Gospel of Justice: Yeji conference empowers boat masters’ wives to end child labour on the Volta Lake

More than 250 individuals attended the Gospel of Justice Conference in Yeji, Ghana, to bring attention to the issue of child labor on the Volta Lake. The conference, organized by GlobeServe Ministries International and Westwood Community Church, brought together chiefs, queen mothers, boat masters, pastors, mothers, government representatives, and international partners.

Rev. Dr. Samuel A.K. Dunya, founder of GlobeServe Ministries, emphasized that child trafficking and child labor are still prevalent in communities like Yeji, where boat masters exploit children for fishing, denying them education. He highlighted that poverty drives this trafficking, and the conference aims to empower women—the backbone of these communities—to end child labor.

This year, 100 boat masters' wives were trained in making soap, antiseptic, pomade, ointments, and pastries, equipping them with start-up materials to start their own small businesses. The training's impact has been evident, with mothers now providing income for their children's education instead of forcing them into dangerous work on the lake.

Rev. Dunya stressed the importance of providing better alternatives and showing compassion to break the cycle of exploitation. Erica Abdul Haliq, representing Westwood Community Church from Minnesota, USA, expressed her honor in supporting this mission to help children return to school. The conference exemplifies the power of international collaboration in addressing local challenges.