Ghana – IOM Ghana has completed its latest distribution of food packages to 40 survivors of trafficking and their families in eleven districts in the Volta, Central and Greater Accra regions of Ghana.

The children, all rescued by IOM in recent years, were trafficked to Lake Volta to work in the fishing sector and endured horrendous treatment at the hands of their ‘fishing masters’. They were forced to work extremely long hours, were deprived of education, malnourished and exposed to regular physical abuse. With IOM assistance, they have been reunited with their families and are currently enrolled in school.

The food packages are distributed quarterly, thanks to the support of Breaking the Chain Through Education (BTCTE), an American NGO, which has partnered with IOM for the past two years. The food packages are designed to help the parents ensure that the children receive enough food to meet their growing needs.

The packages, which include staples such as rice, beans, maize, gari, sugar and oil, are estimated to benefit about 200 family members of the 40 survivors.

“Beyond the nutritional impact, this support plays an important role in preventing the re-trafficking of the children and also helps to ensure that they stay in school,” said IOM Ghana Chief of Mission Sylvia Lopez-Ekra. 

The children and their families also receive education and health support from IOM and BTCTE. A full-time social worker monitors the children’s progress and visits them regularly to ensure their wellbeing.

Kabutey is the third of eight children. He was trafficked at a very young age and experienced harsh working and living conditions while working for a fisherman on Lake Volta. He was rescued by IOM in 2009 and reunited with his parents and siblings.

Recreating the bond and healing was not easy. Kabutey was particularly close to one of his younger brothers and was traumatized by this forced separation. He is now in school (Primary Six) and his favourite subject is English Language. He is working hard and dreams of becoming a police officer in the future.      

IOM has worked with the government of Ghana and other agencies to combat human trafficking since 2002. It has so far rescued a total of 752 child victims of trafficking.

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For further information, please contact Doris Yiboe at IOM Ghana, Tel:  +233 2302 742930, Email: dyiboe@iom.int