Voices

Akim Abdulai (story from the crèche) Akim Abdulai was born in 2004, his mother is however unsure of the exact date. Akim was admitted to the crèche when a social worker in the Kokomba shanty area found both him and his mother. They came from a village in the Northern Region of Ghana and had been in Accra for one year. Akim and his mother spend every night in a poorly maintained one room wooden structure with ten others who come from the same part of the country. On his admission to the crèche, Akim looked ill and malnourished. He only weighed 4.2kg and was unable to stand on his own. Akim’s hair was turning red and his stomach was protruded and shining. An interview with his mother revealed that she was indeed not feeding her child properly. Akim typically only ate twice a day at unscheduled times and these meals depended on what his mother could find at the time. Sometimes Akim was found being fed an inedible white clay substance. S.Aid has since educated his mother on an appropriate diet for a growing child. Akim now attends the Kinbu Creche regularly and is provided supplementary feeding. In addition to the three meals prepared for all the other children, he is fed protein enriched milk and fed eggs. In a short time, Akim weighed a healthy 7 Kg and he is able to take a few steps with a little support. From all indications his condition has improved greatly. Sala (story from the refuge) Sala came to Accra in pursuit of making a better life for herself. Her parents chose to have her work in the fields as a farm-aid instead of going to school. Sala heard from other girls in her village in the Northern Region of Ghana that life was easier in Accra and “it was full of good jobs and opportunity”. Sala arrived in Accra when she was 14 and settled with some other young girls from neighboring villages in the Mallata neighborhood of Accra. She worked from sunrise to sunset as a Kayayo – a porter who carries loads on her head for a small fee. Sala slept with her friends in an abandoned stall of the market. At 16, Sala’s boyfriend impregnated her and refused to accept responsibility for the child. Eesa, an S.Aid social worker, had known Sala since she arrived in Accra and was promptly informed of the situation. Eesa relocated Sala to the house of refuge where she gave birth to Comfort, a healthy girl, in a local hospital. Sala wanted to return to her village to raise her daughter, but her parents refused her requests to return. Sala’s parents were disgraced that she had given birth to a child out of wedlock and stopped communicating with her. Eesa contacted other family members who were more sympathetic to Salas crisis and they helped him organize a meeting with Sala and her family. Eesa mediated the meeting which resulted in Sala being invited to come back home. He will accompany Sala back to her village and counsel the family on the issues that arise from her repatriation. Sala is excited to be returning home and hopes for a smooth transition.