Bolgatanga, Jan. 15, GNA- One hundred and fifty children who were actively involved in small scale mining "galamsey", in the Talensi Nabdam District have been given the opportunity to go to school or learn vocations of their choice.

Afrikids, an NGO involved in the welfare of children, withdrew the children from the pits and sent them to school. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, Mr Raymond Ayine, Programme Manager of Afrikids said, 120 of them have been sent to school while the other 30 teenagers are being sponsored to learn a vocation.

He said the children in the mining areas of the Upper East Region were actively involved in mining to support themselves and their families, instead of going to school. He said the programme involved parents of the children and were given financial support to go into small scale businesses so that they would not be compelled to depend on their children. The programme, being undertaken in eight communities started in 2007 and has a two year financial support from its donors including the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Mr Ayine expressed the hope that after the two year financial support, the programme would be able to source more funds to ensure that the children were retained in school and the 30 young men currently learning trades would get support to start their businesses. 15 Jan. 08