Help rescue trafficked kids in Ghana, West Africa
Tax deductible
“I wake up by 4 am rising alongside the other children in the household to begin our work. My father gave me out to one man who has a large herd of cattle somewhere on the otherside of Ada. I was promised 1 calf when I am a cowboy (herder) for 3 years. I am 11 years old. I used to be in school until my master offered the calf. Before that I would work on various farms, sometimes the owners of the farm will beat me because I am not completing the task correctly. Whilst being a cowboy I was very sad, all day I would roam around looking for water or food, trying to keep the cows out of the farms before the owners come out with their shotguns.
When I first met Volta Revival Foundation, it was two men and a white lady in a big car. In fact at first they passed me and then reversed their car back to where I was. One of the men approached me asking me how I am, and whether being a cowboy was my work, I said yes. He asked if I was in school, “no” I responded, do I want to go to school? “Yes” I told him. What is my name? I told him. Where do I live? I live with my master but sometimes I stay with my parents who live not far from here. Can I show him my parent’s house? Yes. I did show them, but my parents were not at the house, so they found only a few of my siblings. They promised to come back. They did come back and speak with my parents, but my father and mother told them I have to finish my contract. They told my parents what they are doing is not legal, but in the end they have to leave me there.
After that day my parents made sure I was never at home, it was a few years before I saw the VRF people again, and that time I was called home and they were there with my parents and a police officer and they told me that I would go to the prep school near my home. They talked with me for a long while, helping me see the future.
That Monday I began school and was provided with all my school supplies and uniform. When I wore the uniform I knew I was really saved from being a cowboy forever and I had to smile.”
~ Story from VRF Scholar Program
Volta Revival is a community support organization based in Ada,Ghana, West Africa with 11 local staff members. We aim to end child trafficking and forced labor to promote stronger, healthier, and more educated communities along the Volta River delta. Our anti-trafficking and forced labor program; “Liberate Me” has sponsored the education and welfare of 20 survivors through the VRF scholars track. However, every day children are being rescued from lakeside, riverside, and coastal communities where they are exploited for hard labor. Social Welfare and the Ghana Police Service have nowhere to bring these children after they have been rescued except to the very home which trafficked them to begin with. The issue is that providing support to these families in the wrong way can encourage more trafficking because they see some benefits for themselves when the child is taken and then returned to them. Many local offices have requested that we start a shelter due to this cyclical problem. Now, thanks to a seed grant, we can open a temporary shelter to rescue and rehabilitate survivors of trafficking who are from Ada. Over the next 6 months, we will rescue 50 children and welcome them to our safe house. Through our rehabilitation program, we will work with each child providing literacy education, emotional counseling, human rights training, and life planning. We will also counsel their families on human rights, law, and economics to ensure a smooth transition home. Selected households will also receive a very small business start-up kit to begin a local business of their choice to support their families. VRF continues to monitor every rescued child after their reintegration into the community, including registration at the local school, to ensure the continued progress of every child. This close monitoring can help make sure re-trafficking doesn’t occur. Our team is so empowered to implement this project and while we have enough to provide for the basic needs of the children, we don’t have the funds to make the environment of the house therapeutic, educational, and most importantly kid-friendly and creative! We want to make this shelter a place where children can regain their childhood and where our staff have the tools they need to support the holistic rehabilitation of every child.
An average day for a child in the shelter
• Wake up by 6:30am
• Make their bed, wash themselves, and come for breakfast
• Do chores
• 9am go to class
• Learn about emotions, trauma, literacy, human rights, law, spending and budgeting, arts, music, dance, and more.
• Morning break 30 minutes, Lunch Break for 1 hour, afternoon break 30 minutes
• Close from school by 4pm
• Washing and house chores
• Evening play time
• Dinner by 6 pm
• Movie showing/game time/additional counseling
• Bed by 9pm
Amounts by Category
$7,000 for Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Graduation Kits
$6,000 for Furniture and Equipment $2,500 for Building and improvements
~ Story from VRF Scholar Program
Volta Revival is a community support organization based in Ada,Ghana, West Africa with 11 local staff members. We aim to end child trafficking and forced labor to promote stronger, healthier, and more educated communities along the Volta River delta. Our anti-trafficking and forced labor program; “Liberate Me” has sponsored the education and welfare of 20 survivors through the VRF scholars track. However, every day children are being rescued from lakeside, riverside, and coastal communities where they are exploited for hard labor. Social Welfare and the Ghana Police Service have nowhere to bring these children after they have been rescued except to the very home which trafficked them to begin with. The issue is that providing support to these families in the wrong way can encourage more trafficking because they see some benefits for themselves when the child is taken and then returned to them. Many local offices have requested that we start a shelter due to this cyclical problem. Now, thanks to a seed grant, we can open a temporary shelter to rescue and rehabilitate survivors of trafficking who are from Ada. Over the next 6 months, we will rescue 50 children and welcome them to our safe house. Through our rehabilitation program, we will work with each child providing literacy education, emotional counseling, human rights training, and life planning. We will also counsel their families on human rights, law, and economics to ensure a smooth transition home. Selected households will also receive a very small business start-up kit to begin a local business of their choice to support their families. VRF continues to monitor every rescued child after their reintegration into the community, including registration at the local school, to ensure the continued progress of every child. This close monitoring can help make sure re-trafficking doesn’t occur. Our team is so empowered to implement this project and while we have enough to provide for the basic needs of the children, we don’t have the funds to make the environment of the house therapeutic, educational, and most importantly kid-friendly and creative! We want to make this shelter a place where children can regain their childhood and where our staff have the tools they need to support the holistic rehabilitation of every child.
An average day for a child in the shelter
• Wake up by 6:30am
• Make their bed, wash themselves, and come for breakfast
• Do chores
• 9am go to class
• Learn about emotions, trauma, literacy, human rights, law, spending and budgeting, arts, music, dance, and more.
• Morning break 30 minutes, Lunch Break for 1 hour, afternoon break 30 minutes
• Close from school by 4pm
• Washing and house chores
• Evening play time
• Dinner by 6 pm
• Movie showing/game time/additional counseling
• Bed by 9pm
Amounts by Category
$7,000 for Rescue, Rehabilitation, and Graduation Kits
$6,000 for Furniture and Equipment $2,500 for Building and improvements
Organizer
Volta Revival
Organizer
Bend, OR
Volta Resilient Foundation
Beneficiary