December 2015
In This Issue: Senyo's Surgery is a Success!
RTBF Student Club
Mawuko's Story
Senyo's Surgery - Success!
Since Senyo's rescue last year, we have shared his heart breaking story and need for spine reconstruction surgery to correct a crippling injury he sustained while working on Lake Volta. Thanks to the generosity and compassion of our donors, Senyo was able to have life saving surgery and it was a success!
Left: Senyo receives donated toys from supporters. Right: Get well cards decorate Senyo's hospital bed.
Senyo, wearing a back brace post surgery, stands straight and tall with his walker.
Senyo continues to wear his back brace as he leaves FOCOS Hospital, walking unassisted. RTBF has moved him to an orthopedic rehabilitation facility where he lives with other children and receives ongoing physical therapy. He continues to visit FOCOS Hospital at least once a month where they monitor his progress. In this video, Senyo (second from the left), sings the first six verses of the "12 Days of Christmas" with his friends at the rehabilitation facility.
Right To Be Free Student Club
Lincoln Community School's Right To Be Free Club, thanks to a generous grant from the school's Lincoln Loyalty Fund, is offering a series of art workshops with local Ghanaian artists to raise awareness of child trafficking and funds to support the work of RTBF. The first art workshop took place on December 3rd with artist, Kobina Nyarko, one of Ghana's premier young contemporary artists, whose trademark painting style features small fish. Participants in the next art workshop on January 19, 2016, will work with street mural artists. If you are interested in starting a RTBF Club at your school, please send inquiries to info@righttobefree.org.
Mawuko's Story
Suffering from intense poverty, Mawuko's parents were unable to care for him so they sold (rented) him when he was four years old, to a fisherman in exchange for a cow. Unfortunately, parents are often forced to take desperate measures when experiencing extreme poverty, hoping their child will be cared for by the fisherman. They are unaware of the physical and emotional abuse their child will suffer.
Mawuko was too young to understand when he accompanied the fisherman back to his village on Lake Volta. He awoke at 3 am every morning and worked alongside his master for years. He pulled up fishing nets, bailed water from the canoe, and mended torn nets. He was forced to dive under water to untangle nets caught on submerged tree stumps. Many children have drowned when they become trapped in the nets and are unable to free themselves. Mawuko shivered from the cold water as his tattered clothes provided scant protection.
He said sometimes he also worked as a "cowboy" taking care of his master's livestock. Mawuko was chronically malnourished as he rarely had more than one or two meager meals a day. If he failed to complete his duties to his master's satisfaction, he was forced to sleep outside and was not fed that day. He said he was miserable and often felt sick.
After careful deliberation about Mawuko's future wellbeing, his parents returned to try and get him back but his master refused, stating they had an agreement. Mawuko watched helplessly as his parents were forced to leave without him.
During one of RTBF's education and rescue missions on Lake Volta last year, RTBF and the Department of Social Welfare rescued Mawuko at the age of 12. He and 20 other rescued children went through the six month rehabilitation program. He was enrolled in public school in Sunyani and resides at the local Don Bosco Center. Currently, Mawuko is in fourth grade.
Most of the rescued children's parents, relatives or guardians have successfully been located, except for Mawuko's. Consequently, he must stay behind at the Center while his friends return home for vacation. RTBF continues to search for his parents or any relatives.
Left: Mawuko at the Rehabilitation Center last year. Right: Mawuko proudly displays his painting at the Lincoln Community School RTBF Student Club art workshop in November.
Mawuko expresses his strong faith and gratitude for his freedom in the video "Making A Difference" featured in last month's newsletter. RTBF provides for his basic needs and education but he requires more support to give him hope, the security of family and the sense of belonging that every child needs and deserves. We welcome single or monthly donations of any size to help Mawuko.
RTBF is honored to serve children like Senyo and Mawuko who will go on to bless this world with their gifts to humanity. These children are no longer the property of their masters, but the masters of their own destiny. They deserve childhoods that are free from danger, exploitation and abuse. Given a safe and nurturing environment, empowered with knowledge, skills and opportunities, these children will contribute to a healthier and productive global society.
Right To Be Free extends a huge thanks to our supporters who directly touch the lives of rescued children. Your investment in their success and achievements will reap returns beyond their generation.
On this last day of 2015, if you have not yet made a donation this year, we hope you will support our work to protect every child's Right To Be Free.All operating costs are funded internally, so 100% of every donation directly supports victims of child trafficking. The demand for our services continues to exceed our funding so we are grateful for any amount you can share. On behalf of the children for whom we advocate, protect and serve, Thank You!
If you are an Amazon shopper, did you know that you can support RTBF when you shop on Amazon? That’s because Amazon’s Smile Foundation will donate .05% of your purchase to Right To Be Free. Your account remains exactly the same on Amazon and AmazonSmile. Just link once on RTBF’sAmazonSmile to shop for the benefit of RTBF. In the future, all you have to do is type “Smileamazon.com” instead of “Amazon.com” in your browser and your Amazon purchases will help save a child’s life!
