Safe-Child Advocacy (SCA), Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi on Tuesday September 20th, 2022 marked World Day of Migrants and Refugees on theme “Building the Future with Migrants and Refugees”. Observing the day, management organized a workshop for street connected children and Kayayei mothers (head-porters), to educate and sensitize them on the implications of illegal migration both within and outside country.

Participants were grouped into two, with one group consisting of only Kayayei mothers with the other group made up of vulnerable children and young adults in street situation. Education on the day focused on the theme for the celebration and touched on Pope Francis’ quote “if we want to cooperate with our heavenly father in building the future, let us do so together with our brothers and sister who are migrants and refugees”. And that future must be built today!

Sr. Olivia Umoh, Director of SCA expressed that to build that dreamed future today, we must all get involved. Also, migrants and refugees should not hesitate to share their experiences and seek for support to change their story or situation for a better life.

Also, Sr. Marie Josephe a Daughter of Mary in Rwanda and a member of Migrant and refugees Africa section who joined SCA from Accra to grace the occasion advised participants on the need to seek assistance and where to go should they find themselves in such a situation. Sr. Marie concluded by expressing her gratitude to participants for their time, availability, and cooperation in making the day a fruitful one to commemorate.

Safe-Child Advocacy had the honour of hosting a delegation from our partner organization and donor agency from Germany. The delegation was made up 3 outstanding agencies namely, Katholische Zentralstelle fÜr Entwicklungshilfe (KZE), representing the German Government Ministry; Misereor, representing the Catholic Bishops Conference of Germany and Bread for the World, representing the Protestant partner of Misereor.

We had an extremely enriching interaction with our guests at the Drop-In-Centre after which they joined our field team to the Central Market of Kumasi to have firsthand interaction with children and youths in street situations in Kumasi.

The visit was extended to our other two Centres; St.Vincent De Paul Daycare Centre at Abinkyi and the St. Louise Vocational Training Centre (VTC) at Appiadu, all in Kumasi.

At the VTC, our guests spent valuable time with girls resident in the Centre. They encouraged the girls to work hard in their pursuit of a brighter future for themselves and their families. They equally appraised the Daughters of Charity Sisters and the team of Safe-Child Advocacy for the life-changing services to children in vulnerable situations and humanity.

The visit is so motivating for us all at Safe-Child Advocacy.

Many many thanks, KZE/Misereor for being ever supportive of our services to children in street and other vulnerable situations and for taking the time to come out and walk the streets with us.

Danke schön!

Sr. Olivia Umoh, DC
Director
Safe-Child Advocacy
Kumasi