Ajumako (C/R), July 4, GNA-The Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam (AEE) district branch of the Centre for Rural Enterprise Development (CRED) Non-Governmental Organization has since 2006 withdrawn 180 children from worst forms of child labour in the area.
The children were withdrawn from seven communities in the district comprising Enyan Maim, Bisease, Breman Essiam, Ankukrom, Okuadze, Enyan Apaa and Kukwado.
The children aged between seven and 15 were in the commercial and agriculture sector as farm labourers and workers at stone quarries, to the neglect of their education. Speaking to Ghana News Agency at Ajumako, Mr. James Ampiah, District CRED Project Co-ordinator said the NGO, in collaboration with International Labour Organization (ILO) and International Programme on Elimination of Child labour (IPEC) jointly saved the children from their predicament.
He said out of the number, 120 have been provided with school materials including uniforms and footwear and enrolled in school. Sixty of them have been sent to learn vocation such as carpentry, hairdressing, tailoring and fitting. According to Mr. Ampiah, in other to retain them in their vocations, community child labour committees have been formed in the various communities
to counsel and monitor the activities of the beneficiary children. He disclosed that parents of the integrated children have been also been provided with training in business management and entrepreneurship skills to improve their businesses to enable them to earn enough funds to cater for the children. Mr. Ampiah said sensitization durbars at communities where the practice was prevalent is yielding fruitful results since the people have now seen the devastation effect of child labour and have sent their children to school. He said educative film shows on the dangers of child labour are shown periodically to the general public. According to him, child labour clubs have been formed in the first and second cycle schools to educate and counsel the children on the dangers and disadvantages of child labour.
