Ghana - Many Hopes

rescue 183

all children deserve to be free

But more of them are trafficked and forced to work than ever before. 21,000 children are currently enslaved in the fishing industry in Ghana.

Tell me about child slavery on Lake Volta in Ghana:

Lake Volta is the largest man-made lake in the world.
It is is the epicenter of the commercial fishing industry in Ghana, powered by child slavery.
21,000 children are enslaved on fishing boats on Lake Volta right now.
Half of them are under 10 and 25% are under 6 years old.
Our partner leader in Ghana, James Kofi Annan, was enslaved from age 6-13 before escaping. He has gone back to the lake to rescue 100’s of others and train them to rescue others. He has made his journey from injustice to influence and wants to help 1000’s of others do the same.

Short video:

Hear from a survivor and a rescuer

What you can help us do in Ghana:

James and our partner team in Ghana know how to get children off the lake. They have been doing dangerous rescues for 10+ years. They just need us to provide the funds for them to do it.

100% of what you give will directly:

We’ll send you photos, video, and stories in 6 months and 12 months

HOW RESCUE WORKS

1. Investigation

The process begins with an investigation in the source community (towns where children are sold or taken from parents tricked into believing their child is getting a job) where our partner investigators piece together who the child is, what they look like, and where they are likely to have been taken to.

2. Find the child at the lake

Investigators take the information gathered and travel 10-12 hours to Lake Volta and search the lakeside towns or boats for the child and his/her slavemaster.

3. Rescue operation

The rescue operation is an actual, physical rescue from either one of the towns on the lakeside, or from a boat where our partners’ rescue teams pull up alongside boats and remove boys from slavemasters. It can be dangerous and we always take at least one armed police officer. Rescue operations are for groups of approximately 30 children per rescue.

4. Recovery

The freed child spends a few days at our partner home near the lake getting immediate care and food and calm. Then travels to our long term recovery center where healing begins and they start their journey to influence so they can rescue others. It costs $550 per month per child in our recovery center to provide care and counseling and education to a child

5. Reintegration

After 3-12 months the child is reintegrated with a family and we provide ongoing support and education and empowerment so they know how to prevent others suffering what they did.

MEET OUR LEADER THERE

JAMES KOFI ANNAN

“I was trafficked at the age of six. I was sold for the equivalent of ten dollars. This earned me the ordeal of working in about twenty fishing communities along the Volta Lake in the hands of fifteen slave masters.

Since escaping aged 13 I was the first to bring school to my community, the first to start transforming the lives of other children, getting children to high school and college.

With time survivors of trafficking become the solution to the problem. That brings me a lot of hope.”

MEET BEN

From Slave to Doctor:

Ben was sold for $102. He was rescued in 2012 and reintegrated with a family in 2013. He spent 5 years on the lake. He has been permanently damaged physically.

Ben is now in Senior High School. He is an anti-child trafficking ambassador in his school and community helping other children and families avoid what he endured. He hopes to become a medical doctor so he can treat others in physical distress.

We’re going to help him do that. Join us?

HELP US RESCUE 100 CHILDREN.

$42 A Month Provides freedom for one child with the match in May and June.

GO TO GHANA FOR 90 SECONDS

"A number of years ago, we had the pleasure of meeting James Kofi Annan and learning of his heart's work to rescue children from trafficking and forced labor in the fishing industry on Lake Volta in Ghana. With time that vision bore fruit not only in rescuing children from slavery, but also in providing housing, education and eventual reunification of the children with their families. Supporting the work of Challenging Heights brings freedom and hope to those who have been enslaved. We count it a joy to continue investing in these precious lives."

"I was introduced to Challenging Heights while learning about the societal issues of child slavery within the Ghanaian fishing industry and importantly, the ongoing challenges that both the children and their families face across rescue and rehabiliitation. Challenging Heights relies on donations in order to rescue, rehabilitate and critically, to empower mothers with skills to earn an income where families become self-supporting. I specifically choose to support the children's shelter where the rescued boys are fed, clothed and educated; as a mother and educator, this area of support aligns with my thinking and values. What's more, 100% of the donation is allocated to this cause, where even a cent provides an egg, essential protein for growth and renewal."

"I looked for a couple of years to find out how I could make a permanent difference for the children of Ghana. Most help seemed so temporary. Then I met James. His vision, dedication and stature were so extraordinary, I became committed to his cause. We had an opportunity to get together with the US. Ambassador to Ghana and his staff. We asked them what organizations in Ghana were doing lasting, dedicated child rescue work. Their answer was simple -- "only James Kofi Annan."

"We had the opportunity to visit Ghana in 2014 and spend time at the home where rescued children are prepared to reenter normal society and still more time with the community and school where they come from and return. The work of Challenging Heights and the vision of its founder, James Koffi Annan, have motivated our support ever since. "

What can Happen?

We believe that children rescued from injustice are not a problem to be solved but a solution waiting to be unleashed. Here’s why:

“They can get seed money from a slavemaster to be a trafficker, or we can give them seed money to set up a fishing business.” We need survivors to come back and be advocates. Historically the strongest advocates we have are those who come back from university. There are inspirational and key to prevention because they become advocates in their community”

– James Kofi Annan, Partner Leader in Ghana

HOW YOU CAN HELP RESCUE CHILDREN IN GHANA

THE RESCUE PROCESS

THE ARC TO INFLUENCE

How we work in Ghana

Rescue

The process begins with an investigation in the source community (towns where children are sold or taken from) where our partner investigators piece together who the child is, what they look like, and where they are likely to have been taken to and the situation that led to them being taken in the first place.

It costs an average of $1000 to rescue one child from slavery (based on a rescue operation for 30 children at once)

Nurture with Transformative Care

The rescued boys are taken for a few days to a safe house near the lake for immediate medical and emotional care and food and rest while the rescue team continues to look for the other boys in the operation. When the operation is complete, all the boys are taken to our recovery center where they will live for several months rehabilitation until they are ready to be reintegrated with a safe family member.

This involves healing of the whole child: physical, emotional, spiritual and intellectual. The total cost of all care from the point of rescue to the point of reintegration is $4000-8000 depending on how long the child stays with us full time.

Educate

In our recovery center children receive literacy and numeracy and I.T. skills to prepare survivors for mainstream education during reintegration. For older youth who find it difficult to join mainstream education, we provide technical vocational training (e.g. sewing, carpentry, breadmaking skills that they can use to get a job)Following reintegration with families, survivors either join mainstream education or technical vocational skills training and we monitor their progress.

Inspire

We provide encounters with professionals in different careers to widen horizons and elevate ambition help every child see what is possible.

Empower

We help open doors for them to get there and to step into what they are capable of.

They learn about their rights and the law and how to identify and prevent abuse and start anti-trafficking clubs in their schools and take action in their communities to protect others.

Support

Youth Empowerment Programme provides both capital and network supports to its graduates. The state programmes provide temporary employment to beneficiaries to provide them with job experience and skills to apply for permanent jobs in the public sector or private sector.

Want to do more?

DONATE RIGHT NOW

100% go directly to children rescued from slavery.

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For friends, family or colleagues (we’ll set you up).

Start a campaign

Raise $500, $1,000 or $2,000 with your friends or family or church or colleagues to free a child from slavery

Tell me about child slavery on Lake Volta in Ghana: