Closing the child labour trap

For Elisé, the promise of gold mining seemed like the perfect way to escape poverty. At just 13 years old, he was about to be another victim of the child labour trap. 

Living in a rural village in Burkina Faso, Elisé and his family struggled to get by. His parents were barely able to provide for him and his three sisters. He had serious thoughts of dropping out of school and running away to work alongside thousands of other children in the gold mines. Because making some quick money seemed like the answer to all of life’s problems.

But for children like Elisé, the decision to be a gold miner ultimately steals their choices because they no longer have the opportunities that come with an education. 

A different golden opportunity

Fortunately for Elisé, he attended some community training session run by Credo, a Children Believe partner where he learned about the dangers and false promises in mining. 

“I didn’t know how dangerous it could be,” Elisé says. “I learned that some children are badly hurt. And many are not paid what they are promised or given enough food. Sometimes not given wages at all.”

The program changed his perspective and put his life in a different direction. He’s chosen education, rather than risking his future as a child labourer. 

Community focus

Knowing about the dangers of child labour is only one part of the solution. Children Believe’s programs are also hard at work to change the conditions that push children into dirty, dangerous and degrading jobs. 

The awareness sessions led to changes in mindset and behavioral shifts within the community. But it was just one part of a holistic approach to community capacity building so that all people in the village could thrive.

Improved learning centres, healthcare services, better nutrition, training for economic opportunities and access to clean, safe water are all part of community developed designed to improve lives for everyone.  

 “Thanks to Children Believe’s interventions, children like Elisé are now discouraged from working in gold mining sites, significantly reducing school dropouts,” explains a representative of Credo. “Moving forward, the community hopes for increased access to education and further solutions to social issues such as early marriage, healthcare stigmatization, and harmful cultural practices.”

For more inspiring stories like Elisé's, check out our Annual ChildVoice Edition.