Coastal Life Care Foundation unveil plans to fight poverty in fishing

communities

Accra, June 26, GNA - A non-governmental organisation (NGO) aimed at combating poverty and empowering fishermen to boost production and end child slavery along the coastal lines has been unveiled in Accra.

The NGO christened Coastal Life Care Foundation would focus on efforts to contribute to the food basket of the country, raise funds to support deprived children and support the education of those who are out of school.

Ms Bridget Gordon, Project Director of the organisation, who made this known to the Ghana News Agency in Accra at the weekend, said the foundation would propagate the rights of children and create awareness about the hazards children are exposed to when they inhabit the beaches.

She said in 2005 the idea was developed to establish the NGO to take care of the needy, especially children in predominantly fishing communities who are being exploited or suffering as a result of poverty.

"The vision of the organisation is to support the parents of such needy children to be able to access funds and equipment for their fishing profession to be gainfully employed in order to take care of their kids.

"These children would be redeployed from the beaches and put in schools or attached to master craftsmen to be trained in trades of their choice."

Ms Gordon said the foundation would educate the public about the dangers under-aged children goes through when they are used for fishing in the high seas, or other water bodies, combat the spread of HIV and AIDS among the fishing communities and other health issues such as family planning, deworming of children, immunisation against the six child killer diseases and communicable diseases like malaria.

"Coastal Life Care Foundation will establish early childhood development centres for the children, organise free medical screening for the fishing communities and insure parents of the project beneficiaries under the National Health Insurance Scheme."

She said the foundation would collaborate with the Ministries of Health, Food and Agriculture, Employment and Social Welfare and other stakeholders to carry out its project interventions.