By: International Justice Mission (IJM)
His story is a testimony to his resilience, courage and the power of survivor-led advocacy.
Through his words and actions, Jerry is protecting children from ever experiencing the harm he once faced on Lake Volta – the largest man-made lake in the world.
Like many children in vulnerable communities, Jerry was lured into exploitative labour by traffickers who promised food, education, and a better future. His mother thought that by sending Jerry away she was giving her son the chance of an education she would struggle to afford. Jerry estimates he was about nine years old when he left his home, believing he was stepping into a new chapter filled with opportunity. Instead, cruelty and exploitation awaited him.
Jerry was forced into hazardous child labour on the Volta Lake. He spent his days hauling heavy fishing nets, his small hands swollen and bruised, while older fishermen barked orders and threats. He was beaten, starved, and denied rest. On his very first day, he nearly drowned. The dream of security and education quickly dissolved into a daily struggle for survival.
“I was supposed to be there for four years,” Jerry recalls, “but two years in, my mother learned the truth, how I was beaten, starved, and forced to work without rest. She fought to bring me home.”
Jerry’s mother, a quiet but determined woman, was devastated when she discovered what had happened to her son. Another mother in the community had shared the truth with her, and from that moment, she vowed to rescue him.
“When I heard what was happening to my son, my heart broke,” she says.
Jerry returned home malnourished and traumatised, but with a fierce determination to reclaim his life. He walked back into a classroom, ready to pursue the education that had once been promised to him.
His journey to freedom was not easy
The scars, both physical and emotional, ran deep. But Jerry refused to let his past define him.
Today, he is a pupil teacher and a passionate advocate against child trafficking. In the classroom, he is admired not only for his dedication but for the strength of his character.
“Jerry is one of the most hardworking young men I have ever met,” says one of his senior colleagues. “He gives back to this community, ensuring no child goes through what he did.”
In 2022, Jerry met Josephine Aparo as a chapter of survivors was forming in his region, and Jerry was voted in as leader of the Courageous Crew chapter of the Ghana Survivor Network.
The Ghana Survivor Network, in alliance with the Global Survivor Network (GSN), is a group of survivor leaders who desire and pursue safe communities through justice systems that protect the most vulnerable from violence.
Now, Jerry works tirelessly to educate families about the dangers of trafficking. He collaborates with law enforcement and NGOs, speaking at community gatherings and warning parents about deceptive tactics used by traffickers. Despite facing stigma and threats, he remains resolute. “There is a stigma,” Jerry admits. “Some people see us as damaged. Others think we should just move on. But I refuse to be silent. I know what it means to suffer. And if I can stop even one child from going through what I did, then my pain has meaning.”
“No child deserves what I went through,” he says. “If you see something, say something. If you suspect trafficking, report it. Together, we can end this.”
From the shores of Lake Volta to the frontlines of community activism, Jerry walks forward with purpose. His past fuels his mission, and his voice carries the weight of experience and the promise of change.
Article supplied with thanks to IJM
IJM is committed to protecting the dignity, privacy and safety of vulnerable people. Names, details and images may be changed or represented by actors to protect identities. All stories and images are used with informed consent and safeguarding practices.
Feature image: Supplied
