We are working to end modern day slavery - Engage Now Africa

Country Director for Engage Now Africa, Cecelia Amankwah, has stressed the need for stakeholder partnership to ensure an end to modern-day slavery practices in Ghana.

She said although her organisation is doing their best to clamp down on these illegal activities, the country will achieve more if stakeholders join forces and collectively put their shoulders to the wheel.

Speaking to Ohenewaa Brown on CSR Lense on Saturday, April 10, Mrs. Amankwah noted that in their engagement with community leaders in the various communities that are faced with modern-day slavery, they identified poverty, ignorance and cultural orientation as the root cause of these illegal activities in Ghana.

“The challenge is that most of these children who get trapped in slavery activities were sent out of poverty or ignorance on the part by their parents who do not have the means to cater for them,” she said.

Mrs. Amankwah, noted that her outfit is currently focusing on Prevention and Education strategies as a means of contributing to stakeholder efforts towards the end of modern slavery activities in the country.

“We have come to learn that the best way to resolve social problems caused by poverty, is to create means of economic support. So we have developed a targeted skills development training program that is aimed at empowering families in these communities to also to help them improve their livelihood.”

She added: “The training includes, vocational skills and adult education and over the years we have supported about 2,000 families to start-up businesses that are providing economic support. Others are also enrolled in our education programs that educate them on the consequences of these activities”.

Touching on the sustainability aspect of the various programs, she said effective community engagement on programs and projects have helped them realize success, stressing that opinion leaders in the various communities have played a tremendous role in the programs rolled out to support members of their community.

On the issue of discrimination against people with Albinism, Mrs. Amankwah, said her outfit has taken it upon themselves to sensitize people on the need to embrace, support and provide opportunities for people with Albinism to help them properly integrate into the community.