Over a million children in Ghana, ages 5-15 live on the street and are involved in such things as robbery, prostitution and drug addiction. Living on the street excludes these children from basic human rights such as safe family environments and protection against exploitation.
Several years ago, African Enterprise began a program to alleviate associated problems with ‘streetism’ and instead support and empower children. Every year through the Ghana Street Children Apprenticeship Project (SCAP), 50 children are brought off the streets and equipped with skills through vocation courses including dressmaking and tailoring, computing, hairdressing and beautician, aluminum fabrication and auto mechanics. Along with learning life skills, they are trained and disciple in the Gospel.
We have caught up with some of our recent students in the tailoring and bead making programs, lives are being changed through this program!
Cynthia was part of the SCAP Project in 2017 and completed the bead making apprenticeship. Soon after graduation she was able to open a small store front business selling her bead accessories, however, it was in a less desirable part of town that didn’t afford Cynthia much business. Soon after, the Lord opened up an opportunity for her to move her shop to the very busy Arts Centre in Accra where she is now very successfully running her own shop!
Seloma was part of the SCAP Project in 2018 and completed the tailoring apprenticeship. He is now self employed as a qualified tailor working out of his home, saving money to buy his own shop.
“I am very grateful and thankful to God and also to AE Ghana for transforming my life. I can now support my family through the tailoring business. God bless AE and all the donors who made it possible for me to come this far”. My only challenge is to save enough money to open my own shop so that I can also help and reach out to other street children”.
You can help bring kids off the street and offer them training in skills that will transform their lives!