A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has, therefore, been signed between the International Justice Mission (IJM) and United Way, Ghana to create an effective community-based solutions to end human trafficking in the country.

It is also to support the survivors whilst equipping them to fight against the menace

A statement jointly signed by Madam Anita Budu, Director of IJM, West Africa and Mr Felix Kissiedu-Addi, Executive Director, United Way Ghana and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Cape Coast, said the one year project would begin from Awutu Senya District of the Central Region.

It indicated that the community based initiative dubbed: “The Anti-Child Trafficking Project” and focused on supporting IJM-led “Ghana Survivors Network (GSN) will commence with an advocacy programme to combat child trafficking in underserved communities in Ghana.

Additionally, it will empower and equip about 20 survivors of human trafficking as leaders to join other leaders to serve as advocates at the local, regional and national levels to protect vulnerable people.

It is also to galvanize partnership across sectors and build public and political will to support, fund and scale strategies across the communities in Ghana to find, stop, and prevent child trafficking and strengthen the justice system, the statement said.

GSN forms part of the Global Survivors Network, an international group of survivors leading a movement to use their voices to encourage leaders to bring to an end and protect their communities from all forms of violence.

It appreciated the efforts of United Way Ghana, adding that the support will positively impact the lives of the survivors.

The implementation of the project is a collaborative effort by the IJM, Ghana, United Way Ghana, the Awutu-Senya District Assembly and the Department of Social Welfare (DSW).

So far, there are three chapters of survivors groups in the country with the Senya Bereku survivors’ chapter being the latest.