9 Years old rescued boy now in school
Meet Qasim - a 9 Years old rescued boy who is now in school
*name and photo changed to protect identity.
When Qasim was six years old, his mother told him he was going to visit relatives. A man came to pick him up, but he never met his relatives. Instead, he was trafficked to work on fishing boats on Lake Volta, the center of Ghana’s commercial fishing industry. That day, Qasim joined thousands of other children who were trafficked on the world’s biggest man-made lake – most of whom are under the age of 10.
Nine years later, Qasim was still on the lake. He never went to school; he was physically abused, underfed, and beaten with boat paddles. His job was to dive deep into the lake to retrieve fishing nets, the water causing permanent hearing damage over time. Sometimes the nets would get tangled under the water; Qasim didn’t know if he would make it to the surface before running out of oxygen. He still has recurring nightmares about drowning...
Qasim was rescued in March. When he entered our Shelter, Qasim received immediate medical care. After years of neglect, he was malnourished, and his body was covered with open wounds. He was diagnosed with PTSD and began therapy.
About a month ago, Qasim started first grade. He is motivated to catch up with his peers, so he takes evening classes in addition to day classes. His body is healthy, he has put on weight. He receives counseling several times a week for PTSD, abandonment, and abuse. He loves to play football and draw – especially with markers. The staff at the safe house talk about how helpful he is and how he is always the first one to raise his hand to help out.
Your support made this possible. You provided freedom and the opportunity for a new life for Qasim. There are still thousands of children like Qasim who have been separated from their families, trafficked, and forced into hard labour .
We won’t stop until all children are free!!!!