Assist 38 ex-child slaves in Ghana for training

REPORT 2

All 38 ex-child slaves have been identified and profiled since beginning of April 2012.  A total of 12 Master Craftsmen have been trained on June 21. The course included

1.) The psychological impacts of human trafficking and child labor;

2) the laws on apprenticeship including the roles of master craftsman and the roles of the apprentice;

3) the care of the apprentice.

In a separate training workshop 10 ex-child slaves were trained and counseled on June 22 on the following subjects: 1) child labor and human trafficking;

2) responsibilities of an apprentices;

3) benefits of education;

4) the need to be focused on their studies and to avoid any bad behavior. 

Four of the boys chose auto-mechanics as vocation, one boy chose masonry and the five girls all chose dress-making as vocation. All ten children have been provided with their tools and equipments and materials and have started their apprenticeship with the craftsmen/women on July 1, 2012.

Donations received in April were US$5,187.50 (after deduction of 15% by GG). Total expenditures to date is US$2,426.88. The unspent balance is US$2,760.62 plus GH¢3,000.00 raised in Ghana.
Ten more children are being prepared for counseling and training to start apprenticeship in August.

The following are testimonies of some of the children trained:

ERNESTINA ANSAH (17 years)
I was 10 years old when my older sister took me to Ivory Coast promising my mother to send me to school.  I worked in her fish smoking business. When there was no fish I would hawk different things on the street.  I did most of the household chores and bath her children and take them to school before going to sell. I never went to school.  I was beaten for the  least mistake I made.  I stayed for five years and returned with her to Ghana during the war in Abidjan.

ERIC LARBI (18 years)
Mr Domatey, a fisherman, agreed with my mother and took me to Awusa Kope on the Volta Lake to work with him. I was forced to do very dangerous work and when I complained would be punished severely. There was no school in the village and both his children and I did not go to school. After three years I sent word to my parents to come for me. I was introduced to Rescue Foundation and now I am starting apprenticeship. 

GIFTY PREBA (18 years)
My mother’s sister came and asked my mother to allow her to take me to YEJI, a fishing community on the Lake Volta, to help her.  My mother at first refused because I was attending school. She promised my mother that she would send me to school so she agreed. Contrary to her promise, she put me in her fish-smoking business. I was smoking fish all day everyday and doing other house chores. Whenever I reminded her about school she would ask me to be patient.  I stayed with her for two years and sent a message to my mother to come for me so I came back home.

• Budget - Assist 38 ex-child slaves for training (XLS)
• RFG's Accounts (Cash Book) (XLS)