Last July, RTBF rescued Elijah at the age of 10 along with four other boys. Their rescue was a collaboration with the Ghana Immigration Service and the Ghana Navy, and is featured in a video that also included an update on two former rescued children.
Eric, Elijah and Ghana law enforcement officer.
Elijah is from the Volta Region of Ghana. He is the fourth and youngest child of Moses and Lydia, both farmers. When his parents divorced, Moses moved to the Central Region with Elijah's two sisters and older brother, but Elijah was only two years old so he remained with his mother.
Moses’ brother invited Elijah to live with him and he could go to school when he was old enough. Lydia agreed, believing Elijah would be safe with her brother-in-law. Unfortunately, Elijah was forced to help his uncle fish on Lake Volta. Every day he endured various forms of abuse and humiliation as he performed hazardous work. When he was hungry and asked for food or when he was tired and asked to rest, he was frequently beaten. Elijah said “I had to wake up as early as 3 am to help my uncle fish and I could not bear the severe cold in the water and outside during the dawn hours because all my clothes were always tattered.”
Over the years while his cousins attended school, Elijah continued to work long hours for his uncle, who never sent him to school. Elijah felt abandoned and wished he was never given to his uncle.
When he was rescued last year, Elijah was very malnourished and he was taken to the hospital for evaluation. Two days later he was released and brought to the shelter in Accra (capital of Ghana) and later transferred to the Don Bosco Child Protection Center for the six month rehabilitation program.
Elijah plays foosball at the Don Bosco Child Protection Center.
RTBF was successful in locating Elijah’s family living in a town in the Central Region. Yvonne (RTBF Administrative Assistant) made the 12.5 hour journey by bus to conduct a family assessment and to visit the local school.
Moses met Yvonne at the bus station and together they went to visit the community primary school. During a meeting with the school headmaster and teachers, Yvonne shared Elijah’s childhood and they discussed how best to help him. The headmaster confirmed there were openings at the primary level and admission is ongoing, so they were ready to admit and support Elijah. The school was currently ranked among the best in the area and he hoped that children in the community that were not attending school would be enrolled. He commended Moses for supporting the education of his three children who were current students.
Left: The primary school where Elijah will attend next week. Right: Yvonne pays the headmaster Elijah's admission fee, PTA dues and book fees.
Yvonne went to the family home to conduct an evaluation. Elijah’s family lives in a small one room house. His older brother lives with his mother in the community and all the children attend the same school.
The step mother stands at the doorway of the house where the family of five lives.
Elijah's step mother, father, two sisters and step brother.
Moses has started to build an additional room where the four children, including Elijah, will sleep. He is saving money and hopes to complete the room in the near future. He is a cocoa farmer and carpenter but he focuses mostly on farming because it is more profitable. His crops include plantains, maize and cassava to help feed his family. Moses hopes to expand his carpentry work to earn more income, if he can receive a micro grant to buy some equipment.
The new room is partially completed.
Cooking is done in this outdoor structure.
Moses says supporting his children’s education is a priority while he also ensures his family does not lack the basic necessities, such as food and clothing. They are devout Christians and worship at the Pentecost Church. After spending hours with the family, Yvonne commended Moses’ hard work and encouraged him to continue supporting his children. He in turn expressed his gratitude to RTBF for saving Elijah and for the support we have given him. He promised to take good care of Elijah when he returns to the family.
Yvonne visits Elijah at the Don Bosco Child Protection Center.
Far from the life he once knew, Elijah is healing, thriving and looking forward to reuniting with his family and attending school for the first time. He said “I want to go to school to study to become a doctor.”
With the help of our donors, children like Elijah have been set free from years of exploitation. Instead of living a life of fear, danger and abuse, these children are going to school and creating a legacy of promise and hope for themselves and future generations. Thank you for saving their lives and giving them the opportunity to rise above poverty.
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