Saving Children Sold Into Slavery in Ghana

In 2015, IOM rescued 20 children from trafficking in the fishing sector. Following a period of rehabilitation, they were reunited with their families last year. IOM staff briefed their parents on their responsibilities towards their children and on what their child had gone through since s/he had left home.

After being enrolled in schools and apprenticeship, all 20 reunited children have received some form of support as part of the reintegration process.

During a monitoring exercise, an IOM social worker visited each of them and their families. In all, 18 of them who are in school received school supplies including school uniforms, school bag, exercise books, note books, graph books, mathematical set, pens, pencils, erasers, sharpeners and rulers. These supplies are to aid them in their studies for the first academic year.

The other two who were enrolled in apprenticeship were also monitored to ensure their well-being. IOM will provide specific apprenticeship tools that the children need for their training.

In addition, each parent, caregiver and child receive food support to ensure that the immediate nutritional needs of the children are met. Each child received a package that included bags of rice, maize, sugar, beans, oil and a local food made from cassava called ‘gari’.

The children and their families were really grateful to IOM for the support. Most of them expressed their gratitude by saying "God bless you and replenish your source so you will continue to support us".

The majority of the children are very excited to be finally attending school regularly and have great ambitions. The IOM Social Worker will continue to regularly follow-up on them and assist them and their parents should any difficulties arise.