A man who lives off the grid in a cow dung house in Ghana and shares his life on social media because he considers it too wonderful to keep to himself
A man who lives off the grid in a house made of clay, cow dung, and bamboo in the middle of a tropical forest in Ghana and makes a livelihood through social media declares that living off the grid is "so good" that he cannot keep it to himself.
31-year-old Joshua Kwaku Asiedu, who grew up in Milan and now resides in Ghana, was inspired to live off-grid after traveling the world for seven years to "find himself" and has been living remotely since 2019 after his father informed him that his family had land available in Ghana.
He began living remotely in Ghana on a beach bed, with a mosquito net, tarpaulin, and a few tools, before upgrading to a tent, which he resided in for about a year, until it developed mould; in 2020, he commenced construction on a house.
Joshua decided in 2019 to settle down and adopt the off-grid lifestyle he had encountered while traveling (Collect/PA Real Life).
Joshua decided in 2019 to settle down and adopt the off-grid lifestyle he had encountered while traveling (Collect/PA Real Life).
Joshua constructed his 27ft by 10ft house using primarily clay, cow dung, and bamboo for a total cost of £1,000; he finished the project in six months, and it is now a fully functional home with no monthly bills, complete with a shower, toilet, bedroom, kitchen, living area, running water, and a clay refrigerator.
Joshua posts about his off-grid lifestyle on TikTok and Instagram, where he has tens of thousands of followers, to "show people that they can have a similar lifestyle to (him)".
He also hosts workshops on his off-grid lifestyle, invites visitors to stay in glamping tents on his property, and sells online items that he and others in the area have grown.
A few months spent with a family in Samoa inspired Joshua to live more sustainably (Collect/PA Real Life).
A few months spent with a family in Samoa inspired Joshua to live more sustainably (Collect/PA Real Life).
Joshua stated, "There are two rooms, one bedroom, one living room/kitchen, and a spacious veranda."
"I also have a magnificent shower with a beautiful rock platform on the veranda.
I use a small solar panel to power my lights, the majority of my kitchen implements are made from recycled glass jars, and I made a clay refrigerator to keep fruits and vegetables fresher for longer.
Joshua has traveled the globe, staying with Aboriginal Australians (Collect/PA Real Life).
Joshua has traveled the globe, staying with Aboriginal Australians (Collect/PA Real Life).
Twenty-year-old Joshua fled his life in Italy in 2012 to "find himself" and embark on a world tour.
He stated, "I decided to travel within myself and explore myself. I had no intention of traveling the world; rather, I intended to travel within myself and explore myself, which led me to many different regions of the world."
Joshua's seven-year journey included interactions with aboriginal Australians, travel throughout India, and stays with priests; these experiences ultimately inspired him to adopt an off-grid lifestyle.
Joshua grows the majority of his sustenance (Collect/PA Real Life).
Joshua grows the majority of his sustenance (Collect/PA Real Life).
His sojourn with a family in Samoa was one of his most memorable experiences.
He stated, "I lived with them for a couple of months, and they gathered fish with spears, gathered their own fruit, and fashioned their own garments by extracting fibers from leaves.
It was a beautiful and rich culture that gave me so much, pushed me, and made me realize that even in the 21st century, this way of living is still very much possible, beneficial, and doable.
(Collect/PA Real Life) Joshua hosts workshops on how to live an off-grid lifestyle.
(Collect/PA Real Life) Joshua hosts workshops on how to live an off-grid lifestyle.
In 2019, Joshua made the decision to settle down and adopt the off-grid lifestyle he had adopted while traveling.
"The primary reason I went off-grid was to reconnect with nature and my heritage," he explained.
I was searching for land but refused to purchase it because I dislike the concept of purchasing.
On-site glamping accommodations are also available at Joshua (Collect/PA Real Life).
On-site glamping accommodations are also available at Joshua (Collect/PA Real Life).
Joshua discovered out to his surprise that his father had inherited land in Ghana from his grandparents after searching unsuccessfully for free land.
Joshua joked, "I knew nothing about these lands, so I exclaimed, 'Oh, thank you so much for telling me about them right now, awesome!'"
When he informed his parents of his intention to move there, he stated, "I believe they admired the fact that I was reconnecting with my roots."
Additionally, Joshua has a business where he sells objects that he and other locals have grown (Collect/PA Real Life).
Additionally, Joshua has a business where he sells objects that he and other locals have grown (Collect/PA Real Life).
Between 2018 and 2019, Joshua traveled to Ghana to conduct a land survey.
He stated, "There was not just one piece of land, but multiple pieces of land. I chose this particular piece of land because I believed it to be the most undisturbed and remote; it is located approximately one kilometer from the nearest village.
Therefore, it is in a tropical forest, and the territory was once a cacao farm.
Joshua's residence is The dimensions of Joshua's residence are 27 feet by 10 feet (Collect/PA Real Life).
Joshua's residence is The dimensions of Joshua's residence are 27 feet by 10 feet (Collect/PA Real Life).
In 2019, Joshua moved to the land for which he claimed no permit was required.
"When I first arrived, I slept on a beach bed with nothing but a mosquito net, a plastic tarp to protect me from the rain, and a shovel and a few tools to dig a well for water," he explained.
"I then moved into a tent and lived there for about a year, but it began to deteriorate due to the humidity and attracted mold, so I began to construct a house."
Joshua has hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram, where he reveals his off-grid lifestyle (Collect/PA Real Life).
Joshua has hundreds of thousands of followers on TikTok and Instagram, where he reveals his off-grid lifestyle (Collect/PA Real Life).
Joshua constructed his home in only six months and spent only £1,000 on local materials.
He stated, "Over the course of three months, I worked with one of the village's elders to construct the house. After he departed, it took me another three months to make the house functional.
The house was constructed primarily of clay, along with a few recycled materials, but primarily clay rocks, bovine dung, and bamboo.
Joshua's home is now completely functional and no longer incurs monthly expenses (Collect/PA Real Life).
Joshua's home is now completely functional and no longer incurs monthly expenses (Collect/PA Real Life).
Joshua's residence includes a restroom and a shower.
He stated, "I have running water, so I collect water from a tank or a well."
"I wash my utensils and bowls on the veranda and even take a shower there.
Joshua finished the construction in only six months (Collect/PA Real).
Joshua finished the construction in only six months (Collect/PA Real).
There is also a garden where I cultivate various types of food, such as tomatoes, peppers, and ginger; it feels very much like home.
Joshua does not pay any bills; he occasionally visits the village market to purchase food, but he primarily consumes what he produces.
He has been able to generate income from posting on TikTok and Instagram, where he has more than 379,000 and 317,000 followers, respectively.
The majority of Joshua's home is composed of clay, bovine dung, and bamboo (Collect/PA Real Life).
The majority of Joshua's home is composed of clay, bovine dung, and bamboo (Collect/PA Real Life).
Joshua was the first to establish an Instagram account in 2019, and he explained why he began posting about his off-grid lifestyle: "I believe it was human nature to want to share something so good that it cannot be kept to oneself.
"My true objective is to demonstrate that others can live a similar lifestyle to mine."
He has also developed a business selling items that he and locals have grown, such as plantain flour, and hosts workshops on his lifestyle for visitors staying in glamping tents.
Before upgrading to a tent, Joshua began living remotely in Ghana on a beach bed with a mosquito net, tarp, and a few tools (Collect/PA Real Life).
Before upgrading to a tent, Joshua began living remotely in Ghana on a beach bed with a mosquito net, tarp, and a few tools (Collect/PA Real Life).
When asked if he could fathom returning to his previous way of life, Joshua stated that his lifestyle is now fixed.
"Life may bring me to a different geographical area, but my way of life will remain the same," he said.
