Breaking The Chain Through Education (BTCTE)
Rescuing trafficked children in Ghana
Location: Ghana
Sponsor: Mike Fitzgerald
Breaking the Chain Through Education: A first-time grantee in 2022-23
BTCTE was established in 2006 with the goal of rescuing trafficked children in Ghana. BTCTE now provides education, vocational training, and related services including room and board, supplies, clothing and uniforms, transportation and medicine for children rescued from servitude.
After initially rescuing individual children, BTCTE began to explore ways and commit their efforts to rescue groups of children. In 2012, they built a village school for children in exchange for the freedom of the village’s 19 trafficked children who were then free from servitude to be rehabilitated and educated. BTCTE then created and expanded an education program and employed a social worker to periodically check on children’s welfare. A local team now assesses needs, helps to problem solve, offers practical guidance, and brings hope and encouragement to rescued children.
BTCTE subsequently created an apprenticeship program for students who are 18 years or older who choose to pursue trades. This support continues post-graduation to help apprentices gain financial stability and entrepreneurship. In 2023, BTCTE plans to carry out the apprentice program from a new BTCTE Campus with a Residential Center and Educational Center that will improve the services and facilities for apprentices and enable more structured job and career training.
For more information, see:https://www.btcte.org/
GRANT SUMMARY AND PURPOSE
2022-23: A $30,000 grant will help fund the BTCTE Campus. The Residential Center will feature a common kitchen and dining area, a communal study room, and an entertainment room. It will house 40 apprentices and boarding school students when they come home for school breaks. The Education Center will include a conference room/classroom, BTCTE headquarters and a caretaker’s residence. In addition, a grant of $2,883 in unrestricted funding has been awarded to support this mission.
IMPACT
The Campus will expand the impact of BTCTE’s efforts to improve the education and lives of formerly trafficked children and youth. It will allow an increase in the number of apprentices, enable more structured job and career training, and increase the number of students able to attend University. The project will also provide opportunities for training and jobs during construction.
