A three-year European Union (EU) funded project aimed at eliminating child labour and trafficking in cocoa and fishing communities has been launched at Dambai in the Oti Region. 

The project, dubbed “My Rights, My Future (MRMF)”, valued at GH¢13 million, is about creating real opportunities for children to learn, play and thrive in the two regions.

The beneficiary districts are Kadjebi in the Volta Region and Krachi East and West in the Oti Region. The project will target 4,800 children, 9,600 parents, community leaders and educators with a strong focus on girls and vulnerable families.

Last Thursday’s ceremony was attended by representatives from the EU, local authorities, civil society organisations, government agencies and traditional authorities.

It was organised by Right To Play International (RTP), a non-governmental organisation, in collaboration with Partners in Community Development Programme and Alliance for Community Resilience and Development.

Launch

Speaking at the launch, the Head of Infrastructure and Sustainable Development of the EU, Paulina Rozycka, said everyone deserved the chance to learn, grow and thrive in a serene atmosphere that would enable them to go to school and enjoy healthy play.  

She expressed her regret that one out of every five children was engaged in hazardous labour in the two regions.

Ms Rozycka expressed the hope that the project would mark the beginning of a new era where child labour and trafficking would be stopped.

“This partnership reflects our shared commitment to addressing child labour holistically, by investing in communities, empowering families and ensuring accountability of the state”, she said. 

Gratitude

The Oti Regional Minister, John Kudzo Gyapong, was excited that the project had come to the two regions where most parents engaged their children in jobs to provide for the family.

He said they engaged children in hazardous jobs, particularly in cocoa growing and fishing communities, which kept them out of school.

“These go beyond checkboxes they are lifelines for thousands of children whose futures are currently at risk,” Mr Kudzo Gyapong said.

He emphasised that children should be sent to school to be equipped with skills and knowledge that would guide their future.

“My Rights My Future is not just a project title, it is a promise.

A promise that children, regardless of where they are born must be seen, heard, protected and their future matter”, he said. He pledged his readiness and support to ensure the success of the project.