Ama, 24 years old, Hairdresser
I came to Chance for Children at age 16, two years after completing my basic school education. My family didn’t have enough money to continue my training, so I sold fish and kenkey instead. One day a social worker from Chance for Children approached me and asked why I wasn’t going to school. At a meeting with my mother, the CFC worker offered to support us by paying for my apprenticeship. Three years later I completed my training as a hairdresser and was released from Chance for Children with some money to rent an apartment, buy a hairdryer, and other accessories which then allowed me to work on my own. Today I’m working as a hairdresser and take full responsibility for myself. I also support my younger sister financially so that she can go to school.
Kojo, 21 years old, Plumbing Engineer
Nine years ago I was a street boy in Jamestown. I got to know Chance for Children and they gave me the chance to change my life. First, they taught me in the house as a preparation for my schooling. Then I was able to live at the Hebron house until I completed my basic education. I had different options of professions to choose from after finishing school. Of the possibilities I chose to become a plumbing engineer. When I started my second year of the apprenticeship and I stayed at one of the youth flats. This apprenticeship took four years to complete and now I am able to look after myself and my family in the future.
Kwamena, 25 years old, Music Producer
I was picked up from the street as a street child. It is very hard to make a living on the street as a child. Living from hand to mouth as a child is obviously very sad, but God sent CFC to my aid. There I was loved, cared for and sent to school from the basic level to Senior High School and finally to an apprenticeship, where I was trained as a sound engineer. This gave me the opportunity to establish my own recording studio. I record music for popular musicians in Ghana, such as Adane Best, Chris of Mentor fame and Lazy Dazy. Today I’m extremely glad about the chance CFC gave me.
Kwame, 15 years old
I was living on the streets for eight years. To support myself I gambled and collected metal scraps to sell them. Sometimes I didn’t have any money to buy food or even water. As I had no place to sleep, I often slept on the streets. When it was raining, I was always very sad. At times I had to beg for money or sell things at the market so I could buy something to eat. Life on the streets really wasn’t easy. Now, I am happy to go to school and live in a safe environment provided by CFC.
Joseph, 16 years old
I was living on the streets for about eleven years. It was not easy to get enough money to eat. Even finding a place to sleep was difficult most of the time. Sometimes I had to sleep next to the sewage drain and was bitten by mosquitoes. Because of that I became sick quite often. While I was sick, I couldn’t work and therefore could not afford any medicine. Sometimes friends bought me some medicine with their money. All of us didn’t go to school while we lived on the streets. We had to work every day. Once we had some money, we spent it on games. And when all of our money was gone, we went to work again.
Emmanuel, 22 years old
On the streets I had to work before being able to buy some breakfast or water to wash myself. Not always did I manage to get enough money to buy food or water. That’s why I sometimes was able to wash myself only twice a week. Sometimes I had to steal, which was very dangerous. It was especially tough during the rainy season. We didn’t have any place to sleep then. So when it was raining in the night, we had to stand up and wait until the rain was over. It was often very cold in these nights.
Moses, 25 years old, Art Student
My name is Moses, I adopted this name from the street, where I went through struggles, pains and depression. I lost my father at a very tender age and my mother was diagnosed with a mental disorder. I am a boy who was born and raised on the street of the Kaneshie market in Accra. I used to sleep on the ground with my mother and my 13 siblings. I lost my twin sister because of hunger and one day I couldn’t find my mother and my siblings again. I began to feed myself at the age of 9. I walked on waste to look for pieces of metal in order to resell them again. I never wish anyone to become a scrap dealer. As times went on, I met one of the Chance for Children street workers who took care of me and helped me to achieve my dreams. CFC sponsored me throughout my education first within the Drop-in Centre and then I stayed in the house and completed High School. I received great awards and certificates from the school as the best painting student. I am still furthering my course.