UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador says No to Prostitution
16 Sep 2008
16 Sep 2008
The UNICEF Goodwill ambassador Angelique Kidjo in collaboration with Children Associated with the War [CAW] at George Street in Freetown said that the practice of forcing girls into prostitution must stop, and the girls must be given a chance to rebuild their lives.
Kidjo, though her NGO Batonga, helps to fund the vocational training for girls involved in prostitution though the work of CAW. Learning skills is the only way to help them turn their lives around. It is her dream to help African girls living in poverty, but for her poverty is not an excuse for falling into prostitution.
CAW program co-ordinator, Edwards Juma Abu, said, "There are many of these young girls in every part of Sierra Leone. We have given some skills training on tailoring, gara dieing, hair dressing and other. 23 graduated last year." "We give them a sewing machine and a sum of two hundred thousand Leone to start their life." CAW changes the life of young girls by encouraging them to learn skills so that they can go and work. Over four hundred beneficiaries have gone through the CAW program.
"Government used to help us, but since 2003 there has been no help from them. We need government intervention to help young girls to learn skills at the centre," he said.
Social worker, Mohamed Siaka, said "we go out to the streets of Freetown, and give them counselling about the home, some understand and decide to come for training. Now we can be proud that many have gone through this training. And 30 are presently undergoing the program, and can even embark on family tracing."
Kidjo, though her NGO Batonga, helps to fund the vocational training for girls involved in prostitution though the work of CAW. Learning skills is the only way to help them turn their lives around. It is her dream to help African girls living in poverty, but for her poverty is not an excuse for falling into prostitution.
CAW program co-ordinator, Edwards Juma Abu, said, "There are many of these young girls in every part of Sierra Leone. We have given some skills training on tailoring, gara dieing, hair dressing and other. 23 graduated last year." "We give them a sewing machine and a sum of two hundred thousand Leone to start their life." CAW changes the life of young girls by encouraging them to learn skills so that they can go and work. Over four hundred beneficiaries have gone through the CAW program.
"Government used to help us, but since 2003 there has been no help from them. We need government intervention to help young girls to learn skills at the centre," he said.
Social worker, Mohamed Siaka, said "we go out to the streets of Freetown, and give them counselling about the home, some understand and decide to come for training. Now we can be proud that many have gone through this training. And 30 are presently undergoing the program, and can even embark on family tracing."
Source: http://www.concordtimessl.com
