In the coastal village of Senya Beraku, Ghana, traffickers buy children from starving parents and force them into dangerous child labour. These children (some barely old enough to attend school) are taken to sea to work on fishing boats. When the nets get tangled on rocks beneath the ocean, the children are forced to dive down and release them. The waters are rough, the currents strong, and the risks life-threatening. Many suffer serious injuries. Some never come back up.

Seth was one of those children. Thankfully, he managed to escape the traffickers and survive. Rather than turning his back on his past, he founded St. Miracle Works Educational Foundation (SMWEF) to rescue other trafficked children and give them a future.

Today, SMWEF is a registered charity, working in partnership with Ghanaian social services and the government to identify and rescue exploited children. The children are placed with foster families who are paid by the charity and supported to enrol them in a school also run by SMWEF. The goal is to offer not only safety but also education, healing and hope.

But the foster system isn’t enough. The families caring for these children often cannot provide three meals a day. Worse, if a trafficker offers them more money than the charity can, the children risk being sold back into slavery. SMWEF Ghana is in urgent need of funding to complete the construction of its orphanage – a permanent, secure home where rescued children can be protected, fed and supported in a stable environment.

This summer, I travelled to Senya Beraku as a volunteer, teaching maths to children aged 2–16. These children had faced unthinkable trauma, and yet were some of the brightest, kindest, most joyful young people. Their courage and eagerness to learn was awe-inspiring. Back in the UK, I’m committed to helping SMWEF Ghana complete its mission.

All donations to this wonderful cause would be greatly appreciated, so that we can provide food, books and clothing for the children. Together, we can change lives.