed first in foster care from aged two and then in a Dickensian British boarding ‘school’ from age five. Her parents, hardworking medical students, had little choice at the time.
A typical day consisted of dry cornflakes for breakfast, two hours of schooling, equipment—less play and 4 pm bedtime after a meal of greasy fried food. Locked in their rooms from bedtime to breakfast, the children were subjected to physical and verbal abuse and emotional neglect from the wheelchair—bound, polio—stricken operator of the boarding school.
“I think my early childhood gave me such stamina that I developed an inner confidence," says Afia. “No—one can take that away from you and, now, I won’t tolerate negativity.”
The twins were returned to their parents after 11—year—old Afia convinced a boarding school neighbour to report their plight to Afia’s parents. Although her home life was now full of love there was still little money for luxuries. Afia remembers being taught how to wash all the households clothes the African way — in a bathtub with a hard washboard.
After leaving high school, Afia studied business and finance part time for five years in London, financing her studies with modelling and make—up work. In 1984, she met Richard Wills, a young Australian lawyer in London. The following year she joined him in Hong Kong where she started as a telemarketer at Grosvenor Executive Financial Management. She then moved on to Willis Personnel...
