“During my time in Ghana, I had the incredible opportunity to work on the Safe Child Advocacy Project run by the Daughters of Charity. This is a vital initiative dedicated to safeguarding children and providing skills training and education. Here’s a glimpse into my journey:

My first role was at the Drop-in centre. This is where street children come for a rest to escape their street jobs and simply be kids. The drop-in centre is also seen as their first step to moving off the streets. Here, I played board games like ludo and Mancala, building friendships. In the evening, I helped them with literacy and numeracy skills through worksheets and trying to play games in English.

Another role I had was in the outreach programme. This involved going onto the streets and identifying girls that were new to the streets and connected with street children at the Kumasi trading centre. We spoke to them and asked them about their day. Usually, the children would be in the same spots every day. Our goal was to offer them alternatives to street life, fostering relationships and guiding them towards better opportunities.

To ensure continuous support, I participated in follow-ups with former programme participants. We provided essentials like shoes and checked on their well-being, reinforcing that they were not forgotten.

When I wasn’t at the drop-in centre, I was at the Vocational Training Centre, where girls learned skills like sewing and hairdressing. I taught English classes focused on reading, writing, and video analysis. The girls loved watching short films and discussing them. Before evening classes, I played football with them, and they were very good, clearly enjoying the game. After class, we had fun playing board games like Guess Who, Uno, and Snap.

The Safe Child Advocacy Project is making a real difference, and I’m grateful to have been a part of it.”