Jonani and Freeman were fisher-boys who were discovered in one of the earlier projects against child labour in Ghana. They used to work together on a boat on Lake Volta, the largest artificial lake globally and home to a sizeable fishing industry. The boys worked long days, starting as early as 4:00 a.m., and in hazardous conditions.
The lake’s artificial nature – created by the Akosombo dam on the Volta river in southeast Ghana –
means that many trees have submerged in the lake. Fishing nets regularly get caught on these trees. When this happens, fisherboys like Jonani and Freeman have to dive deep into the water to disentangle the nets from the trees. Some boys have been killed and many have been injured doing this job. Jonani and Freeman are lucky to be alive today to share their experiences.
After the boys were rescued by the General Agricultural Workers Union (GAWU), Jonani completed his education. However, his love for fishing continued. He returned to the fishing industry and became a full-time educated fisherman who refused to employ children. He also started supplying fishing gear and provided assistance and guidance to fellow fishermen.
Freeman also continued his education and even attended university. During his studies, he was invited by Senator Tom Harkin from the United States Congress to share his story and raise awareness about child labour. When Freeman returned to Ghana from the USA he became highly motivated and committed to combating child labour. His motivation never faded, and he became an activist who now trains and sensitises children in his own and other communities.
After university Freeman also started working and helped his mother, who works as a fish smoker, to find better accommodation. He also supported his younger brother to go to teacher training college, which led to him becoming an assistant headteacher at a school in their home village.
