The title of an afrol [sic] News
article “No money to stop Ghana child trafficking” caught my attention this
week. According to the staff writer, since
2003 an organization (International Organisation for Migration or IOM) has been
coordinating the rescue and rehabilitation of hundreds of Ghanian children who
have been trafficked into slave-like working arrangements in fishing
communities. The article details the accomplishments
this group has made to rescue children from harsh and dangerous working
conditions, malnutrition, mental stress and disease. The article reveals the sad announcement that
this program would be stopped due to the loss of funding, which
since 2002 has come from from US State Department's Bureau of Population,
Refugees and Migration as well as private donations. Unless funding from new sources is secured
the future of the program, and the children it has saved, and could save will
end.
This article really saddened me. Here we have an example of a program that is successfully
attacking the issue of human trafficking in Ghana, with a proven track record, and
it is likely going to have to cease operating because of lack of money. It is programs
like this that the world needs more of in the fight against human trafficking
not less of. The IOM successfully rescued 711 child victims from a nightmare
life, and have also provided resources to restore them to health (both mentally
and physically) and educating or job training them so they never have to return
to the nightmare. The $1.5million USD appears to be wisely spent over the 12
years funding was provided, since 676 of the 711 children rescued are doing well! Their families have benefited as well, with
money provided to start new businesses that help build communities. It is this kind of assistance that provides
hope for the future as the children grow up, not in slavery, but in healthy
communities.
Shannon Yaw
4/5/13 11pm
