Treasures of Darkness is seeking to provide much needed financial help to Save the Children Canada who offers a range of programs that address child trafficking, migration and exploitative child labour in West Africa. This charity has helped to establish a network of organizations to combat trafficking, including local non- governmental organizations, children's organizations, bus drivers and union leaders in the transport industry, community leaders, religious leaders, border guards and other government authorities. This network has been trained to identify children at risk and ensure the children get access to the appropriate services.
Save the Children Case Study: Three children trafficked by their uncle in Guinea
Three siblings, named Nassou, 6 years old, Ladji 8 years and Amara 10 years old, lived in a small village in Guinea. The children lost their father in June 2006 and lived with their mother. One day when their mother was away, a distant paternal uncle visited them and explained that their mother was too poor to take care of them. He said that even though they were young, they would be expected to take care of themselves from now on. He asked the children to go with him where he could help them make a lot of money - enough to meet their own needs and even support their mother. Persuaded into thinking they could make money, they followed their uncle into Ivory Coast. For two days, they experienced extremely harsh conditions: they were not given food or water and were forced to walk long distances through the bush before taking a vehicle to Kalana. The children were too afraid to complain.
When they finally arrived in Kalana, the children were witnessed at a local restaurant with an older man sharing one meal. At that same restaurant a local woman, who had been trained by Save the Children Canada on how to identify children at risk of being trafficked, was also eating and became aware of the situation that these children were in. She notified the police who came and interrogated the uncle. The authorities in the mother's hometown were also contacted and the mother came to Kalana to take her children back home. She explained to the authorities that the uncle had taken her children without her knowledge or consent.
The uncle was handed over to the local authorities and he is currently in prison awaiting trial.
Working with this network of partners, Save the Children leads awareness activities including street theatre, radio messages, and TV commercials to increase local people's understanding how to prevent child trafficking and exploitation. The charity also helps strengthen the capacity of local partners to support child victims and to re-integrate these children back in their home communities. Save the Children Canada, working closely with the Ministry of Education in Burkina Faso has built schools and improved the quality and relevance of vocational schools. Such schools help to provide more opportunities for children living in high risk areas to go to, and stay in, school rather than migrate or be trafficked.
Migration and child trafficking in West Africa is inextricably linked to cocoa production. Save the Children advocates for increased funding for specific programs that target West African poverty brought about by low commodity pricing and unfair market mechanisms in the cocoa supply chain. Projects could include the building of agro-economic schools in targeted cocoa-growing areas, with region-specific curriculum. Programs are needed that support safe migration. They call for greater funding for educational infrastructure that can reduce both poverty and inequality, and lay the foundation for countries to move from conflict situations to stable and secure environments.
After a visit to their community by Cirque de Soleil circus performers, Save the Children Canada's partner, TIE, began to use circus training to help street children and Talibé children learn new skills, improve their concentration, and develop their self-esteem.
Youth wearing PACTE project T-shirt saying 'Who Protects our Children from Migration', Burkina Faso. A t-shirt worn by a youth group educator helps to sensitize children and adults to avoid migration or trafficking routes.
Whereas most of the children left in the care of Koranic leaders are boys, Save the Children Canada has also identified a smaller number of Talibé girls. Save the Children Canada is currently undertaking research to document the needs of girls in Koranic schools who are forced to work in dangerous conditions and victims of abuse.
Save the Children Canada supports community women to serve as Guardians for young girls like these who are forced to work as domestic servants. The Guardians meet with domestic employers to ensure that the girls are given some time off each week to attend skills, labour and health training sessions.
Save the Children Canada's network of child protection partners have been trained to identify the risks of unsafe migration, trafficking and exploitation and to act to report on suspicious behaviour. One of our partners identified this bus load of children and youth who were migrating away from their families to seek work in neighbouring Ivory Coast. A series of support services were provided and they were helped to return home safely.
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