Ghana. Where does one begin? It’s hard to know exactly what to say about it all. There’s so much to tell, so much to share; I’m still learning more about it myself! But some exciting things are in the works regarding some very special children in Ghana, and I can’t help but do my best to relay what I know of their lives. I know I will leave a lot of details out, but have included some links to help fill in the gaps for those of you who want to dive in further. So to begin with, a little background…
Ghana is in the ‘armpit’ of Africa, roughly the size of Oregon, and not to be confused with Uganda. There is a lake in Ghana, Lake Volta, that is one of the largest man-made lakes in the world. Initially created as a source of hydroelectric power for the nation, the lake is now used mostly for fishing. Many parents in Ghana are not able to support their multitude of children, so they sell them to fishermen on the lake for as little as $20. The children are there enslaved, working 14 hour days, every day of the week. They usually receive only one meal a day and can be as young as 6 years old. Many of the fishermen were once child slaves as well. The vicious cycle has continued for quite some time. And although chid trafficking is illegal in Ghana, adequate forces do not exist to enforce the laws, thus rendering them ineffective.
Several years ago, the New York Times ran a special on a little boy named Mark, one of the children enslaved on the lake. This article was read by a lady named Pam Cope (whose brother-in-law teaches at ACU). She was moved to help, and within a few months, Mark and 6 other children were rescued from the lake and taken to the Village of Hope outside of Accra. The basic idea behind the rescues is to either teach the fisherman an alternate trade or give them new fishing equipment in exchange for the children; buying the children would obviously only contribute to the issue. Relationships are being established with the fisherman in hopes of getting the children back. In the midst of all of this, Pam has started her own non-profit, the Touch A Life Foundation, based here in Coppell. Through her organization, work is being done to help children in Vietnam, Cambodia, and specifically Ghana.
Visit the TAL site and watch the videos on the page about Ghana. These show much more clearly the nature of the children on the lake, the hopelessness they face each day, and what is being done to give them life again. And that’s where we can help!
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